Spring JSON Direct self-reference leading to cycle (infinite recursion)

Question

I'm writing a simple Spring MVC REST web service using Spring Framework and Hibernate.

I want to serialize the following simple user entity:

Pseudo-code:

@Entity
public class UserEntity implements Serializable
{
   @Id
   @GeneratedValue(
       strategy = GenerationType.IDENTITY)
   @JsonView(Views.BaseView.class)
   @JsonProperty(value = "id")
   @Column(name = "id_user")
   private Integer id;

   @JsonView(Views.UserView.class)
   @JsonProperty(value = "login")
   @Column(name = "login")
   private String login;

   @JsonView(Views.UserView.class)
   @JsonProperty(value = "password")
   @Column(name = "password")
   private String password;

   @JsonView(Views.UserView.class)
   @JsonProperty(value = "creator")
   @ManyToOne(fetch = FetchType.LAZY)
   @JoinColumn(name = "id_creator", 
        referencedColumnName = "id_user")
   private UserEntity creator;

   //Accessors
}

Views description file:

public class Views
{
    public interface BaseView                          {}
    public interface UserView extends BaseView         {}
}

I want the following JSON output:

{
  "id": 2,
  "login": "toto",
  "password": "password2",
  "creator": {
      "id": 1,
      "login": "tata",
      "password": "password1"   

   }
}

Unfortunatly, I have the following exception:

org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageNotWritableException: Could not write content: Direct self-reference leading to cycle (through reference chain: com.az.metal.entity.UserEntity["creator"]); nested exception is com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonMappingException: Direct self-reference leading to cycle (through reference chain: com.az.metal.entity.UserEntity["creator"])
    org.springframework.http.converter.json.AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.writeInternal(AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:292)
    org.springframework.http.converter.AbstractGenericHttpMessageConverter.write(AbstractGenericHttpMessageConverter.java:100)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.AbstractMessageConverterMethodProcessor.writeWithMessageConverters(AbstractMessageConverterMethodProcessor.java:231)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.HttpEntityMethodProcessor.handleReturnValue(HttpEntityMethodProcessor.java:203)
    org.springframework.web.method.support.HandlerMethodReturnValueHandlerComposite.handleReturnValue(HandlerMethodReturnValueHandlerComposite.java:81)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:132)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandlerMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:827)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:738)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:85)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:963)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:897)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:970)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:861)
    javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:622)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:846)
    javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:729)
    org.sitemesh.webapp.contentfilter.ContentBufferingFilter.bufferAndPostProcess(ContentBufferingFilter.java:169)
    org.sitemesh.webapp.contentfilter.ContentBufferingFilter.doFilter(ContentBufferingFilter.java:126)
    org.sitemesh.webapp.SiteMeshFilter.doFilter(SiteMeshFilter.java:120)
    org.sitemesh.config.ConfigurableSiteMeshFilter.doFilter(ConfigurableSiteMeshFilter.java:163)
    org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:52)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:330)
    org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:118)
    org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:84)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:113)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:103)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.java:113)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.servletapi.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:154)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.RequestCacheAwareFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheAwareFilter.java:45)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.www.BasicAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(BasicAuthenticationFilter.java:150)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.doFilter(AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.java:199)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:110)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.header.HeaderWriterFilter.doFilterInternal(HeaderWriterFilter.java:57)
    org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:87)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.context.request.async.WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.doFilterInternal(WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.java:50)
    org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilterInternal(FilterChainProxy.java:192)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:160)
    org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:346)
    org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:262)
cause mère

