Document null-safe collection selection/projection support in SpEL

Closes gh-32208
spring-projects · Feb 11, 2024 · 4a5dc7c · 4a5dc7c
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diff --git a/...ocs/modules/ROOT/pages/core/expressions/language-ref/collection-projection.adoc b/...ocs/modules/ROOT/pages/core/expressions/language-ref/collection-projection.adoc
@@ -34,5 +34,12 @@ evaluated against each entry in the map (represented as a Java `Map.Entry`). The
 of a projection across a map is a list that consists of the evaluation of the projection
 expression against each map entry.
 
+[NOTE]
+====
+The Spring Expression Language also supports safe navigation for collection projection.
 
+See
+xref:core/expressions/language-ref/operator-safe-navigation.adoc#expressions-operator-safe-navigation-selection-and-projection[Safe Collection Selection and Projection]
+for details.
+====
 
diff --git a/...docs/modules/ROOT/pages/core/expressions/language-ref/collection-selection.adoc b/...docs/modules/ROOT/pages/core/expressions/language-ref/collection-selection.adoc
@@ -59,5 +59,12 @@ the last element. To obtain the first element matching the selection expression,
 syntax is `.^[selectionExpression]`. To obtain the last element matching the selection
 expression, the syntax is `.$[selectionExpression]`.
 
+[NOTE]
+====
+The Spring Expression Language also supports safe navigation for collection selection.
 
+See
+xref:core/expressions/language-ref/operator-safe-navigation.adoc#expressions-operator-safe-navigation-selection-and-projection[Safe Collection Selection and Projection]
+for details.
+====
 
diff --git a/.../modules/ROOT/pages/core/expressions/language-ref/operator-safe-navigation.adoc b/.../modules/ROOT/pages/core/expressions/language-ref/operator-safe-navigation.adoc
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ language. Typically, when you have a reference to an object, you might need to v
 that it is not `null` before accessing methods or properties of the object. To avoid
 this, the safe navigation operator returns `null` instead of throwing an exception.
 
+[[expressions-operator-safe-navigation-property-access]]
+== Safe Property and Method Access
+
 The following example shows how to use the safe navigation operator for property access
 (`?.`).
 
@@ -59,3 +62,224 @@ Kotlin::
 <2> Use safe navigation operator on null `placeOfBirth` property
 ======
 
