Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

Spring Auto wiring:-

Autowiring is a concept of injecting a spring bean automatically without writing <ref/> tag by
programmer. Programmer does not required to write explicitly Dependency Injection.

Autowiring can be configured in 2 ways :

1) XML based

2) Annotation Based

1) XML Based: XML based autowiring can be classified as

a) byName : compares the spring bean (java code) filed name (variable name) and configuration
code (XML file) bean name (bean tag name) , if they are matched then automatically those
objects will b bonded with each other using setter injection.

b) byType: It compares bean class variable Data type and spring bean class type. If both are
matched then it will do setter injection.

c) constructor: It check for parameterized constructor for creating object with reference type as
parameter. If not found then uses default constructor at last. Always checks More number of
parameters first, if not matched then next level less no of parameters constructor will be
compared, and then goes on up to default constructor.

d) no : it will not do any auto wiring. It is disabled by default.

e) default (default value is no, even we can change this)

f) autodetect (works only in older versions like 2.X) : It works like byType if default constructor
is available in spring bean, if not works like constructor if parameterized constructor is
available.

ex: consider the below example for above concept. Employee class has a Address class
Dependency.
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

Java code:

package com.app;

public class Address {

private int addrId;

private String loc;

public int getAddrId() {

return addrId;
}
public void setAddrId(int addrId) {
this.addrId = addrId;
}
public String getLoc() {
return loc;
}
public void setLoc(String loc) {
this.loc = loc;
}
@Override
public String toString() {
return "Address [addrId=" + addrId + ", loc=" + loc + "]";
}

}
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

=====

package com.app;

public class Employee{

private Address addr;

public Address getAddr() {

return addr;
}

public void setAddr(Address addr) {

this.addr = addr;
}

@Override
public String toString() {
return "Employee [addr=" + addr + "]";
}

======

code byType:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:util="http://www.springframework.org/schema/util"
xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans

http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util

http://www.springframework.org/schema/util/spring-util.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context

http://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-context.xsd
">
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

<bean class="com.app.Address" name="addrObj">

<property name="addrId" value="9856"/>
<property name="loc" value="HYD"/>
</bean>

<bean class="com.app.Employee" name="empObj" autowire="byType">

</bean>
</beans>

=========

code byName:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:util="http://www.springframework.org/schema/util"
xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans

http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util

http://www.springframework.org/schema/util/spring-util.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context

http://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-context.xsd
">

<bean class="com.app.Address" name="addr">

<property name="addrId" value="9856"/>
<property name="loc" value="HYD"/>
</bean>

<bean class="com.app.Employee" name="empObj" autowire="byName">

Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

</bean>
</beans>

========

constructor:

to use this option class must have at least one parameterized constructor.

Always constructor with more parameters will be compared first , if not matched then it goes to
next level more parameters constructor (like 4 parameters, 3 parameters ..) until zero/default
constructor. Even If default constructor not found then spring container throws an exception
saying that no constructor found.

Java Code:

package com.app;

public class Employee{

private Address addr;

public Employee() {
super();
System.out.println("In default");
}

public Employee(Address addr) {

super();
this.addr = addr;
System.out.println("in Param");
}

public Address getAddr() {

Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

return addr;
}

public void setAddr(Address addr) {

this.addr = addr;
}

@Override
public String toString() {
return "Employee [addr=" + addr + "]";
}

}
====

package com.app;

public class Address {

private int addrId;

private String loc;

public int getAddrId() {

return addrId;
}
public void setAddrId(int addrId) {
this.addrId = addrId;
}
public String getLoc() {
return loc;
}
public void setLoc(String loc) {
this.loc = loc;
}
@Override
public String toString() {
return "Address [addrId=" + addrId + ", loc=" + loc + "]";
}

}
====

XML Code:
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:util="http://www.springframework.org/schema/util"
xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans

http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util

http://www.springframework.org/schema/util/spring-util.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context

http://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-context.xsd
">

<bean class="com.app.Address" name="addr">

<property name="addrId" value="9856"/>
<property name="loc" value="HYD"/>
</bean>

<bean class="com.app.Employee" name="empObj" autowire="constructor">

</bean>
</beans>

===========

package com.app;

import org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext;
import org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext;

public class Test {

public static void main(String[] args) {

AbstractApplicationContext context = new
ClassPathXmlApplicationContext("config.xml");
Employee obj = (Employee)context.getBean("empObj");
System.out.println(obj);

}
}
======
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

Note: 1) If more than one matchi9ng found while doing constructor , then it compares names to
inject the bean: for ex:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:util="http://www.springframework.org/schema/util"
xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util/spring-util.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-context.xsd
">

<bean class="com.app.Address" name="addr">

<property name="addrId" value="956"/>
<property name="loc" value="HYD"/>
</bean>
<bean class="com.app.Address" name="addr2">
<property name="addrId" value="985"/>
<property name="loc" value="HYD1"/>
</bean>
<bean class="com.app.Employee" name="empObj" autowire="constructor">

</bean>
</beans>

in the above code addr,addr2 are two objects then it compares the names to inject. So addr will
be select to inject. If no name matched then no object will be injected.

