POST request with relation fails with 400 in spring-data-rest-webmvc 4.3.5

[psager227]

Attempting to make a POST request to create an entity with a relationship to another entity fails with a 400 error in spring-data-rest-webmvc 4.3.5. This previously worked in version 4.3.4.

Running the test in the sample application at https://github.com/psager227/spring-data-rest-issue will result in a failure. Reverting the spring-boot-starter-parent version to 3.3.4 will result in the test passing. Below is the exception thrown:

org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageNotReadableException: JSON parse error: Cannot construct instance of `com.example.springdatarestissue.entity.Author` (although at least one Creator exists): no String-argument constructor/factory method to deserialize from String value ('/authors/1')
	at org.springframework.http.converter.json.AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.readJavaType(AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:406)
	at org.springframework.http.converter.json.AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.readInternal(AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:362)
	at org.springframework.http.converter.AbstractHttpMessageConverter.read(AbstractHttpMessageConverter.java:198)
	at org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.config.PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.read(PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java:236)
	at org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.config.PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.lambda$read$7(PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java:194)
	at java.base/java.util.Optional.orElseGet(Optional.java:364)
	at org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.config.PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.read(PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java:194)
	at org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.config.PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.resolveArgument(PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java:124)
	at org.springframework.web.method.support.HandlerMethodArgumentResolverComposite.resolveArgument(HandlerMethodArgumentResolverComposite.java:122)
	at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.getMethodArgumentValues(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:224)
	at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.invokeForRequest(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:178)
	at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:118)
	at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandlerMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:926)
	at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:831)
	at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:87)
	at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:1089)
	at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:979)
	at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:1014)
	at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doPost(FrameworkServlet.java:914)
	at jakarta.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:590)
	at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:885)
	at org.springframework.test.web.servlet.TestDispatcherServlet.service(TestDispatcherServlet.java:72)
	at jakarta.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:658)
	at org.springframework.mock.web.MockFilterChain$ServletFilterProxy.doFilter(MockFilterChain.java:165)
	at org.springframework.mock.web.MockFilterChain.doFilter(MockFilterChain.java:132)
	at org.springframework.test.web.servlet.MockMvc.perform(MockMvc.java:201)
	at com.example.springdatarestissue.SpringDataRestTest.testPostBook(SpringDataRestTest.java:45)
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:77)
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
	at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:568)
	at org.junit.platform.commons.util.ReflectionUtils.invokeMethod(ReflectionUtils.java:728)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.MethodInvocation.proceed(MethodInvocation.java:60)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.InvocationInterceptorChain$ValidatingInvocation.proceed(InvocationInterceptorChain.java:131)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.extension.TimeoutExtension.intercept(TimeoutExtension.java:156)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.extension.TimeoutExtension.interceptTestableMethod(TimeoutExtension.java:147)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.extension.TimeoutExtension.interceptTestMethod(TimeoutExtension.java:86)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.InterceptingExecutableInvoker$ReflectiveInterceptorCall.lambda$ofVoidMethod$0(InterceptingExecutableInvoker.java:103)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.InterceptingExecutableInvoker.lambda$invoke$0(InterceptingExecutableInvoker.java:93)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.InvocationInterceptorChain$InterceptedInvocation.proceed(InvocationInterceptorChain.java:106)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.InvocationInterceptorChain.proceed(InvocationInterceptorChain.java:64)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.InvocationInterceptorChain.chainAndInvoke(InvocationInterceptorChain.java:45)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.InvocationInterceptorChain.invoke(InvocationInterceptorChain.java:37)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.InterceptingExecutableInvoker.invoke(InterceptingExecutableInvoker.java:92)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.InterceptingExecutableInvoker.invoke(InterceptingExecutableInvoker.java:86)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.lambda$invokeTestMethod$7(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:218)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.invokeTestMethod(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:214)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.execute(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:139)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.execute(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:69)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$6(NodeTestTask.java:156)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$8(NodeTestTask.java:146)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.Node.around(Node.java:137)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$9(NodeTestTask.java:144)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.executeRecursively(NodeTestTask.java:143)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.execute(NodeTestTask.java:100)
	at java.base/java.util.ArrayList.forEach(ArrayList.java:1511)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.invokeAll(SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.java:41)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$6(NodeTestTask.java:160)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$8(NodeTestTask.java:146)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.Node.around(Node.java:137)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$9(NodeTestTask.java:144)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.executeRecursively(NodeTestTask.java:143)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.execute(NodeTestTask.java:100)
	at java.base/java.util.ArrayList.forEach(ArrayList.java:1511)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.invokeAll(SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.java:41)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$6(NodeTestTask.java:160)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$8(NodeTestTask.java:146)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.Node.around(Node.java:137)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$9(NodeTestTask.java:144)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.executeRecursively(NodeTestTask.java:143)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.execute(NodeTestTask.java:100)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.submit(SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.java:35)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.execute(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:57)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestEngine.execute(HierarchicalTestEngine.java:54)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.EngineExecutionOrchestrator.execute(EngineExecutionOrchestrator.java:198)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.EngineExecutionOrchestrator.execute(EngineExecutionOrchestrator.java:169)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.EngineExecutionOrchestrator.execute(EngineExecutionOrchestrator.java:93)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.EngineExecutionOrchestrator.lambda$execute$0(EngineExecutionOrchestrator.java:58)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.EngineExecutionOrchestrator.withInterceptedStreams(EngineExecutionOrchestrator.java:141)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.EngineExecutionOrchestrator.execute(EngineExecutionOrchestrator.java:57)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.execute(DefaultLauncher.java:103)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.execute(DefaultLauncher.java:85)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DelegatingLauncher.execute(DelegatingLauncher.java:47)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.SessionPerRequestLauncher.execute(SessionPerRequestLauncher.java:63)
	at com.intellij.junit5.JUnit5IdeaTestRunner.startRunnerWithArgs(JUnit5IdeaTestRunner.java:57)
	at com.intellij.rt.junit.IdeaTestRunner$Repeater$1.execute(IdeaTestRunner.java:38)
	at com.intellij.rt.execution.junit.TestsRepeater.repeat(TestsRepeater.java:11)
	at com.intellij.rt.junit.IdeaTestRunner$Repeater.startRunnerWithArgs(IdeaTestRunner.java:35)
	at com.intellij.rt.junit.JUnitStarter.prepareStreamsAndStart(JUnitStarter.java:232)
	at com.intellij.rt.junit.JUnitStarter.main(JUnitStarter.java:55)
Caused by: com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.MismatchedInputException: Cannot construct instance of `com.example.springdatarestissue.entity.Author` (although at least one Creator exists): no String-argument constructor/factory method to deserialize from String value ('/authors/1')
 at [Source: REDACTED (`StreamReadFeature.INCLUDE_SOURCE_IN_LOCATION` disabled); line: 3, column: 13] (through reference chain: com.example.springdatarestissue.entity.Book["author"])
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.MismatchedInputException.from(MismatchedInputException.java:63)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DeserializationContext.reportInputMismatch(DeserializationContext.java:1754)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DeserializationContext.handleMissingInstantiator(DeserializationContext.java:1379)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.StdDeserializer._deserializeFromString(StdDeserializer.java:311)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerBase.deserializeFromString(BeanDeserializerBase.java:1588)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer._deserializeOther(BeanDeserializer.java:197)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer.deserialize(BeanDeserializer.java:187)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.impl.MethodProperty.deserializeAndSet(MethodProperty.java:129)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer.deserializeFromObject(BeanDeserializer.java:399)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer.deserialize(BeanDeserializer.java:185)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DefaultDeserializationContext.readRootValue(DefaultDeserializationContext.java:342)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectReader._bindAndClose(ObjectReader.java:2125)
	at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectReader.readValue(ObjectReader.java:1501)
	at org.springframework.http.converter.json.AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.readJavaType(AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:395)
	... 96 more

