Converting Lazy Loaded object to JSON in spring boot jpa

Question

I am getting error while sending the Lazy loaded object as a JSON in response to REST request in spring boot.

When I request from browser to fetch the parentTree and call get method to get the version to test the lazy loading and return version but in process I get the error provided below.

Following are my Model:

ParentTree.java

@Entity
@Data
@Table(name = "parent_tree_temp")
public class ParentTreeTemp {

    @Id
    private Long id;
    private String name;

    @ManyToOne(fetch = FetchType.LAZY)
    @JoinColumn(name = "version_id")
    private Version versionId;
}

Version.java

@Entity
@Data
public class Version {
    @Id
    private Long id;
    private String name;

    @Column(name = "gl_type")
    private String glType;

    @Column(name = "version_type")
    private String versionType;

    @Column(name = "effective_date")
    private Date effectiveDate;
}

Controller.java

@GetMapping("/ParentTree")
    public Version parentTrees() {
        Version v =  parentTreeRepository.findAll().get(0).getVersionId();
        return v;
    }

ParentTreeRepository.java

@Repository
public interface ParentTreeRepository extends JpaRepository<ParentTreeTemp, Long> {
}

Error

2019-05-01 16:20:04.818 ERROR 15140 --- [nio-8080-exec-2] o.a.c.c.C.[.[.[/].[dispatcherServlet]    : Servlet.service() for servlet [dispatcherServlet] in context with path [] threw exception [Request processing failed; nested exception is org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageConversionException: Type definition error: [simple type, class org.hibernate.proxy.pojo.bytebuddy.ByteBuddyInterceptor]; nested exception is com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.InvalidDefinitionException: No serializer found for class org.hibernate.proxy.pojo.bytebuddy.ByteBuddyInterceptor and no properties discovered to create BeanSerializer (to avoid exception, disable SerializationFeature.FAIL_ON_EMPTY_BEANS) (through reference chain: com.example.redwood.sqlserverapi.model.Version$HibernateProxy$Rwpjov1a["hibernateLazyInitializer"])] with root cause

com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.InvalidDefinitionException: No serializer found for class org.hibernate.proxy.pojo.bytebuddy.ByteBuddyInterceptor and no properties discovered to create BeanSerializer (to avoid exception, disable SerializationFeature.FAIL_ON_EMPTY_BEANS) (through reference chain: com.example.redwood.sqlserverapi.model.Version$HibernateProxy$Rwpjov1a["hibernateLazyInitializer"])

Full Error Log

2019-05-01 16:20:04.818 ERROR 15140 --- [nio-8080-exec-2] o.a.c.c.C.[.[.[/].[dispatcherServlet]    : Servlet.service() for servlet [dispatcherServlet] in context with path [] threw exception [Request processing failed; nested exception is org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageConversionException: Type definition error: [simple type, class org.hibernate.proxy.pojo.bytebuddy.ByteBuddyInterceptor]; nested exception is com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.InvalidDefinitionException: No serializer found for class org.hibernate.proxy.pojo.bytebuddy.ByteBuddyInterceptor and no properties discovered to create BeanSerializer (to avoid exception, disable SerializationFeature.FAIL_ON_EMPTY_BEANS) (through reference chain: com.example.redwood.sqlserverapi.model.Version$HibernateProxy$Rwpjov1a["hibernateLazyInitializer"])] with root cause

