This version is still in development and is not considered stable yet. For the latest stable version, please use Spring Framework 6.1.7!

Bean References

If the evaluation context has been configured with a bean resolver, you can look up beans from an expression by using the @ symbol. The following example shows how to do so:

  • Java

  • Kotlin

ExpressionParser parser = new SpelExpressionParser();
StandardEvaluationContext context = new StandardEvaluationContext();
context.setBeanResolver(new MyBeanResolver());

// This will end up calling resolve(context,"something") on MyBeanResolver during evaluation
Object bean = parser.parseExpression("@something").getValue(context);
val parser = SpelExpressionParser()
val context = StandardEvaluationContext()
context.setBeanResolver(MyBeanResolver())

// This will end up calling resolve(context,"something") on MyBeanResolver during evaluation
val bean = parser.parseExpression("@something").getValue(context)

To access a factory bean itself, you should instead prefix the bean name with an & symbol. The following example shows how to do so:

  • Java

  • Kotlin

ExpressionParser parser = new SpelExpressionParser();
StandardEvaluationContext context = new StandardEvaluationContext();
context.setBeanResolver(new MyBeanResolver());

// This will end up calling resolve(context,"&foo") on MyBeanResolver during evaluation
Object bean = parser.parseExpression("&foo").getValue(context);
val parser = SpelExpressionParser()
val context = StandardEvaluationContext()
context.setBeanResolver(MyBeanResolver())

// This will end up calling resolve(context,"&foo") on MyBeanResolver during evaluation
val bean = parser.parseExpression("&foo").getValue(context)