com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonMappingException: Direct self-reference leading to cycle (through reference chain: com.az.metal.entity.UserEntity["creator"])
    com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.BeanPropertyWriter._handleSelfReference(BeanPropertyWriter.java:899)
    com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.BeanPropertyWriter.serializeAsField(BeanPropertyWriter.java:687)
    com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.impl.FilteredBeanPropertyWriter$SingleView.serializeAsField(FilteredBeanPropertyWriter.java:67)
    com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.std.BeanSerializerBase.serializeFields(BeanSerializerBase.java:675)
    com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.BeanSerializer.serialize(BeanSerializer.java:157)
    com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.DefaultSerializerProvider.serializeValue(DefaultSerializerProvider.java:130)
    com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectWriter$Prefetch.serialize(ObjectWriter.java:1387)
    com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectWriter.writeValue(ObjectWriter.java:889)
    org.springframework.http.converter.json.AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.writeInternal(AbstractJackson2HttpMessageConverter.java:285)
    org.springframework.http.converter.AbstractGenericHttpMessageConverter.write(AbstractGenericHttpMessageConverter.java:100)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.AbstractMessageConverterMethodProcessor.writeWithMessageConverters(AbstractMessageConverterMethodProcessor.java:231)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.HttpEntityMethodProcessor.handleReturnValue(HttpEntityMethodProcessor.java:203)
    org.springframework.web.method.support.HandlerMethodReturnValueHandlerComposite.handleReturnValue(HandlerMethodReturnValueHandlerComposite.java:81)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:132)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandlerMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:827)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:738)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:85)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:963)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:897)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:970)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:861)
    javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:622)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:846)
    javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:729)
    org.sitemesh.webapp.contentfilter.ContentBufferingFilter.bufferAndPostProcess(ContentBufferingFilter.java:169)
    org.sitemesh.webapp.contentfilter.ContentBufferingFilter.doFilter(ContentBufferingFilter.java:126)
    org.sitemesh.webapp.SiteMeshFilter.doFilter(SiteMeshFilter.java:120)
    org.sitemesh.config.ConfigurableSiteMeshFilter.doFilter(ConfigurableSiteMeshFilter.java:163)
    org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:52)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:330)
    org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:118)
    org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:84)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:113)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:103)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.java:113)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.servletapi.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:154)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.RequestCacheAwareFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheAwareFilter.java:45)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.www.BasicAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(BasicAuthenticationFilter.java:150)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.doFilter(AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.java:199)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:110)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.header.HeaderWriterFilter.doFilterInternal(HeaderWriterFilter.java:57)
    org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:87)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.context.request.async.WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.doFilterInternal(WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.java:50)
    org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilterInternal(FilterChainProxy.java:192)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:160)
    org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:346)
    org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:262)

I understand the problem comes from an infinite recursion during JSON serialization process.

I could not find the solution to serialize my User entity with its creator together.

Thanks a lot in advance for your help!

Are use sure that UserEntity creator with "id": 1 don't have dependency on "id":2 ? Because it seems that it could throw that exception in case when there is cycle dependency 1 -> 2 and 2 -> 1 — Orest, Mar 19 '17 at 13:40
were you able to solve this problem eventually? I am having this same problem. — CustardBun, Apr 12 '17 at 20:33

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 16 '18 at 15:35

3

I assume that you have a one to many annotation in the same class containing a list of UserEntity. Add the @JsonIgnore annotation to it.

answered Jan 16 '18 at 15:35

Hamza Jounaidi

51
5

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 24 '17 at 10:53

The UserEntity class has a field of the same type (namely creator), which has a field of the same type and so on and so forth. You can't serialise it as it is because it's a never ending loop.

This guide has multiple possible solutions http://www.baeldung.com/jackson-bidirectional-relationships-and-infinite-recursion that would be meaningless to reiterate.

PS. I realise its an old question, but other people might land here.

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 27 '21 at 13:43

This is quite a typical and common case where we maintain parent entity info in the entity itself and application logic would make a situation where two entities back reference each other. While this seems a difficult possibility for a pure Parent/Child relationship, its quite possible for peer relationship, one user updating another user and we maintain change by information (case we had in our hand).

In my view, we would require information up to one level down in such scenarios. I cannot think of cases where we would want to dig the whole chain in one go.

So, even if we have back references created, we can ignore the parent/higher level entity by using @JsonIgnoreProperties annotation on the parent attribute at the lower level.

In the given case, we can use following to avoid recursion beyond one level.

@JsonIgnoreProperties({"creator"})//... along with other annotations
private UserEntity creator;

With this, child entity, lets say with id 1, will reference creator, with id 2, and creator will further refer to its creator with id 1. In this case creator's creator will be ignored and the chain will break. (Sorry if I confused anyone with too many creators :-), I couldn't think of anything better.)

Spring JSON Direct self-reference leading to cycle (infinite recursion)

3 Answers3

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