mybatis/mybatis-3 · error · BuilderException

Please specify either 'value' or 'type' attribute of @{annot

Error message

Please specify either 'value' or 'type' attribute of @{annotationSimpleName} at the '{mapperMethod}'.

What it means

Error "Please specify either 'value' or 'type' attribute of @{annotationSimpleName} at the '{mapperMethod}'." thrown in mybatis/mybatis-3.

Source

Thrown at src/main/java/org/apache/ibatis/builder/annotation/ProviderSqlSource.java:261

  private String invokeProviderMethod(Object... args) throws Exception {
    Object targetObject = null;
    if (!Modifier.isStatic(providerMethod.getModifiers())) {
      targetObject = providerType.getDeclaredConstructor().newInstance();
    }
    CharSequence sql = (CharSequence) providerMethod.invoke(targetObject, args);
    return sql != null ? sql.toString() : null;
  }

  private Class<?> getProviderType(Configuration configuration, Annotation providerAnnotation, Method mapperMethod)
      throws NoSuchMethodException, InvocationTargetException, IllegalAccessException {
    Class<?> type = (Class<?>) providerAnnotation.annotationType().getMethod("type").invoke(providerAnnotation);
    Class<?> value = (Class<?>) providerAnnotation.annotationType().getMethod("value").invoke(providerAnnotation);
    if (value == void.class && type == void.class) {
      if (configuration.getDefaultSqlProviderType() != null) {
        return configuration.getDefaultSqlProviderType();
      }
      throw new BuilderException("Please specify either 'value' or 'type' attribute of @"
          + providerAnnotation.annotationType().getSimpleName() + " at the '" + mapperMethod.toString() + "'.");
    }
    if (value != void.class && type != void.class && value != type) {
      throw new BuilderException("Cannot specify different class on 'value' and 'type' attribute of @"
          + providerAnnotation.annotationType().getSimpleName() + " at the '" + mapperMethod.toString() + "'.");
    }
    return value == void.class ? type : value;
  }

}

View on GitHub (pinned to 008069adb1)

Solutions

1. Set either the value or the type attribute on the provider annotation to point at the SqlProvider class.
2. Example: @SelectProvider(type = MyProvider.class, method = "provideSql").

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at src/main/java/org/apache/ibatis/builder/annotation/ProviderSqlSource.java:261 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of mybatis/mybatis-3@008069adb1 (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e318abe75beabdd2. Report an issue: GitHub.