bumptech/glide · error · IllegalArgumentException

The {} method annotated with @GlideOption in the {} @GlideEx

Error message

The {} method annotated with @GlideOption in the {} @GlideExtension is using a legacy format that is no longer supported. Please change your method definition so that your @GlideModule annotated methods return BaseRequestOptions<?> objects instead of null.

What it means

Thrown when generating code for a method annotated with @GlideOption inside a @GlideExtension whose return type is void. The current Glide API requires @GlideOption methods to return a BaseRequestOptions<?> (typically the modified options object); the older void-returning signature is no longer supported.

Source

Thrown at annotation/compiler/src/main/java/com/bumptech/glide/annotation/compiler/RequestOptionsExtensionGenerator.java:61

   * Returns a list containing an override {@link MethodSpec} for all {@link GlideOption} annotated
   * methods in the classes that correspond to the given extension class names.
   */
  List<MethodSpec> generateInstanceMethodsForExtensions(Set<String> glideExtensionClassNames) {
    List<ExecutableElement> requestOptionExtensionMethods =
        getRequestOptionExtensionMethods(glideExtensionClassNames);

    List<MethodSpec> result = new ArrayList<>(requestOptionExtensionMethods.size());
    for (ExecutableElement requestOptionsExtensionMethod : requestOptionExtensionMethods) {
      result.add(generateMethodsForRequestOptionsExtension(requestOptionsExtensionMethod));
    }

    return result;
  }

  private MethodSpec generateMethodsForRequestOptionsExtension(ExecutableElement element) {
    // Assert for legacy versions
    if (element.getReturnType().getKind() == TypeKind.VOID) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException(
          "The "
              + element.getSimpleName()
              + " method annotated with @GlideOption in the "
              + element.getEnclosingElement().getSimpleName()
              + " @GlideExtension is using a legacy"
              + " format that is no longer supported. Please change your method definition so that"
              + " your @GlideModule annotated methods return BaseRequestOptions<?> objects instead"
              + " of null.");
    }

    int overrideType = processorUtil.getOverrideType(element);

    String methodName = element.getSimpleName().toString();
    MethodSpec.Builder builder =
        MethodSpec.methodBuilder(methodName)
            .addModifiers(Modifier.PUBLIC)
            .addJavadoc(processorUtil.generateSeeMethodJavadoc(element))
            .varargs(element.isVarArgs())

View on GitHub (pinned to eb14a895d8)

Solutions

1. Change the @GlideOption method to return BaseRequestOptions<?> (e.g. RequestOptions or GlideOptions).
2. Return the options object at the end of the method after applying your customization.
3. Update the method signature so the first parameter is the RequestOptions/BaseRequestOptions instance.
4. Rebuild; the processor will now generate the static helper.

Example fix

// before
@GlideOption
@GlideExtension
fun cache( options: RequestOptions) {
  options.diskCacheStrategy(DiskCacheStrategy.ALL)
}

// after
@GlideOption
@GlideExtension
fun cache(options: RequestOptions): RequestOptions {
  return options.diskCacheStrategy(DiskCacheStrategy.ALL)
}

// @GlideOption methods must return BaseRequestOptions<?>, not void.
@GlideOption
fun myOption(options: RequestOptions): RequestOptions {
  return options.diskCacheStrategy(DiskCacheStrategy.AUTOMATIC)
}

When it happens

Trigger: generateMethodsForRequestOptionsExtension() inspects element.getReturnType().getKind(); if it is TypeKind.VOID the legacy-format guard fires. This happens for any @GlideOption extension method declared with a void return.

Common situations: Porting a project or sample from an old Glide version (<=3.x or early 4.x previews) whose @GlideOption methods returned void; copy-pasting an outdated Glide extension example; following a stale tutorial.

Related errors

• Expected non-empty parameters for: {}
• Failed to find value for: {} from mirrors: {}
• Unresolved class type in annotation: {}
• Unrecognized static method name: {}
• RequestOptionsExtensions must be public, including: {}

AI-assisted analysis of bumptech/glide@eb14a895d8 (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/fbf5db4c57da450b. Report an issue: GitHub.