Spring Boot URL Request Mapping Returns NullPointerException

Question

I am trying to deploy a very simple Spring Boot app where navigating to localhost:8080/greetings displays "Greetings from Spring Boot!". However, the URL does not appear to be working. Navigating to the link prompts me with a null pointer exception. I have done some preliminary research on this issue and the following fixes have not worked:

Moving the classes out of the default package and into a defined package
Using @ComponentScan
Moving my controller class to a sub-package of my application class

Controller Class:

package controllers;

import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMapping;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RestController;

@RestController
public class HelloController {

    @RequestMapping("/greetings")
    public String index() {
        return "Greetings from Spring Boot!";
    }

}

Application Class:

package controllers;

import org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication;
import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.SpringBootApplication;

@SpringBootApplication
public class Application {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SpringApplication.run(Application.class, args);
    }
}

pom.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 https://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
<modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>

<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>gs-spring-boot</artifactId>
<version>0.1.0</version>

<parent>
    <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-parent</artifactId>
    <version>2.1.4.RELEASE</version>
</parent>

   <properties>
    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
    <project.reporting.outputEncoding>UTF-8</project.reporting.outputEncoding>
    <java.version>1.8</java.version>
</properties>

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
        <scope>test</scope>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>



<build>
    <plugins>
        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-boot-maven-plugin</artifactId>
        </plugin>
    </plugins>
</build>

</project>

NullPointerExceptionError:

2019-07-02 08:03:54.290 ERROR 23960 --- [nio-8080-exec-1] o.a.c.c.C.[Tomcat].[localhost]           : Exception Processing /greetings

java.lang.NullPointerException: null
    at org.jboss.security.auth.message.config.JBossServerAuthConfig.getAuthContext(JBossServerAuthConfig.java:108) ~[picketbox-5.0.3.Final-redhat-1.jar:5.0.3.Final-redhat-1]
    at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.getJaspicState(AuthenticatorBase.java:662) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:566) ~[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_211]
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624) [na:1.8.0_211]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$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_211]

2019-07-02 08:03:54.295 ERROR 23960 --- [nio-8080-exec-1] o.a.c.c.C.[Tomcat].[localhost]           : Exception Processing ErrorPage[errorCode=0, location=/error]

java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest.getHttpServletMapping()Ljavax/servlet/http/HttpServletMapping;
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationHttpRequest.setRequest(ApplicationHttpRequest.java:690) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationHttpRequest.<init>(ApplicationHttpRequest.java:114) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.wrapRequest(ApplicationDispatcher.java:917) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.doForward(ApplicationDispatcher.java:358) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.forward(ApplicationDispatcher.java:312) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.custom(StandardHostValve.java:394) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.status(StandardHostValve.java:253) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.throwable(StandardHostValve.java:348) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:148) [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_211]
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624) [na:1.8.0_211]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$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_211]

2019-07-02 08:03:54.296 ERROR 23960 --- [nio-8080-exec-1] o.a.c.c.C.[Tomcat].[localhost]           : Exception Processing ErrorPage[errorCode=0, location=/error]

java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest.getHttpServletMapping()Ljavax/servlet/http/HttpServletMapping;
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationHttpRequest.setRequest(ApplicationHttpRequest.java:690) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationHttpRequest.<init>(ApplicationHttpRequest.java:114) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.wrapRequest(ApplicationDispatcher.java:917) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.doForward(ApplicationDispatcher.java:358) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.forward(ApplicationDispatcher.java:312) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.custom(StandardHostValve.java:394) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.status(StandardHostValve.java:253) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.throwable(StandardHostValve.java:348) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.17.jar:9.0.17]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:173) [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_211]
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624) [na:1.8.0_211]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$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_211]

check https://stackoverflow.com/questions/54122724/spring-boot-java-lang-nosuchmethoderror-javax-servlet-http-httpservletrequest You need to add `servlet-api` in pom file — Nitin, Jul 02 '19 at 12:21
Your code is working for me with no amends, I just needed to add the missing `` tag to your `pom.xml`. — John, Jul 02 '19 at 12:24
Tomcat version is 9.0.17. I have edited the pom.xml to have the closing tag, but still no luck. This is a get request — Brandon Loehle, Jul 02 '19 at 12:46
@BrandonLoehle eh no, that tends to make things worse. In fact the errors you are getting would make me think not only that a servlet-api.jar is present in your project, but it's the wrong version too... — Gimby, Jul 02 '19 at 12:53
@BrandonLoehle none, the servlet-api is only for compilation purposes. If you don't have compilation problems due to servlet classes not being found, you don't need a servlet-api.jar in your classpath. What I'm saying is that the errors would make me think there still is one but if that is your entire pom, that just can't be the case. — Gimby, Jul 02 '19 at 12:57
@Gimby I figured it out and have submitted answer. I suspect that John had the required tag in his pom.xml already, which is why the code ran for him — Brandon Loehle, Jul 02 '19 at 13:04

Brandon Loehle · Accepted Answer · 2019-07-02T13:28:52.000

1

I found the answer. Turns out I needed to make the <groupId> unique in my pom.xml

edited Jul 02 '19 at 13:28

answered Jul 02 '19 at 13:02

Brandon Loehle

256
1
3
16

Well then I'd describe it as "don't make it org.springframework". I'm not convinced this is the actual problem, a groupId should have zero influence on runtime behavior; it doesn't exist anymore at that point, its only a Maven build thing. – Gimby Jul 03 '19 at 07:41

score -2 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 02 '19 at 13:36

-2

What's the point of running a spring-boot app inside a servlet container or application server anyways?

The app you initially posted runs perfectly fine when started with mvn spring-boot:run or after compiling with java -jar ./target/gs-spring-boot-0.1.0.jar.

The whole point of using spring-boot is having an embedded container in order to run the app standalone. If intended otherwise, I would suggest reducing the dependencies used as your application can be way smaller when deployed to a servlet container (e.g. Tomcat) or application server (e.g. JBoss); i.e. in the range of KBs rather than 16MBs.

answered Jul 02 '19 at 13:36

tim82

92
2

How is this an answer to the query posted by OP? – Prashant Jul 02 '19 at 13:38
At the time of writing the answer the OP's own solution was changing packaging to `war` (see history: https://stackoverflow.com/posts/56853129/revisions). This supported my assumption that the app has been deployed on a server. – tim82 Jul 02 '19 at 13:49
@tim82 yeah it was weird. Adding the packaging tag worked, then I removed it after changing the groupId and it still worked, so I deduced that it must've been the groupId all along – Brandon Loehle Jul 02 '19 at 14:19

Spring Boot URL Request Mapping Returns NullPointerException

2 Answers2