Operators

The Spring Expression Language supports the following kinds of operators:

Relational Operators

The relational operators (equal, not equal, less than, less than or equal, greater than, and greater than or equal) are supported by using standard operator notation. These operators work on Number types as well as types implementing Comparable. The following listing shows a few examples of relational operators:

  • Java

  • Kotlin

// evaluates to true
boolean trueValue = parser.parseExpression("2 == 2").getValue(Boolean.class);

// evaluates to false
boolean falseValue = parser.parseExpression("2 < -5.0").getValue(Boolean.class);

// evaluates to true
boolean trueValue = parser.parseExpression("'black' < 'block'").getValue(Boolean.class);

// uses CustomValue:::compareTo
boolean trueValue = parser.parseExpression("new CustomValue(1) < new CustomValue(2)").getValue(Boolean.class);
// evaluates to true
val trueValue = parser.parseExpression("2 == 2").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// evaluates to false
val falseValue = parser.parseExpression("2 < -5.0").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// evaluates to true
val trueValue = parser.parseExpression("'black' < 'block'").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// uses CustomValue:::compareTo
val trueValue = parser.parseExpression("new CustomValue(1) < new CustomValue(2)").getValue(Boolean::class.java);

Greater-than and less-than comparisons against null follow a simple rule: null is treated as nothing (that is NOT as zero). As a consequence, any other value is always greater than null (X > null is always true) and no other value is ever less than nothing (X < null is always false).

If you prefer numeric comparisons instead, avoid number-based null comparisons in favor of comparisons against zero (for example, X > 0 or X < 0).

Each symbolic operator can also be specified as a purely textual equivalent. This avoids problems where the symbols used have special meaning for the document type in which the expression is embedded (such as in an XML document). The textual equivalents are:

  • lt (<)

  • gt (>)

  • le (<=)

  • ge (>=)

  • eq (==)

  • ne (!=)

All of the textual operators are case-insensitive.

In addition to the standard relational operators, SpEL supports the between, instanceof, and regular expression-based matches operators. The following listing shows examples of all three:

  • Java

  • Kotlin

boolean result;

// evaluates to true
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"1 between {1, 5}").getValue(Boolean.class);

// evaluates to false
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"1 between {10, 15}").getValue(Boolean.class);

// evaluates to true
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"'elephant' between {'aardvark', 'zebra'}").getValue(Boolean.class);

// evaluates to false
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"'elephant' between {'aardvark', 'cobra'}").getValue(Boolean.class);

// evaluates to true
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"123 instanceof T(Integer)").getValue(Boolean.class);

// evaluates to false
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"'xyz' instanceof T(Integer)").getValue(Boolean.class);

// evaluates to true
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"'5.00' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean.class);

// evaluates to false
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"'5.0067' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean.class);
// evaluates to true
var result = parser.parseExpression(
		"1 between {1, 5}").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// evaluates to false
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"1 between {10, 15}").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// evaluates to true
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"'elephant' between {'aardvark', 'zebra'}").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// evaluates to false
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"'elephant' between {'aardvark', 'cobra'}").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// evaluates to true
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"123 instanceof T(Integer)").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// evaluates to false
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"'xyz' instanceof T(Integer)").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// evaluates to true
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"'5.00' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// evaluates to false
result = parser.parseExpression(
		"'5.0067' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

The syntax for the between operator is <input> between {<range_begin>, <range_end>}, which is effectively a shortcut for <input> >= <range_begin> && <input> <= <range_end>}.

Consequently, 1 between {1, 5} evaluates to true, while 1 between {5, 1} evaluates to false.
Be careful with primitive types, as they are immediately boxed up to their wrapper types. For example, 1 instanceof T(int) evaluates to false, while 1 instanceof T(Integer) evaluates to true.

Logical Operators

SpEL supports the following logical (boolean) operators:

  • and (&&)

  • or (||)

  • not (!)

All of the textual operators are case-insensitive.

The following example shows how to use the logical operators:

  • Java

  • Kotlin

// -- AND --

// evaluates to false
boolean falseValue = parser.parseExpression("true and false").getValue(Boolean.class);

// evaluates to true
String expression = "isMember('Nikola Tesla') and isMember('Mihajlo Pupin')";
boolean trueValue = parser.parseExpression(expression).getValue(societyContext, Boolean.class);

// -- OR --

// evaluates to true
boolean trueValue = parser.parseExpression("true or false").getValue(Boolean.class);

// evaluates to true
String expression = "isMember('Nikola Tesla') or isMember('Albert Einstein')";
boolean trueValue = parser.parseExpression(expression).getValue(societyContext, Boolean.class);

// -- NOT --

// evaluates to false
boolean falseValue = parser.parseExpression("!true").getValue(Boolean.class);

// -- AND and NOT --

String expression = "isMember('Nikola Tesla') and !isMember('Mihajlo Pupin')";
boolean falseValue = parser.parseExpression(expression).getValue(societyContext, Boolean.class);
// -- AND --

