hibernate/hibernate-orm · error · IllegalArgumentException

Unrecognized path expression type '{}'

Error message

Unrecognized path expression type '{}'

What it means

Error "Unrecognized path expression type '{}'" thrown in hibernate/hibernate-orm.

Source

Thrown at hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/restriction/JakartaDataRestriction.java:429

		else {
			throw new IllegalArgumentException(
					"Unrecognized expression type '" + expression.getClass().getName() + "'" );
		}
	}

	/**
	 * Adapt the given {@linkplain jakarta.data.expression.NavigableExpression Jakarta Data path}
	 * to a {@linkplain jakarta.persistence.criteria.Path JPA criteria path}.
	 */
	private static jakarta.persistence.criteria.Path<?> path(NavigableExpression<?, ?> expression, Root<?> root) {
		if ( expression instanceof Attribute<?> attribute ) {
			return root.get( attribute.name() );
		}
		else if ( expression instanceof Path<?, ?> path ) {
			return path( path.expression(), root ).get( path.attribute().name() );
		}
		else {
			throw new IllegalArgumentException(
					"Unrecognized path expression type '" + expression.getClass().getName() + "'" );
		}
	}

	/**
	 * Adapt the given {@linkplain TextFunctionExpression Jakarta Data text function}
	 * to a {@linkplain Expression JPA criteria expression}.
	 */
	private static Expression<?> textFunction(
			TextFunctionExpression<?> function,
			Root<?> root,
			CriteriaBuilder builder) {
		final var arguments = function.arguments();
		return switch ( function.name() ) {
			case TextFunctionExpression.LOWER ->
					builder.lower( stringExpression( arguments.get( 0 ), root, builder ) );
			case TextFunctionExpression.UPPER ->
					builder.upper( stringExpression( arguments.get( 0 ), root, builder ) );

View on GitHub (pinned to fad1729dce)

Solutions

1. The path expression type is not recognized. Use a supported path expression in the restriction.

When it happens

Trigger: A runtime precondition of the Hibernate query API is violated: Unrecognized path expression type '<value>'

Common situations: Application code or configuration calls the query API in a way that violates its documented contract; the interpolated values in the message identify the offending input.

AI-assisted analysis of hibernate/hibernate-orm@fad1729dce (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3609b462828a1a10. Report an issue: GitHub.