Spring Directly registered FactoryBeans are instantiated more aggressively than those defined via @Bean methods

Affects: 5.1.4.RELEASE

This relates to https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-boot/issues/15898.

When a FactoryBean is defined via component scanning, it is instantiated more aggressively than when it is defined via a @Bean method. The following tests should illustrate the differing behaviour:

package com.example.demo;

import org.junit.Test;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactoryUtils;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.FactoryBean;
import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
import org.springframework.context.annotation.AnnotationConfigApplicationContext;
import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
import org.springframework.context.annotation.ComponentScan;
import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;

public class AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests {

    @Test
    public void componentScannedFactoryBean() {
        try (AnnotationConfigApplicationContext context = new AnnotationConfigApplicationContext()) {
            context.register(ComponentScanConfiguration.class);
            context.addBeanFactoryPostProcessor((factory) -> {
                BeanFactoryUtils.beanNamesForTypeIncludingAncestors(factory, String.class);
            });
            context.refresh();
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void beanMethodFactoryBean() {
        try (AnnotationConfigApplicationContext context = new AnnotationConfigApplicationContext()) {
            context.register(BeanMethodConfiguration.class);
            context.addBeanFactoryPostProcessor((factory) -> {
                BeanFactoryUtils.beanNamesForTypeIncludingAncestors(factory, String.class);
            });
            context.refresh();
        }
    }

    @Configuration
    static class BeanMethodConfiguration {

        @Bean
        public SimpleFactoryBean simpleFactoryBean(ApplicationContext applicationContext) {
            return new SimpleFactoryBean(applicationContext);
        }

    }

    @Configuration
    @ComponentScan
    static class ComponentScanConfiguration {

    }

    @Component
    static class SimpleFactoryBean implements FactoryBean<Object> {

        public SimpleFactoryBean(ApplicationContext applicationContext) {

        }

        @Override
        public Object getObject() throws Exception {
            return new Object();
        }

        @Override
        public Class<?> getObjectType() {
            return Object.class;
        }

    }

}

beanMethodFactoryBean will successfully refresh the application context. componentScannedFactoryBean fails as an attempt is made to create SimpleFactoryBean using a non-existent default constructor:

org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanDefinitionStoreException: Failed to read candidate component class: file [/Users/awilkinson/dev/workspaces/spring-projects/spring-boot/2.1.x/gh-15898/target/test-classes/com/example/demo/AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests$BeanMethodConfiguration.class]; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'aggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests.SimpleFactoryBean' defined in file [/Users/awilkinson/dev/workspaces/spring-projects/spring-boot/2.1.x/gh-15898/target/test-classes/com/example/demo/AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests$SimpleFactoryBean.class]: Instantiation of bean failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [com.example.demo.AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests$SimpleFactoryBean]: No default constructor found; nested exception is java.lang.NoSuchMethodException: com.example.demo.AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests$SimpleFactoryBean.<init>()
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.scanCandidateComponents(ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.java:454)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.findCandidateComponents(ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.java:316)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ClassPathBeanDefinitionScanner.doScan(ClassPathBeanDefinitionScanner.java:275)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ComponentScanAnnotationParser.parse(ComponentScanAnnotationParser.java:132)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.doProcessConfigurationClass(ConfigurationClassParser.java:287)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.processConfigurationClass(ConfigurationClassParser.java:242)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.parse(ConfigurationClassParser.java:191)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.doProcessConfigurationClass(ConfigurationClassParser.java:295)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.processConfigurationClass(ConfigurationClassParser.java:242)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.parse(ConfigurationClassParser.java:199)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.parse(ConfigurationClassParser.java:167)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.processConfigBeanDefinitions(ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.java:315)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.postProcessBeanDefinitionRegistry(ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.java:232)
    at org.springframework.context.support.PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.invokeBeanDefinitionRegistryPostProcessors(PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.java:275)
    at org.springframework.context.support.PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.java:95)
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(AbstractApplicationContext.java:691)
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:528)
    at com.example.demo.AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests.componentScannedFactoryBean(AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests.java:22)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
    at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:50)
    at org.junit.internal.runners.model.ReflectiveCallable.run(ReflectiveCallable.java:12)
    at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod.invokeExplosively(FrameworkMethod.java:47)
    at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.InvokeMethod.evaluate(InvokeMethod.java:17)
    at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runLeaf(ParentRunner.java:325)
    at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:78)
    at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:57)
    at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.run(ParentRunner.java:290)
    at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:71)
    at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:288)
    at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:58)
    at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:268)
    at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:363)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit4.runner.JUnit4TestReference.run(JUnit4TestReference.java:89)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.TestExecution.run(TestExecution.java:41)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:541)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:763)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.run(RemoteTestRunner.java:463)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.main(RemoteTestRunner.java:209)
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'aggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests.SimpleFactoryBean' defined in file [/Users/awilkinson/dev/workspaces/spring-projects/spring-boot/2.1.x/gh-15898/target/test-classes/com/example/demo/AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests$SimpleFactoryBean.class]: Instantiation of bean failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [com.example.demo.AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests$SimpleFactoryBean]: No default constructor found; nested exception is java.lang.NoSuchMethodException: com.example.demo.AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests$SimpleFactoryBean.<init>()
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1270)
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1164)
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.getSingletonFactoryBeanForTypeCheck(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:974)
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.getTypeForFactoryBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:848)
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.isTypeMatch(AbstractBeanFactory.java:574)
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.doGetBeanNamesForType(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:514)
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.getBeanNamesForType(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:477)
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.getBeansOfType(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:598)
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.getBeansOfType(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:590)
    at org.springframework.boot.context.TypeExcludeFilter.match(TypeExcludeFilter.java:65)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.isCandidateComponent(ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.java:492)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.scanCandidateComponents(ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.java:431)
    ... 40 more
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [com.example.demo.AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests$SimpleFactoryBean]: No default constructor found; nested exception is java.lang.NoSuchMethodException: com.example.demo.AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests$SimpleFactoryBean.<init>()
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:83)
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1262)
    ... 51 more
Caused by: java.lang.NoSuchMethodException: com.example.demo.AggressiveFactoryBeanInstantiationTests$SimpleFactoryBean.<init>()
    at java.lang.Class.getConstructor0(Class.java:3082)
    at java.lang.Class.getDeclaredConstructor(Class.java:2178)
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:78)
    ... 52 more