// evaluates to false
val falseValue = parser.parseExpression("true and false").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// evaluates to true
val expression = "isMember('Nikola Tesla') and isMember('Mihajlo Pupin')"
val trueValue = parser.parseExpression(expression).getValue(societyContext, Boolean::class.java)

// -- OR --

// evaluates to true
val trueValue = parser.parseExpression("true or false").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// evaluates to true
val expression = "isMember('Nikola Tesla') or isMember('Albert Einstein')"
val trueValue = parser.parseExpression(expression).getValue(societyContext, Boolean::class.java)

// -- NOT --

// evaluates to false
val falseValue = parser.parseExpression("!true").getValue(Boolean::class.java)

// -- AND and NOT --

val expression = "isMember('Nikola Tesla') and !isMember('Mihajlo Pupin')"
val falseValue = parser.parseExpression(expression).getValue(societyContext, Boolean::class.java)

String Operators

You can use the following operators on strings.

  • concatenation (+)

  • subtraction (-)

    • for use with a string containing a single character

  • repeat (*)

The following example shows the String operators in use:

  • Java

  • Kotlin

// -- Concatenation --

// evaluates to "hello world"
String helloWorld = parser.parseExpression("'hello' + ' ' + 'world'")
		.getValue(String.class);

// -- Character Subtraction --

// evaluates to 'a'
char ch = parser.parseExpression("'d' - 3")
		.getValue(char.class);

// -- Repeat --

// evaluates to "abcabc"
String repeated = parser.parseExpression("'abc' * 2")
		.getValue(String.class);
// -- Concatenation --

// evaluates to "hello world"
val helloWorld = parser.parseExpression("'hello' + ' ' + 'world'")
		.getValue(String::class.java)

// -- Character Subtraction --

// evaluates to 'a'
val ch = parser.parseExpression("'d' - 3")
		.getValue(Character::class.java);

// -- Repeat --

// evaluates to "abcabc"
val repeated = parser.parseExpression("'abc' * 2")
		.getValue(String::class.java);

Mathematical Operators

You can use the following operators on numbers, and standard operator precedence is enforced.

  • addition (+)

  • subtraction (-)

  • increment (++)

  • decrement (--)

  • multiplication (*)

  • division (/)

  • modulus (%)

  • exponential power (^)

The division and modulus operators can also be specified as a purely textual equivalent. This avoids problems where the symbols used have special meaning for the document type in which the expression is embedded (such as in an XML document). The textual equivalents are:

  • div (/)

  • mod (%)

All of the textual operators are case-insensitive.

The increment and decrement operators can be used with either prefix (++A, --A) or postfix (A++, A--) notation with variables or properties that can be written to.

The following example shows the mathematical operators in use:

  • Java

  • Kotlin

Inventor inventor = new Inventor();
EvaluationContext context = SimpleEvaluationContext.forReadWriteDataBinding().build();

// -- Addition --

int two = parser.parseExpression("1 + 1").getValue(int.class);  // 2

// -- Subtraction --

int four = parser.parseExpression("1 - -3").getValue(int.class);  // 4

double d = parser.parseExpression("1000.00 - 1e4").getValue(double.class);  // -9000

// -- Increment --

// The counter property in Inventor has an initial value of 0.

// evaluates to 2; counter is now 1
two = parser.parseExpression("counter++ + 2").getValue(context, inventor, int.class);

// evaluates to 5; counter is now 2
int five = parser.parseExpression("3 + ++counter").getValue(context, inventor, int.class);

// -- Decrement --

// The counter property in Inventor has a value of 2.

// evaluates to 6; counter is now 1
int six = parser.parseExpression("counter-- + 4").getValue(context, inventor, int.class);

// evaluates to 5; counter is now 0
five = parser.parseExpression("5 + --counter").getValue(context, inventor, int.class);

// -- Multiplication --

six = parser.parseExpression("-2 * -3").getValue(int.class);  // 6

double twentyFour = parser.parseExpression("2.0 * 3e0 * 4").getValue(double.class);  // 24.0

// -- Division --

int minusTwo = parser.parseExpression("6 / -3").getValue(int.class);  // -2

double one = parser.parseExpression("8.0 / 4e0 / 2").getValue(double.class);  // 1.0

// -- Modulus --

int three = parser.parseExpression("7 % 4").getValue(int.class);  // 3

int oneInt = parser.parseExpression("8 / 5 % 2").getValue(int.class);  // 1

// -- Exponential power --

int maxInt = parser.parseExpression("(2^31) - 1").getValue(int.class);  // Integer.MAX_VALUE

int minInt = parser.parseExpression("-2^31").getValue(int.class);  // Integer.MIN_VALUE

// -- Operator precedence --

int minusTwentyOne = parser.parseExpression("1+2-3*8").getValue(int.class);  // -21
val inventor = Inventor()
val context = SimpleEvaluationContext.forReadWriteDataBinding().build()

// -- Addition --

var two = parser.parseExpression("1 + 1").getValue(Int::class.java)  // 2

// -- Subtraction --

val four = parser.parseExpression("1 - -3").getValue(Int::class.java)  // 4

val d = parser.parseExpression("1000.00 - 1e4").getValue(Double::class.java)  // -9000

// -- Increment --

// The counter property in Inventor has an initial value of 0.

