[[actuator.enabling]]
= Enabling Production-ready Features

The {code-spring-boot}/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator[`spring-boot-actuator`] module provides all of Spring Boot's production-ready features.
The recommended way to enable the features is to add a dependency on the `spring-boot-starter-actuator` "`Starter`".

.Definition of Actuator
****
An actuator is a manufacturing term that refers to a mechanical device for moving or controlling something.
Actuators can generate a large amount of motion from a small change.
****

To add the actuator to a Maven-based project, add the following "`Starter`" dependency:

[source,xml]
----
<dependencies>
	<dependency>
		<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
		<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-actuator</artifactId>
	</dependency>
</dependencies>
----

For Gradle, use the following declaration:

[source,gradle]
----
dependencies {
	implementation 'org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-actuator'
}
----