+[NOTE]
+====
+The safe navigation operator also applies to method invocations on an object.
+
+For example, the expression `#calculator?.max(4, 2)` evaluates to `null` if the
+`#calculator` variable has not been configured in the context. Otherwise, the
+`max(int, int)` method will be invoked on the `#calculator`.
+====
+
+
+[[expressions-operator-safe-navigation-selection-and-projection]]
+== Safe Collection Selection and Projection
+
+The Spring Expression Language supports safe navigation for
+xref:core/expressions/language-ref/collection-selection.adoc[collection selection] and
+xref:core/expressions/language-ref/collection-projection.adoc[collection projection] via
+the following operators.
+
+* null-safe selection: `?.?`
+* null-safe select first: `?.^`
+* null-safe select last: `?.$`
+* null-safe projection: `?.!`
+
+The following example shows how to use the safe navigation operator for collection
+selection (`?.?`).
+
+[tabs]
+======
+Java::
++
+[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="primary"]
+----
+	ExpressionParser parser = new SpelExpressionParser();
+	IEEE society = new IEEE();
+	StandardEvaluationContext context = new StandardEvaluationContext(society);
+	String expression = "members?.?[nationality == 'Serbian']"; // <1>
+
+	// evaluates to [Inventor("Nikola Tesla")]
+	List<Inventor> list = (List<Inventor>) parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context);
+
+	society.members = null;
+
+	// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+	list = (List<Inventor>) parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context);
+----
+<1> Use null-safe selection operator on potentially null `members` list
+
+Kotlin::
++
+[source,kotlin,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="secondary"]
+----
+	val parser = SpelExpressionParser()
+	val society = IEEE()
+	val context = StandardEvaluationContext(society)
+	val expression = "members?.?[nationality == 'Serbian']" // <1>
+
+	// evaluates to [Inventor("Nikola Tesla")]
+	var list = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context) as List<Inventor>
+
+	society.members = null
+
+	// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+	list = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context) as List<Inventor>
+----
+<1> Use null-safe selection operator on potentially null `members` list
+======
+
+The following example shows how to use the "null-safe select first" operator for
+collections (`?.^`).
+
+[tabs]
+======
+Java::
++
+[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="primary"]
+----
+	ExpressionParser parser = new SpelExpressionParser();
+	IEEE society = new IEEE();
+	StandardEvaluationContext context = new StandardEvaluationContext(society);
+	String expression =
+		"members?.^[nationality == 'Serbian' || nationality == 'Idvor']"; // <1>
+
+	// evaluates to Inventor("Nikola Tesla")
+	Inventor inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context, Inventor.class);
+
+	society.members = null;
+
+	// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+	inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context, Inventor.class);
+----
+<1> Use "null-safe select first" operator on potentially null `members` list
+
+Kotlin::
++
+[source,kotlin,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="secondary"]
+----
+	val parser = SpelExpressionParser()
+	val society = IEEE()
+	val context = StandardEvaluationContext(society)
+	val expression =
+		"members?.^[nationality == 'Serbian' || nationality == 'Idvor']" // <1>
+
+	// evaluates to Inventor("Nikola Tesla")
+	var inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context, Inventor::class.java)
+
+	society.members = null
+
+	// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+	inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context, Inventor::class.java)
+----
+<1> Use "null-safe select first" operator on potentially null `members` list
+======
+
+
+The following example shows how to use the "null-safe select last" operator for
+collections (`?.$`).
+
+[tabs]
+======
+Java::
++
+[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="primary"]
+----
+	ExpressionParser parser = new SpelExpressionParser();
+	IEEE society = new IEEE();
+	StandardEvaluationContext context = new StandardEvaluationContext(society);
+	String expression =
+		"members?.$[nationality == 'Serbian' || nationality == 'Idvor']"; // <1>
+
+	// evaluates to Inventor("Pupin")
+	Inventor inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context, Inventor.class);
+
+	society.members = null;
+
+	// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+	inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context, Inventor.class);
+----
+<1> Use "null-safe select last" operator on potentially null `members` list
+
+Kotlin::
++
+[source,kotlin,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="secondary"]
+----
+	val parser = SpelExpressionParser()
+	val society = IEEE()
+	val context = StandardEvaluationContext(society)
+	val expression =
+		"members?.$[nationality == 'Serbian' || nationality == 'Idvor']" // <1>
+
+	// evaluates to Inventor("Pupin")
+	var inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context, Inventor::class.java)
+
+	society.members = null
+
+	// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+	inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+			.getValue(context, Inventor::class.java)
+----
+<1> Use "null-safe select last" operator on potentially null `members` list
+======
+
+The following example shows how to use the safe navigation operator for collection
+projection (`?.!`).
+
+[tabs]
+======
+Java::
++
+[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="primary"]
+----
+	ExpressionParser parser = new SpelExpressionParser();
+	IEEE society = new IEEE();
+	StandardEvaluationContext context = new StandardEvaluationContext(society);
+
+	// evaluates to ["Smiljan", "Idvor"]
+	List placesOfBirth = parser.parseExpression("members?.![placeOfBirth.city]") // <1>
+			.getValue(context, List.class);
+
+	society.members = null;
+
+	// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+	placesOfBirth = parser.parseExpression("members?.![placeOfBirth.city]") // <2>
+			.getValue(context, List.class);
+----
+<1> Use null-safe projection operator on non-null `members` list
+<2> Use null-safe projection operator on null `members` list
+
+Kotlin::
++
+[source,kotlin,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="secondary"]
+----
+	val parser = SpelExpressionParser()
+	val society = IEEE()
+	val context = StandardEvaluationContext(society)
+
+	// evaluates to ["Smiljan", "Idvor"]
+	var placesOfBirth = parser.parseExpression("members?.![placeOfBirth.city]") // <1>
+			.getValue(context, List::class.java)
+
+	society.members = null
+
+	// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+	placesOfBirth = parser.parseExpression("members?.![placeOfBirth.city]") // <2>
+			.getValue(context, List::class.java)
+----
+<1> Use null-safe projection operator on non-null `members` list
+<2> Use null-safe projection operator on null `members` list
+======
+
+
diff --git a/...-expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/SpelDocumentationTests.java b/...-expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/SpelDocumentationTests.java
@@ -648,6 +648,85 @@ void nullSafePropertyAccess() {
 					.getValue(context, tesla, String.class);
 			assertThat(city).isNull();
 		}
+
+		@Test
+		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+		void nullSafeSelection() {
+			IEEE society = new IEEE();
+			StandardEvaluationContext context = new StandardEvaluationContext(society);
+			String expression = "members?.?[nationality == 'Serbian']"; // <1>
+
+			// evaluates to [Inventor("Nikola Tesla")]
+			List<Inventor> list = (List<Inventor>) parser.parseExpression(expression)
+					.getValue(context);
+			assertThat(list).map(Inventor::getName).containsOnly("Nikola Tesla");
+
+			society.members = null;
+
+			// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+			list = (List<Inventor>) parser.parseExpression(expression)
+					.getValue(context);
+			assertThat(list).isNull();
+		}
+
+		@Test
+		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+		void nullSafeSelectFirst() {
+			IEEE society = new IEEE();
+			StandardEvaluationContext context = new StandardEvaluationContext(society);
+			String expression = "members?.^[nationality == 'Serbian' || nationality == 'Idvor']"; // <1>
+
+			// evaluates to Inventor("Nikola Tesla")
+			Inventor inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+					.getValue(context, Inventor.class);
+			assertThat(inventor).extracting(Inventor::getName).isEqualTo("Nikola Tesla");
+
+			society.members = null;
+
+			// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+			inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+					.getValue(context, Inventor.class);
+			assertThat(inventor).isNull();
+		}
+
+		@Test
+		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+		void nullSafeSelectLast() {
+			IEEE society = new IEEE();
+			StandardEvaluationContext context = new StandardEvaluationContext(society);
+			String expression = "members?.$[nationality == 'Serbian' || nationality == 'Idvor']"; // <1>
+
+			// evaluates to Inventor("Pupin")
+			Inventor inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+					.getValue(context, Inventor.class);
+			assertThat(inventor).extracting(Inventor::getName).isEqualTo("Pupin");
+
+			society.members = null;
+
+			// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+			inventor = parser.parseExpression(expression)
+					.getValue(context, Inventor.class);
+			assertThat(inventor).isNull();
+		}
+
+		@Test
+		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+		void nullSafeProjection() {
+			IEEE society = new IEEE();
+			StandardEvaluationContext context = new StandardEvaluationContext(society);
+
+			// evaluates to ["Smiljan", "Idvor"]
+			List placesOfBirth = parser.parseExpression("members?.![placeOfBirth.city]") // <1>
+					.getValue(context, List.class);
+			assertThat(placesOfBirth).containsExactly("Smiljan", "Idvor");
+
+			society.members = null;
+
+			// evaluates to null - does not throw a NullPointerException
+			placesOfBirth = parser.parseExpression("members?.![placeOfBirth.city]") // <2>
+					.getValue(context, List.class);
+			assertThat(placesOfBirth).isNull();
+		}
 	}
 
 	@Nested