Programmatic ObjectProvider retrieval through BeanFactory API [SPR-17075]

[spring-projects-issues]

Juergen Hoeller opened SPR-17075 and commented

After several discussions around #21511, #16046 and #13532, it turns out that programmatic retrieval of an ObjectProvider handle - as opposed to it just being obtainable through annotation-driven injection - would significantly enrich functional bean definitions.

So as of 5.1, BeanFactory.getBeanProvider provides a convenient and powerful enough entry point for the time being. Stream access to multiple matching beans is covered in #16046 now; just programmatic bean retrieval with qualifiers is left to #13532 still.

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Issue Links:

• Support for Supplier as a deferred bean creation [SPR-16973] #21511 Support for Supplier as a deferred bean creation
• ObjectProvider iterable/stream access for "beans of type" resolution in @Bean methods [SPR-11419] #16046 ObjectProvider iterable/stream access for "beans of type" resolution in @Bean methods
• Add generics / parameterized type support to ListableBeanFactory getBeanNamesForType/getBeansOfType methods [SPR-12147] #16761 Add generics / parameterized type support to ListableBeanFactory getBeanNamesForType/getBeansOfType methods
• Convenient programmatic bean retrieval with qualifiers [SPR-8891] #13532 Convenient programmatic bean retrieval with qualifiers
• BeanFactory lacks method for getting bean by type with specified constructor arguments [SPR-11235] #15860 BeanFactory lacks method for getting bean by type with specified constructor arguments

[spring-projects-issues]

Dave Syer commented

Can we also have a version of this method that takes a Type or ResolvableType?

[spring-projects-issues]

Juergen Hoeller commented

Good idea! I'll give getBeanProvider(ResolvableType) a try as well; sits nicely next to the existing getBeanNamesForType(ResolvableType)...

[spring-projects-issues]

Juergen Hoeller commented

I've introduced getBeanProvider(Class) and getBeanProvider(ResolvableType), also narrowing getBean(String, Class) and isTypeMatch(String, Class) to a non-null Class argument and enriching NoUniqueBeanDefinitionException with a full ResolvableType.

In addition, ObjectProvider supports iterable/stream access for collection-style resolution of multiple matching beans now: see #16046.