Alexander Adas’ Post

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐮𝐥𝐥? 🤯 Every Java developer eventually tries to build a custom validation or logging engine, only to get stuck when method.getAnnotation() returns null. The secret lies in the @Retention meta-annotation. If you don't understand these three levels, your reflection-based engine will never work: 1️⃣ SOURCE (e.g., @Override, @SuppressWarnings) Where? Only in your .java files. Why? It’s for the compiler. Once the code is compiled to .class, these annotations are GONE. You cannot find them at runtime. 2️⃣ CLASS (The default!) Where? Stored in the .class file. Why? Used by bytecode analysis tools (like SonarLint or AspectJ). But here's the kicker: the JVM ignores them at runtime. If you try to read them via Reflection — you get null. 3️⃣ RUNTIME (e.g., @Service, @Transactional) Where? Stored in the bytecode AND loaded into memory by the JVM. Why? This is the "Magic Zone." Only these can be accessed by your code while the app is running. In my latest deep dive, I built a custom Geometry Engine using Reflection. I showed exactly how to use @Retention(RUNTIME) to create a declarative validator that replaces messy if-else checks. If you’re still confused about why your custom metadata isn't "visible," this breakdown is for you. 👇 Link to the full build and source code in the first comment! #Java #Backend #SoftwareArchitecture #ReflectionAPI #CleanCode #ProgrammingTips

🎥 Deep Dive into Reflection & Annotations: https://youtu.be/AWRABh8vOBg 💻 Explore the Engine on GitHub: https://github.com/alexanderadas/GeometryService 🚀 Join the journey on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LetsCodeJava-Alex Quick question for the experts: Have you ever spent hours debugging a Reflection-based tool only to realize you forgot @Retention(RUNTIME)? Or do you have another "favorite" Reflection pitfall? Let’s share some "war stories" below! 👇

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