How to fix org.springframework.beans.factory.UnsatisfiedDependencyException: Error creating bean with name 'name'?

Question

I tried to make a ManyToMany relationship in spring boot with JPA.

Post.java:

@Entity
@Table(name = "post")
public class Post {

    @GeneratedValue(strategy=GenerationType.IDENTITY)
    @Id
    @Column(name = "postId")
    private Integer postId;
    @Column(name = "name")
    private String name;
    @ManyToMany
    @JoinTable(name="postTag", joinColumns = { @JoinColumn(name = "postId") }, inverseJoinColumns = { @JoinColumn(name = "tagId") })
    private List<Tag> tags = new ArrayList<Tag>();

    public Post() {
    }

    public Integer getPostId() {
        return postId;
    }

    public void setPostId(Integer id) {
        this.postId = id;
    }

    public String getName() {
        return name;
    }

    public void setName(String name) {
        this.name = name;
    }

    public List<Tag> getTags() {
        return tags;
    }

    public void setTags(List<Tag> tags) {
        this.tags = tags;
    }

}

Tag.java:

 @Entity
@Table(name = "Tag")
public class Tag {

    @GeneratedValue(strategy=GenerationType.IDENTITY)
    @Id
    @Column(name = "tagId")
    private Integer tagId;
    @Column(name = "name")
    private String name;
    @ManyToMany(cascade=CascadeType.ALL, mappedBy = "tags")
    private List<Post> posts = new ArrayList<Post>();

    public Tag() {
        count = 1;
    }

    public Integer getTagId() {
        return tagId;
    }

    public void setTagId(Integer id) {
        this.tagId = id;
    }

    public String getName() {
        return name;
    }

    public void setName(String name) {
        this.name = name;
    }

    public List<Post> getPosts() {
        return posts;
    }

    public void setPosts(List<Post> posts) {
        this.posts = posts;
    }

}

PostService.java:

@Service
public class PostService {

    private PostRepository postRepository;

    @Autowired
    public void setPostRepository(PostRepository postRepository) {
        this.postRepository = postRepository;
    }   

    public Post getPostById(Integer id) {
        return postRepository.findByPostId(id);
    }

    @PostConstruct
    public void create() {
        Tag tag1 = new Tag();
        tag1.setName("tag1");

        Post post = new Post();
        post.setName("post");
        post.getTags().add(tag1);
        postRepository.save(post);

        Post dbPost = postRepository.findByPostId(post.getPostId());
        System.out.println(post.getName() + " -> " + post.getTags() + "  |  " 
        + dbPost.getName() + " -> " + dbPost.getTags());

    }
}

PostRepository.java:

public interface PostRepository extends CrudRepository<Post, Integer> {

    List<Post> findAll();

    Post findByPostId(Integer id);

}

Full errors on console:

org.springframework.beans.factory.UnsatisfiedDependencyException: Error creating bean with name 'homeController': Unsatisfied dependency expressed through method 'setTagService' parameter 0; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'tagService': Invocation of init method failed; nested exception is java.lang.NullPointerException
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredMethodElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:723) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InjectionMetadata.inject(InjectionMetadata.java:116) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessProperties(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:399) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1422) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:594) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:517) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.lambda$doGetBean$0(AbstractBeanFactory.java:323) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:222) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:321) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:202) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.preInstantiateSingletons(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:879) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:878) ~[spring-context-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:550) ~[spring-context-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.web.servlet.context.ServletWebServerApplicationContext.refresh(ServletWebServerApplicationContext.java:141) ~[spring-boot-2.2.2.RELEASE.jar:2.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refresh(SpringApplication.java:747) [spring-boot-2.2.2.RELEASE.jar:2.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refreshContext(SpringApplication.java:397) [spring-boot-2.2.2.RELEASE.jar:2.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:315) [spring-boot-2.2.2.RELEASE.jar:2.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1226) [spring-boot-2.2.2.RELEASE.jar:2.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1215) [spring-boot-2.2.2.RELEASE.jar:2.2.2.RELEASE]
    at com.hunor.FirstProjectApplication.main(FirstProjectApplication.java:10) [classes/:na]
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'tagService': Invocation of init method failed; nested exception is java.lang.NullPointerException
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InitDestroyAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessBeforeInitialization(InitDestroyAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:160) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyBeanPostProcessorsBeforeInitialization(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:416) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.initializeBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1788) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:595) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:517) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.lambda$doGetBean$0(AbstractBeanFactory.java:323) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:222) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:321) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:202) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.config.DependencyDescriptor.resolveCandidate(DependencyDescriptor.java:276) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.doResolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1287) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.resolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1207) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredMethodElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:715) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    ... 19 common frames omitted
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException: null
    at com.hunor.service.TagService.create(TagService.java:48) ~[classes/:na]
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) ~[na:1.8.0_231]
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62) ~[na:1.8.0_231]
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) ~[na:1.8.0_231]
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498) ~[na:1.8.0_231]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InitDestroyAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$LifecycleElement.invoke(InitDestroyAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:389) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InitDestroyAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$LifecycleMetadata.invokeInitMethods(InitDestroyAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:333) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InitDestroyAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessBeforeInitialization(InitDestroyAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:157) ~[spring-beans-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar:5.2.2.RELEASE]
    ... 31 common frames omitted

Without the relationship (removed the List<Tag> tags and the List<Post> posts and related parts) works fully fine, no problems with the mySQL database, and with beans. But with the relationship i got the errors above.

Answer 1

The method create() of PostService is executed when the bean is created ( @PostConstruct ) and it is trying to use the PostRepository bean which only is initialised later (setter injection as it is @Autowired ).

NPE is at line 48: com.hunor.service.TagService.create(TagService.java:48)