=========

autodetect:

Java code:
package com.app;

public class Address {

private int addrId;

private String loc;

public int getAddrId() {

Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

return addrId;
}
public void setAddrId(int addrId) {
this.addrId = addrId;
}
public String getLoc() {
return loc;
}
public void setLoc(String loc) {
this.loc = loc;
}
@Override
public String toString() {
return "Address [addrId=" + addrId + ", loc=" + loc + "]";
}

}
============
package com.app;

public class Employee{

private Address addr;

public Employee() {
super();
System.out.println("In default");
}

public Employee(Address addr) {

super();
this.addr = addr;
System.out.println("in Param");
}

public Address getAddr() {

return addr;
}

public void setAddr(Address addr) {

this.addr = addr;
System.out.println("in setter");
}
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

@Override
public String toString() {
return "Employee [addr=" + addr + "]";
}

}
===
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:util="http://www.springframework.org/schema/util"
xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans

http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.5.xsd

http://www.springframework.org/schema/util

http://www.springframework.org/schema/util/spring-util.xsd

http://www.springframework.org/schema/context

http://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-context.xsd
">

<bean class="com.app.Address" name="addr">

<property name="addrId" value="9"/>
<property name="loc" value="HYD9"/>
</bean>
<bean class="com.app.Employee" name="empObj"
autowire="autodetect">

</bean>
</beans>

=====

package com.app;

import org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext;
import
org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext;
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

public class Test {

public static void main(String[] args) {

AbstractApplicationContext context = new
ClassPathXmlApplicationContext("config.xml");
Employee obj = (Employee)context.getBean("empObj");
System.out.println(obj);

}
}

Note: if you execute the above code it will check for default constructor and if found it
performs byType Autowiring. If you comment default constructor then it uses parameterized
constructor.

output:
In default
in setter
Employee [addr=Address [addrId=9, loc=HYD9]]

on comment of default constructor:

/*public Employee() {
super();
System.out.println("In default");
}*/

output:

in Param
Employee [addr=Address [addrId=9, loc=HYD9]]

Auto wiring Using Annotation:

Program:1) If matching found then Object is injected:

package com.app;
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

public class Address {

private int hno;

public Address() {
super();
}

public int getHno() {

return hno;
}

public void setHno(int hno) {

this.hno = hno;
}

@Override
public String toString() {
return "Address [hno=" + hno + "]";
}

}
package com.app;

import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;

public class Employee {

@Autowired
private Address addr;

public Address getAddr() {

return addr;
}

public void setAddr(Address addr) {

this.addr = addr;
}

@Override
public String toString() {
return "Employee [addr=" + addr + "]";
}

}
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:p="http://www.springframework.org/schema/p"
xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
xmlns:util="http://www.springframework.org/schema/util"
xmlns:mvc="http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-
beans.xsd
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

http://www.springframework.org/schema/context
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-
context.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util/spring-util.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc
http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc/spring-mvc.xsd">
<context:annotation-config/>
<bean class="com.app.Address" name="addrObj">

</bean>

<bean class="com.app.Employee" name="empObj">

</bean>
</beans>

package com.app;

import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
import org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext;

public class Main {

/**
* @param args
*/
public static void main(String[] args) {

ApplicationContext context=new
ClassPathXmlApplicationContext("sample.xml");
Employee emp=context.getBean("empObj", Employee.class);
System.out.println(emp);

}
Program 2) If multiple beans configured then works by name:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:p="http://www.springframework.org/schema/p"
xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
xmlns:util="http://www.springframework.org/schema/util"
xmlns:mvc="http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-
beans.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-
context.xsd
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

http://www.springframework.org/schema/util
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util/spring-util.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc
http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc/spring-mvc.xsd">
<context:annotation-config/>
<bean class="com.app.Address" name="addrObj1">
<property name="hno" value="32"/>
</bean>
<bean class="com.app.Address" name="addr">
<property name="hno" value="32"/><!-- Name is matched -->
</bean>

<bean class="com.app.Employee" name="empObj">

</bean>
</beans>

(All Remaining Programs are same as Above)

Program 3) By Default @Autowired Annotation is required, and to disabled that,

program: and passing no matching for address.
package com.app;

import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;

public class Employee {

@Autowired(required=false)
private Address addr;

public Address getAddr() {

return addr;
}

public void setAddr(Address addr) {

this.addr = addr;
}

@Override
public String toString() {
return "Employee [addr=" + addr + "]";
}

}
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:p="http://www.springframework.org/schema/p"
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
xmlns:util="http://www.springframework.org/schema/util"
xmlns:mvc="http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-
beans.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-
context.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util/spring-util.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc
http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc/spring-mvc.xsd">
<context:annotation-config/>

<bean class="com.app.Employee" name="empObj">

</bean>
</beans>

(No changes in other files/codes)

Program 4) on multiple configurations to specify a bean, use Qualifier annotation.

package com.app;

import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Qualifier;

public class Employee {

@Autowired(required=false)
@Qualifier("addrObj2")
private Address addr;

public Address getAddr() {

return addr;
}

public void setAddr(Address addr) {

this.addr = addr;
}

@Override
public String toString() {
return "Employee [addr=" + addr + "]";
}

}
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
Spring Autowiring (XML and Annotations)

xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:p="http://www.springframework.org/schema/p"
xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
xmlns:util="http://www.springframework.org/schema/util"
xmlns:mvc="http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-
beans.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-
context.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util
http://www.springframework.org/schema/util/spring-util.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc
http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc/spring-mvc.xsd">
<context:annotation-config/>
<bean class="com.app.Address" name="addrObj1">
<property name="hno" value="32"/>
</bean>
<bean class="com.app.Address" name="addrObj2">
<property name="hno" value="31"/>
</bean>

<bean class="com.app.Employee" name="empObj">

</bean>
</beans>