In the @Bean method case, the attempt to determine the type produced by the FactoryBean is abandoned earlier. As far as I can tell that's due to the following logic:

https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-framework/blob/77e815135b1f849b229307f92ef4a1d585b3aa59/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java#L855-L860

Comment From: darkMechanicum

https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-data-commons/blob/aa39b9ba3a6e64cfeff7e12fda85f69ad9ea3cd8/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/repository/config/RepositoryBeanDefinitionBuilder.java#L97-L101

As an additional question to this issue I want to ask about RepositoryFactoryBean behavior and instantiation process. More precise, the moment it's definition being added to the factory. I'm curious if specifying constructor's metadata before we analyze bean is correct, and how it can affect type checking referenced in this ticket.

So, as constructor args are added manually to the definition - can such approach ruin type checking when we should invoke constructor without any dependencies injection? I mean full instantiation and bean population will be launched instead.

Just want to clarify typechecking process and it's limitations.

Comment From: jhoeller

While it is uncommon - and to some degree unintended - that FactoryBean implementations have non-default constructors, we should nevertheless not make hard assumptions about it. A defensive catch block like we have for the non-singleton FactoryBean case already (since SPR-12786 / #17383 in 4.1.6) seems to do the job here, so I'll roll that into 5.1.6 (possibly backporting it to 5.0.13 and 4.3.23 as well).

Comment From: jhoeller

Also, it's not recommended for a BeanFactoryPostProcessor implementation to trigger unlimited type matching, i.e. a getBeanNamesForType call with the (default) allowEagerInit flag. This is what causes the particular case to fail here since our constructor-selecting AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor isn't registered at that point yet, being unable to resolve the non-default constructor case.

Nevertheless, the underlying inconsistency in our core container treatment needs to get resolved here. We just need to make sure that we're not swallowing error cases that are helpful in FactoryBean scenarios that are intended to match but fail due to incomplete configuration or the like.

Comment From: jhoeller

Side note: Component scanning is not really relevant here. The same effect appears when directly registering the FactoryBean implementation class a la context.register(SimpleFactoryBean.class).

Comment From: jhoeller

I'll leave this as 5.1.6 only for the time being since our catch blocks consistently let UnsatisfiedDependencyException through now (which may have side effects) while suppressing other BeanCreationExceptions, both for the singleton and the non-singleton FactoryBean case.