Spring Failed to parse configuration class when using @ComponentScan with FilterType.ASPECTJ, without org.aspectj library.

Hello, I'm using spring boot 3.4.0.

I've found that something goes wrong when using @ComponentScan in certain situations.

If I try to use excludeFilters on @ComponentScan with FilterType.ASPECTJ, application run fails.

@Configuration
@ComponentScan(
        excludeFilters = @Filter(type = FilterType.ASPECTJ, pattern = "*..SomeClass")
)
public class TestConfig {}

2024-12-21T20:08:37.465+09:00  WARN 20555 --- [app] [           main] ConfigServletWebServerApplicationContext : Exception encountered during context initialization - cancelling refresh attempt: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanDefinitionStoreException: Failed to parse configuration class [sections.App]
2024-12-21T20:08:37.573+09:00 ERROR 20555 --- [app] [           main] o.s.boot.SpringApplication               : Application run failed

org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanDefinitionStoreException: Failed to parse configuration class [sections.App]
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.parse(ConfigurationClassParser.java:185) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.processConfigBeanDefinitions(ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.java:418) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.postProcessBeanDefinitionRegistry(ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.java:290) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.support.PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.invokeBeanDefinitionRegistryPostProcessors(PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.java:349) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.support.PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.java:118) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(AbstractApplicationContext.java:791) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:609) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.boot.web.servlet.context.ServletWebServerApplicationContext.refresh(ServletWebServerApplicationContext.java:146) ~[spring-boot-3.4.0.jar:3.4.0]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refresh(SpringApplication.java:752) ~[spring-boot-3.4.0.jar:3.4.0]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refreshContext(SpringApplication.java:439) ~[spring-boot-3.4.0.jar:3.4.0]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:318) ~[spring-boot-3.4.0.jar:3.4.0]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1361) ~[spring-boot-3.4.0.jar:3.4.0]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1350) ~[spring-boot-3.4.0.jar:3.4.0]
    at sections.App.main(App.java:10) ~[main/:na]
Caused by: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: org/aspectj/weaver/World
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.TypeFilterUtils.createTypeFiltersFor(TypeFilterUtils.java:103) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ComponentScanAnnotationParser.parse(ComponentScanAnnotationParser.java:96) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.doProcessConfigurationClass(ConfigurationClassParser.java:332) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.processConfigurationClass(ConfigurationClassParser.java:267) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.parse(ConfigurationClassParser.java:205) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.doProcessConfigurationClass(ConfigurationClassParser.java:340) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.processConfigurationClass(ConfigurationClassParser.java:267) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.parse(ConfigurationClassParser.java:193) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassParser.parse(ConfigurationClassParser.java:171) ~[spring-context-6.2.0.jar:6.2.0]
    ... 13 common frames omitted
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.aspectj.weaver.World
    at java.base/jdk.internal.loader.BuiltinClassLoader.loadClass(BuiltinClassLoader.java:641) ~[na:na]
    at java.base/jdk.internal.loader.ClassLoaders$AppClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoaders.java:188) ~[na:na]
    at java.base/java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:525) ~[na:na]
    ... 22 common frames omitted


Process finished with exit code 1

However, If I add spring-starter-aop dependency (or aspectj library), application runs successfully, even the source code hasn't changed at all.

// build.gradle

dependencies {
    /* ... */

    implementation 'org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-aop'
}

---

I think it's caused by AspectJTypeFilter on org.springframework.core.type.filter package.

If FilterType.ASPECTJ were used, TypeFilterUtils attempts to create AspectJTypeFilter.

But in AspectJTypeFilter, it requires World, TypePattern, etc of org.aspectj library, so it cause error.

Comment From: snicoll

This is working as designed. You are opting-in for an AspectJ feature (as you found out yourself) so AspectJ must be on the classpath to use this.