Spring Data Rest POST raising NullPointerException at MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter - Failed to evaluate deserialization for type - spring-data-rest

Question

My JPA repository:
#RepositoryRestResource(path = "developers")
public interface DeveloperRepository extends CrudRepository<Developer, Long> {
#Override
Iterable<Developer> findAll();
}
My servlet:
<servlet>
<servlet-name>rest-exporter</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.RepositoryRestDispatcherServlet</servlet-class>
<load-on-startup>2</load-on-startup>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>rest-exporter</servlet-name>
<url-pattern>/api/v1/*</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
I sending this request:
curl -X POST -v --data-binary '{"name" : "John Doe"}' -H "Content-Type: application/json" http://localhost:8080/crm/api/v1/developers
And raise this Exception:
2014-05-01 18:03:34,850 [http-bio-8080-exec-2] WARN org.springframework.http.converter.json.MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter - Failed to evaluate deserialization for type [simple type, class cz.adinternet.crm.project.domain.Project]
java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.springframework.data.rest.core.mapping.ResourceMappings.getMappingFor(ResourceMappings.java:225)
at org.springframework.data.rest.core.mapping.RepositoryAwareResourceInformation.getMappingFor(RepositoryAwareResourceInformation.java:97)
at org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.json.PersistentEntityJackson2Module$AssociationUriResolvingDeserializerModifier.updateBuilder(PersistentEntityJackson2Module.java:325)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerFactory.buildBeanDeserializer(BeanDeserializerFactory.java:281)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerFactory.createBeanDeserializer(BeanDeserializerFactory.java:168)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createDeserializer2(DeserializerCache.java:401)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createDeserializer(DeserializerCache.java:350)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createAndCache2(DeserializerCache.java:263)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createAndCacheValueDeserializer(DeserializerCache.java:243)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache.findValueDeserializer(DeserializerCache.java:144)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DeserializationContext.findContextualValueDeserializer(DeserializationContext.java:366)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.StdDeserializer.findDeserializer(StdDeserializer.java:688)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerBase.resolve(BeanDeserializerBase.java:438)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createAndCache2(DeserializerCache.java:294)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createAndCacheValueDeserializer(DeserializerCache.java:243)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache.hasValueDeserializerFor(DeserializerCache.java:193)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DeserializationContext.hasValueDeserializerFor(DeserializationContext.java:344)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper.canDeserialize(ObjectMapper.java:2035)
at org.springframework.http.converter.json.MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter.canRead(MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:163)
at org.springframework.http.converter.json.MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter.canRead(MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:153)
at org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.resolveArgument(PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java:94)
at org.springframework.web.method.support.HandlerMethodArgumentResolverComposite.resolveArgument(HandlerMethodArgumentResolverComposite.java:79)
at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.getMethodArgumentValues(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:157)
at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.invokeForRequest(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:124)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:104)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandleMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:749)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:690)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:83)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:945)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:876)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:961)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doPost(FrameworkServlet.java:863)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:647)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:837)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:728)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:305)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:51)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:243)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:222)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:123)
at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:502)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:171)
at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:100)
at org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:953)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:118)
at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:408)
at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1041)
at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:603)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:310)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:724)
2014-05-01 18:03:34,864 [http-bio-8080-exec-2] WARN org.springframework.http.converter.json.MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter - Failed to evaluate deserialization for type [simple type, class cz.adinternet.crm.project.domain.Project]
java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.springframework.data.rest.core.mapping.ResourceMappings.getMappingFor(ResourceMappings.java:225)
at org.springframework.data.rest.core.mapping.RepositoryAwareResourceInformation.getMappingFor(RepositoryAwareResourceInformation.java:97)
at org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.json.PersistentEntityJackson2Module$AssociationUriResolvingDeserializerModifier.updateBuilder(PersistentEntityJackson2Module.java:325)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerFactory.buildBeanDeserializer(BeanDeserializerFactory.java:281)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerFactory.createBeanDeserializer(BeanDeserializerFactory.java:168)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createDeserializer2(DeserializerCache.java:401)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createDeserializer(DeserializerCache.java:350)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createAndCache2(DeserializerCache.java:263)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createAndCacheValueDeserializer(DeserializerCache.java:243)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache.findValueDeserializer(DeserializerCache.java:144)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DeserializationContext.findContextualValueDeserializer(DeserializationContext.java:366)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.StdDeserializer.findDeserializer(StdDeserializer.java:688)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerBase.resolve(BeanDeserializerBase.java:438)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createAndCache2(DeserializerCache.java:294)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache._createAndCacheValueDeserializer(DeserializerCache.java:243)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DeserializerCache.hasValueDeserializerFor(DeserializerCache.java:193)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DeserializationContext.hasValueDeserializerFor(DeserializationContext.java:344)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper.canDeserialize(ObjectMapper.java:2035)
at org.springframework.http.converter.json.MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter.canRead(MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:163)
at org.springframework.http.converter.json.MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter.canRead(MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:153)
at org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.resolveArgument(PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java:94)
at org.springframework.web.method.support.HandlerMethodArgumentResolverComposite.resolveArgument(HandlerMethodArgumentResolverComposite.java:79)
at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.getMethodArgumentValues(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:157)
at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.invokeForRequest(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:124)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:104)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandleMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:749)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:690)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:83)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:945)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:876)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:961)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doPost(FrameworkServlet.java:863)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:647)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:837)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:728)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:305)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:51)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:243)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:222)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:123)
at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:502)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:171)
at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:100)
at org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:953)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:118)
at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:408)
at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1041)
at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:603)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:310)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:724)
2014-05-01 18:03:34,866 [http-bio-8080-exec-2] ERROR org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.AbstractRepositoryRestController - No suitable HttpMessageConverter found to read request body into object of type class cz.adinternet.crm.project.domain.Project from request with content type of application/json!
org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageNotReadableException: No suitable HttpMessageConverter found to read request body into object of type class cz.adinternet.crm.project.domain.Project from request with content type of application/json!
at org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.resolveArgument(PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java:107)
at org.springframework.web.method.support.HandlerMethodArgumentResolverComposite.resolveArgument(HandlerMethodArgumentResolverComposite.java:79)
at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.getMethodArgumentValues(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:157)
at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.invokeForRequest(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:124)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:104)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandleMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:749)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:690)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:83)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:945)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:876)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:961)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doPost(FrameworkServlet.java:863)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:647)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:837)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:728)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:305)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:51)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:243)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:222)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:123)
at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:502)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:171)
at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:100)
at org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:953)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:118)
at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:408)
at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1041)
at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:603)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:310)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:724)
I'm tried to add jackson in various version to classpath, but with same error.
Spring version: 4.0.4.RELEASE
Spring Data JPA: 1.5.1.RELEASE
Spring Data Rest: 2.0.1.RELEASE

Answer 1

I had a similar issue - solved it easily by debugging the failed code and getting the perfect hint about the failure.
In my case it was a wrong property name (mismatch between lower/upper cases).
If you are using eclipse - simply add java exception breakpoint ('Run' menu) and select NullPointerException. When stopped for debugging, look back at the stacktrace until you discover the problematic property.
Good luck!

Answer 2

I had the same issue. The problem was that I was sending an extra property (unexpected for the ResourceMapping) in a POST method and it was crashing.
I solved it by removing this extra property from the client. I made that property transient:
private transient String name;
So the Gson will not include it in the JSON result.
I hope it can help you!