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150 changes: 125 additions & 25 deletions fern/products/sdks/overview/java/custom-code.mdx
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -106,68 +106,92 @@ description: Augment your Java SDK with custom utilities

## Adding custom client configuration

When you need to intercept and transform client configuration before the SDK client is created, you can extend the generated builder classes. This allows you to add custom code and logic during the client initialization process.
The Java SDK generator supports builder extensibility through a template method pattern. By extending the generated builder classes and overriding protected methods, you can customize how your SDK client is configured without modifying generated code.

Common use cases include:
- **Dynamic URL construction**: Replace placeholders with runtime values (e.g., `https://api.${DEV_NAMESPACE}.example.com`)
- **Custom authentication**: Implement complex auth flows beyond basic token authentication
- **Request transformation**: Add custom headers or modify requests globally

### How it works

Generated builders use protected methods that can be overridden:

```java
public class BaseApiClientBuilder {
protected ClientOptions buildClientOptions() {
ClientOptions.Builder builder = ClientOptions.builder();
setEnvironment(builder);
setAuthentication(builder); // Only if API has auth
setCustomHeaders(builder); // Only if API defines headers
setVariables(builder); // Only if API has variables
setHttpClient(builder);
setTimeouts(builder);
setRetries(builder);
setAdditional(builder);
return builder.build();
}
}
```

<Steps>

### Create a custom client that extends the base client
### Create a custom client class

This client will serve as the entry point for your customized SDK.
Extend the generated base client:

```java title="src/main/java/com/example/MyClient.java"
package com.example;

import com.example.client.BaseClient;
import com.example.client.ClientOptions;
import com.example.api.BaseClient;
import com.example.api.core.ClientOptions;

public class MyClient extends BaseClient {
public MyClient(ClientOptions clientOptions) {
super(clientOptions);
}

public static MyClientBuilder builder() {
return new MyClientBuilder();
}
}
```

### Create a custom builder with your transformation logic
### Create a custom builder class

Override the `buildClientOptions()` method to intercept and modify the configuration before the client is created.
Override methods to customize behavior:

```java title="src/main/java/com/example/MyClientBuilder.java" {10}
```java title="src/main/java/com/example/MyClientBuilder.java"
package com.example;

import com.example.client.BaseClient.BaseClientBuilder;
import com.example.client.ClientOptions;
import com.example.environment.Environment;
import com.example.api.BaseClient.BaseClientBuilder;
import com.example.api.core.ClientOptions;
import com.example.api.core.Environment;

public class MyClientBuilder extends BaseClientBuilder {

@Override
protected ClientOptions buildClientOptions() {
ClientOptions base = super.buildClientOptions();

// Transform configuration as needed
String transformedUrl = transformEnvironmentVariables(
base.environment().getUrl()
);

return ClientOptions.builder()
.from(base)
.environment(Environment.custom(transformedUrl))
.build();
protected void setEnvironment(ClientOptions.Builder builder) {
String url = this.environment.getUrl();
String expandedUrl = expandEnvironmentVariables(url);
builder.environment(Environment.custom(expandedUrl));
}

@Override
protected void setAdditional(ClientOptions.Builder builder) {
builder.addHeader("X-Request-ID", () -> UUID.randomUUID().toString());
}

@Override
public MyClient build() {
return new MyClient(buildClientOptions());
}
}
```

### Update `.fernignore`

Add the `MyClient.java` and `MyClientBuilder.java` to `.fernignore`.
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By adding these two files to .fernignore, fern will not update them on new generations.

By adding these two files to `.fernignore`, fern will not update them on new generations.

```diff title=".fernignore"
+ src/main/java/com/example/MyClient.java
Expand All @@ -176,6 +200,82 @@ Add the `MyClient.java` and `MyClientBuilder.java` to `.fernignore`.

</Steps>

### Method reference

Each method serves a specific purpose and is only generated when needed:

| Method | Purpose | Available When |
|--------|---------|----------------|
| `setEnvironment(builder)` | Customize environment/URL configuration | Always |
| `setAuthentication(builder)` | Modify or add authentication | Only if API has auth |
| `setCustomHeaders(builder)` | Add custom headers defined in API spec | Only if API defines headers |
| `setVariables(builder)` | Configure API variables | Only if API has variables |
| `setHttpClient(builder)` | Customize OkHttp client | Always |
| `setTimeouts(builder)` | Modify timeout settings | Always |
| `setRetries(builder)` | Modify retry settings | Always |
| `setAdditional(builder)` | Final extension point for any custom configuration | Always |
| `validateConfiguration()` | Add custom validation logic | Always |
| `buildClientOptions()` | Orchestrates all configuration methods (rarely need to override) | Always |

### Common patterns

<Accordion title="Multi-tenant URLs">
```java
@Override
protected void setEnvironment(ClientOptions.Builder builder) {
String baseUrl = this.environment.getUrl();
String tenantUrl = baseUrl.replace("/api/", "/tenants/" + tenantId + "/");
builder.environment(Environment.custom(tenantUrl));
}
```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Dynamic authentication">
```java
@Override
protected void setAuthentication(ClientOptions.Builder builder) {
builder.addHeader("Authorization", () ->
"Bearer " + tokenProvider.getAccessToken()
);
}
```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Request tracking and monitoring">
```java
@Override
protected void setAdditional(ClientOptions.Builder builder) {
// Add request tracking
builder.addHeader("X-Request-ID", () -> UUID.randomUUID().toString());
builder.addHeader("X-Client-Version", "1.0.0");

// Add feature flags
if (FeatureFlags.isEnabled("new-algorithm")) {
builder.addHeader("X-Feature-Flag", "new-algorithm");
}
}
```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Advanced HTTP client configuration">
```java
@Override
protected void setHttpClient(ClientOptions.Builder builder) {
OkHttpClient customClient = new OkHttpClient.Builder()
.connectTimeout(30, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
.readTimeout(60, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
.addInterceptor(new RetryInterceptor())
.connectionPool(new ConnectionPool(50, 5, TimeUnit.MINUTES))
.build();
builder.httpClient(customClient);
}
```
</Accordion>

### Requirements

- **Fern Java SDK version**: 2.39.1 or later

## Adding custom dependencies

<Markdown src="/snippets/pro-callout.mdx"/>
Expand Down