Spring multiple @Configuration classes

Question

I am using Spring @Configuration annotation to configure my application.

Currently, I have a single @Configuration class where all my beans are

Answer 1

Spring framework chapter-5 explained it very nicely.

• @ExternalBean : One configuration class may need to reference a bean defined in another configuration class (or in XML, for that matter). The @ExternalBean annotation provides just such a mechanism. When JavaConfig encounters a method annotated as @ExternalBean, it replaces that method definition with a lookup to the enclosing bean factory for a bean with the same name as the method name

• @Import : @Import represents JavaConfig's equivalent of XML configuration's element. One configuration class can import any number of other configuration classes, and their bean definitions will be processed as if locally defined

• ConfigurationSupport : As a convenience, @Configuration classses can extend ConfigurationSupport, primarily in order to facilitate easy lookup of beans from the enclosing BeanFactory / ApplicationContext.