java

Java Generator

This repository contains the source for the Fern generators that produce Java artifacts:

• fernapi/fern-java-sdk
• fernapi/fern-java-model
• fernapi/fern-java-spring

The generator is written in Java and produces idiomatic code that feels hand-written and is friendly to read.

Fern handles transforming an API definition -- either an OpenAPI or Fern specification -- into Fern intermediate representation. IR is a normalized, Fern-specific definition of an API containing its endpoints, models, errors, authentication scheme, version, and more. Then the Java generator takes over and turns the IR into production-ready code.

What is Fern?

Fern is a toolkit for designing, building, and consuming REST APIs. With Fern, you can generate client libraries, API documentation, and boilerplate for your backend server.

Head over to the official Fern website for more information, or head over to our Documentation to dive straight in and find out what Fern can do for you!

Generating Java

This generator is used via the Fern CLI, by defining one of the aforementioned Java artifacts as a generator:

- name: fernapi/fern-java-sdk
  version: 0.3.7
  output:
    location: local-file-system
    path: ../generated/java

By default, Fern runs the generators in the cloud. To run a generator on your local machine, use the --local flag for fern generate. This will run the generator locally in a Docker container, allowing you to inspect its logs and output. Read more.

Configuration

You can customize the behavior of generators in generators.yml:

default-group: local
groups:
  local:
    generators:
      - name: fernapi/fern-java-sdk
        version: 0.4.9
        output:
          location: local-file-system
          path: ../generated/java

SDK Configuration

The Java SDK generator supports the following options:

✨ unknown-as-optional

Type: boolean

Default: false

When enabled, unknown types are defined as Optional<Object> rather than plain Object.

✨ wrapped-aliases

Type: boolean

Default: false

When enabled, generates wrapper types for each alias to increase type-safety. For example if you have an alias ResourceId: string then if this is true, the generator will generate a ResourceId.java file. If false, it will just treat it as java.util.String.

Spring Configuration

The Java Spring generator supports the following options:

✨ wrapped-aliases

Type: boolean

Default: false

When enabled, generates wrapper types for each alias to increase type-safety. For example, if true and you have an alias ResourceId: string the generator will generate a ResourceId.java file. If false, it will just treat it as java.util.String.

✨ enable-public-constructors

Type: boolean

Default: false

When enabled, generates public constructors for model types.

✨ client-class-name

Type: string

Default: <Organization>ApiClient

✨ custom-dependencies

Type: string

custom-dependencies:
  - "implementation com.foo:bar:0.0.0"
  - "testImplementation com.foo:bar:0.0.0"
  - "api com.foo:bar:0.0.0"

The provided string will be used as the client class name.

Versions

Find the latest version number and changelog for this generator in this SDK Generators table. The changelog shows earlier version numbers, if any. You can directly use these version numbers in your generator configuration files.

For instance, if you want to use version 0.3.7 of the Java generator:

default-group: local
groups:
  local:
    generators:
      - name: fernapi/fern-java-sdk
        version: 0.4.9
        output:
          location: local-file-system
          path: ../generated/java

Fern will handle the rest automatically.