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“org.springframework.data.util.TypeInformation.getActualType()” because “propertyType” is null

A Spring Boot 2.5.1 application is logging this warning:

Failed to evaluate Jackson deserialization for type [[simple type, class org.springframework.hateoas.EntityModel<my.project.SoPojo>]]: java.lang.NullPointerException: Cannot invoke "org.springframework.data.util.TypeInformation.getActualType()" because "propertyType" is null

whereas Spring Boot 2.4.4 does not. The POJO is trivial:

public class SoPojo {
    private String value;

    public SoPojo() {
    }

    public SoPojo(String value) {
        this.value = value;
    }

    public String getValue() {
        return value;
    }

    public void setValue(String value) {
        this.value = value;
    }

}

and the Spring RestController is similarly:

@RestController
public class SoController {
    @PostMapping("/so/warning")
    public String warning(@RequestBody EntityModel<SoPojo> pojo) {
        return pojo.toString();
    }

}

To trigger the warning submit a POST:

curl -sS -i -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST -d '{"value":"A warning?"}' http://localhost:8181/so/warning

The warning is triggered while “handling” the _links property of the EntityModel<SoPojo> but why and what can I do about it. Any ideas?

java.lang.NullPointerException: Cannot invoke "org.springframework.data.util.TypeInformation.getActualType()" because "propertyType" is null
    at org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.json.AggregateReferenceResolvingModule$AggregateReferenceDeserializerModifier.updateBuilder(AggregateReferenceResolvingModule.java:109) ~[spring-data-rest-webmvc-3.5.1.jar:3.5.1]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerFactory.buildBeanDeserializer(BeanDeserializerFactory.java:287) ~[jackson-databind-2.12.3.jar:2.12.3]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerFactory.createBeanDeserializer(BeanDeserializerFactory.java:150) ~[jackson-databind-2.12.3.jar:2.12.3]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createDeserializer2(DeserializerCache.java:414) ~[jackson-databind-2.12.3.jar:2.12.3]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createDeserializer(DeserializerCache.java:349) ~[jackson-databind-2.12.3.jar:2.12.3]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createAndCache2(DeserializerCache.java:264) ~[jackson-databind-2.12.3.jar:2.12.3]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createAndCacheValueDeserializer(DeserializerCache.java:244) ~[jackson-databind-2.12.3.jar:2.12.3]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache.hasValueDeserializerFor(DeserializerCache.java:191) ~[jackson-databind-2.12.3.jar:2.12.3]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DeserializationContext.hasValueDeserializerFor(DeserializationContext.java:536) ~[jackson-databind-2.12.3.jar:2.12.3]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper.canDeserialize(ObjectMapper.java:3386) ~[jackson-databind-2.12.3.jar:2.12.3]
    at org.springframework.http.converter.json.AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.canRead(AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:251) ~[spring-web-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.hateoas.server.mvc.TypeConstrainedMappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter.canRead(TypeConstrainedMappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:81) ~[spring-hateoas-1.3.1.jar:1.3.1]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.AbstractMessageConverterMethodArgumentResolver.readWithMessageConverters(AbstractMessageConverterMethodArgumentResolver.java:180) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestResponseBodyMethodProcessor.readWithMessageConverters(RequestResponseBodyMethodProcessor.java:158) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestResponseBodyMethodProcessor.resolveArgument(RequestResponseBodyMethodProcessor.java:131) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.method.support.HandlerMethodArgumentResolverComposite.resolveArgument(HandlerMethodArgumentResolverComposite.java:121) ~[spring-web-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.getMethodArgumentValues(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:170) ~[spring-web-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.invokeForRequest(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:137) ~[spring-web-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:106) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandlerMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:894) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:808) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:87) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:1063) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:963) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:1006) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doPost(FrameworkServlet.java:909) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:652) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:4.0.FR]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:883) ~[spring-webmvc-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:733) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:4.0.FR]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:227) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:53) ~[tomcat-embed-websocket-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:189) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.RequestContextFilter.doFilterInternal(RequestContextFilter.java:100) ~[spring-web-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119) ~[spring-web-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:189) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.FormContentFilter.doFilterInternal(FormContentFilter.java:93) ~[spring-web-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119) ~[spring-web-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:189) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.CharacterEncodingFilter.doFilterInternal(CharacterEncodingFilter.java:201) ~[spring-web-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119) ~[spring-web-5.3.8.jar:5.3.8]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:189) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:202) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:97) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:542) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:143) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:92) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:78) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:357) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Processor.service(Http11Processor.java:374) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProcessorLight.process(AbstractProcessorLight.java:65) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$ConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:893) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.NioEndpoint$SocketProcessor.doRun(NioEndpoint.java:1707) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.SocketProcessorBase.run(SocketProcessorBase.java:49) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1130) ~[na:na]
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:630) ~[na:na]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.46.jar:9.0.46]
    at java.base/java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:832) ~[na:na]

Update:

As dkb notes, this is a bug in the Spring Data REST deserializer.

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Answer

This may not be a complete answer but an observation. In case if it helps other SO members. I Will update/delete this if the answer is not helpful. Let me know in the comment.

This indeed an issue with 2.5.1 and already reported against spring-data-rest module.

This issue is happening mainly because of

import org.springframework.hateoas.EntityModel;

If we remove following dependency

<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-data-rest</artifactId>
</dependency>

and add

<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-hateoas</artifactId>
</dependency>

Things will work fine.

P.S. This issue is fixed in the 2.5.3 spring-boot version

response:

curl -sS -i -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST -d '{"value":"A warning?"}' http://localhost:8181/so/warning

HTTP/1.1 200
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=UTF-8
Content-Length: 62
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2021 05:10:12 GMT

EntityModel { content: so68011276.SoPojo@2c3c58e7, links: [] }
dkb
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