And the response body is:

{"cause":{"cause":null,"message":"Cannot construct instance of `com.tridium.springdatawebmvcissue.entity.Author` (although at least one Creator exists): no String-argument constructor/factory method to deserialize from String value ('/authors/1')\n at [Source: REDACTED (`StreamReadFeature.INCLUDE_SOURCE_IN_LOCATION` disabled); line: 1, column: 48] (through reference chain: com.tridium.springdatawebmvcissue.entity.Book[\"author\"])"},"message":"JSON parse error: Cannot construct instance of `com.tridium.springdatawebmvcissue.entity.Author` (although at least one Creator exists): no String-argument constructor/factory method to deserialize from String value ('/authors/1')"}

This seems to likely be related to 61a5d17

[iimsand]

I can confirm the issue, as we also wanted to upgrade the spring-boot-starter-parent to 3.3.5. A downgrade to 3.3.4 resolved the problem.

[johnnycashash]

Upgrading spring boot from 3.3.4 to 3.3.5, i am facing the same issue. When passing /uuid-string for a UUID field, PersistentEntityJackson2Module.UriStringDeserializer is not applied, and instead, Jackson’s BeanDeserializer is used for that field which fails with error.
no String-argument constructor/factory method to deserialize from String value (/valid-uuid-string)

[trevor-stedman]

I believe this issue is a consequence 61a5d17 in response to #2419

In 3.3.4, PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver passes PersistentEntityResource.class to HttpMessageConverter.canRead which matches with ResourceSupportHttpMessageConverter since PersistentEntityResource is a subclass of RepresentationModel. The ObjectMapper registered with this converter contains PersistentEntityJackson2Module which is able to deserialize URI strings to entities.

In 3.3.5, PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver now passes the domain class to HttpMessageConverter.canRead. ResourceSupportHttpMessageConverter no longer matches because it requires the class passed to canRead to be a subclass of RepresentationModel. Instead it falls back to MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter which does not contain PersistentEntityJackson2Module resulting in an HttpMessageNotReadableException.