com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.InvalidDefinitionException: No serializer found for class org.hibernate.proxy.pojo.bytebuddy.ByteBuddyInterceptor and no properties discovered to create BeanSerializer (to avoid exception, disable SerializationFeature.FAIL_ON_EMPTY_BEANS) (through reference chain: com.example.redwood.sqlserverapi.model.Version$HibernateProxy$Rwpjov1a["hibernateLazyInitializer"])
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.InvalidDefinitionException.from(InvalidDefinitionException.java:77) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.SerializerProvider.reportBadDefinition(SerializerProvider.java:1191) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DatabindContext.reportBadDefinition(DatabindContext.java:313) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.impl.UnknownSerializer.failForEmpty(UnknownSerializer.java:71) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.impl.UnknownSerializer.serialize(UnknownSerializer.java:33) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.BeanPropertyWriter.serializeAsField(BeanPropertyWriter.java:727) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.std.BeanSerializerBase.serializeFields(BeanSerializerBase.java:719) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.BeanSerializer.serialize(BeanSerializer.java:155) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.DefaultSerializerProvider._serialize(DefaultSerializerProvider.java:480) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.DefaultSerializerProvider.serializeValue(DefaultSerializerProvider.java:319) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectWriter$Prefetch.serialize(ObjectWriter.java:1396) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectWriter.writeValue(ObjectWriter.java:913) ~[jackson-databind-2.9.8.jar:2.9.8]
    at org.springframework.http.converter.json.AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.writeInternal(AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:287) ~[spring-web-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.http.converter.AbstractGenericHttpMessageConverter.write(AbstractGenericHttpMessageConverter.java:103) ~[spring-web-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.AbstractMessageConverterMethodProcessor.writeWithMessageConverters(AbstractMessageConverterMethodProcessor.java:290) ~[spring-webmvc-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestResponseBodyMethodProcessor.handleReturnValue(RequestResponseBodyMethodProcessor.java:180) ~[spring-webmvc-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.method.support.HandlerMethodReturnValueHandlerComposite.handleReturnValue(HandlerMethodReturnValueHandlerComposite.java:82) ~[spring-web-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:119) ~[spring-webmvc-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandlerMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:892) ~[spring-webmvc-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:797) ~[spring-webmvc-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:87) ~[spring-webmvc-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:1038) ~[spring-webmvc-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:942) ~[spring-webmvc-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:1005) ~[spring-webmvc-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:897) ~[spring-webmvc-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:634) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:882) ~[spring-webmvc-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:741) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:231) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:53) ~[tomcat-embed-websocket-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.RequestContextFilter.doFilterInternal(RequestContextFilter.java:99) ~[spring-web-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.FormContentFilter.doFilterInternal(FormContentFilter.java:92) ~[spring-web-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.HiddenHttpMethodFilter.doFilterInternal(HiddenHttpMethodFilter.java:93) ~[spring-web-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.CharacterEncodingFilter.doFilterInternal(CharacterEncodingFilter.java:200) ~[spring-web-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-5.1.6.RELEASE.jar:5.1.6.RELEASE]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:200) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:96) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:490) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:139) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:92) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:74) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:343) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Processor.service(Http11Processor.java:408) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProcessorLight.process(AbstractProcessorLight.java:66) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$ConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:834) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.NioEndpoint$SocketProcessor.doRun(NioEndpoint.java:1415) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.SocketProcessorBase.run(SocketProcessorBase.java:49) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1149) [na:1.8.0_202]
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624) [na:1.8.0_202]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748) [na:1.8.0_202]

Answer 1

There are 2 ways to handle this situation.

Solution 1.

Add below annotation on top of lazy object.

@JsonIgnoreProperties({"hibernateLazyInitializer", "handler"})

Solution 2.

Adding below property in application.properties file.

spring.jackson.serialization.fail-on-empty-beans=false

NOTE : Solution 2 only hides the error.

Answer 2

Another solution could be customizing your own JSON serialization in order to handle Hibernate objects. It is quite better than the alternatives given in the logs beacuse adding spring.jackson.serialization.fail_on_empty_beans=false will return the related object even when it is not needed, so it makes the lazy retrieval completely useless.

Dependency for the Hibernate module for Jackson:

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.datatype</groupId>
    <artifactId>jackson-datatype-hibernate5</artifactId>
</dependency>

Solution:

@Configuration
public class JsonConfiguration {

    @Bean
    public Module hibernateModule() {
        return new Hibernate5Module();
    }
}

Answer 3

Try to use:

return userRepository.findById(userId).get();

instead

return userRepository.getById(userId);

Answer 4

Add the following in pom.xml, worked for me.

<dependency>
        <groupId>org.apache.tomcat</groupId>
        <artifactId>tomcat-jasper</artifactId>
        <version>9.0.65</version>
</dependency>