// evaluates to 2; counter is now 1
two = parser.parseExpression("counter++ + 2").getValue(context, inventor, Int::class.java)

// evaluates to 5; counter is now 2
var five = parser.parseExpression("3 + ++counter").getValue(context, inventor, Int::class.java)

// -- Decrement --

// The counter property in Inventor has a value of 2.

// evaluates to 6; counter is now 1
var six = parser.parseExpression("counter-- + 4").getValue(context, inventor, Int::class.java)

// evaluates to 5; counter is now 0
five = parser.parseExpression("5 + --counter").getValue(context, inventor, Int::class.java)

// -- Multiplication --

six = parser.parseExpression("-2 * -3").getValue(Int::class.java)  // 6

val twentyFour = parser.parseExpression("2.0 * 3e0 * 4").getValue(Double::class.java)  // 24.0

// -- Division --

val minusTwo = parser.parseExpression("6 / -3").getValue(Int::class.java)  // -2

val one = parser.parseExpression("8.0 / 4e0 / 2").getValue(Double::class.java)  // 1.0

// -- Modulus --

val three = parser.parseExpression("7 % 4").getValue(Int::class.java)  // 3

val oneInt = parser.parseExpression("8 / 5 % 2").getValue(Int::class.java)  // 1

// -- Exponential power --

val maxInt = parser.parseExpression("(2^31) - 1").getValue(Int::class.java)  // Integer.MAX_VALUE

val minInt = parser.parseExpression("-2^31").getValue(Int::class.java)  // Integer.MIN_VALUE

// -- Operator precedence --

val minusTwentyOne = parser.parseExpression("1+2-3*8").getValue(Int::class.java)  // -21

The Assignment Operator

To set a property, use the assignment operator (=). This is typically done within a call to setValue but can also be done inside a call to getValue. The following listing shows both ways to use the assignment operator:

  • Java

  • Kotlin

Inventor inventor = new Inventor();
EvaluationContext context = SimpleEvaluationContext.forReadWriteDataBinding().build();

parser.parseExpression("name").setValue(context, inventor, "Aleksandar Seovic");

// alternatively
String aleks = parser.parseExpression(
		"name = 'Aleksandar Seovic'").getValue(context, inventor, String.class);
val inventor = Inventor()
val context = SimpleEvaluationContext.forReadWriteDataBinding().build()

parser.parseExpression("name").setValue(context, inventor, "Aleksandar Seovic")

// alternatively
val aleks = parser.parseExpression(
		"name = 'Aleksandar Seovic'").getValue(context, inventor, String::class.java)

Overloaded Operators

By default, the mathematical operations defined in SpEL’s Operation enum (ADD, SUBTRACT, DIVIDE, MULTIPLY, MODULUS, and POWER) support simple types like numbers. By providing an implementation of OperatorOverloader, the expression language can support these operations on other types.

For example, if we want to overload the ADD operator to allow two lists to be concatenated using the + sign, we can implement a custom OperatorOverloader as follows.

pubic class ListConcatenation implements OperatorOverloader {

	@Override
	public boolean overridesOperation(Operation operation, Object left, Object right) {
		return (operation == Operation.ADD &&
				left instanceof List && right instanceof List);
	}

	@Override
	public Object operate(Operation operation, Object left, Object right) {
		if (operation == Operation.ADD &&
				left instanceof List list1 && right instanceof List list2) {

			List result = new ArrayList(list1);
			result.addAll(list2);
			return result;
		}
		throw new UnsupportedOperationException(
			"No overload for operation %s and operands [%s] and [%s]"
				.formatted(operation, left, right));
	}
}

If we register ListConcatenation as the OperatorOverloader in a StandardEvaluationContext, we can then evaluate expressions like {1, 2, 3} + {4, 5} as demonstrated in the following example.

  • Java

  • Kotlin

StandardEvaluationContext context = new StandardEvaluationContext();
context.setOperatorOverloader(new ListConcatenation());

// evaluates to a new list: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
parser.parseExpression("{1, 2, 3} + {2 + 2, 5}").getValue(context, List.class);
StandardEvaluationContext context = StandardEvaluationContext()
context.setOperatorOverloader(ListConcatenation())

// evaluates to a new list: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
parser.parseExpression("{1, 2, 3} + {2 + 2, 5}").getValue(context, List::class.java)

An OperatorOverloader does not change the default semantics for an operator. For example, 2 + 2 in the above example still evaluates to 4.

Any expression that uses an overloaded operator cannot be compiled. See Compiler Limitations for details.