Spring boot versions post 2.4.2 having conflicts with zerocode and not working

Spring boot versions post 2.4.2 is not compatible with zerocode. I always get a null pointer exception. For eg I used version 2.7.6 and it resulted in the following error trace. If i switch the repo to lower version of spring it is working. Not clear fromt he error why it is failing. Is it due to mismatched jackson dependencies between spring and zerocode?

I tried to use 1.3.27 and also 1.3.33. Iam facing the same issue

13:29:28,789 |-INFO in ch.qos.logback.classic.joran.action.RootLoggerAction - Setting level of ROOT logger to INFO
13:29:28,789 |-INFO in ch.qos.logback.core.joran.action.AppenderRefAction - Attaching appender named [fileAppender] to Logger[ROOT]
13:29:28,789 |-INFO in ch.qos.logback.core.joran.action.AppenderRefAction - Attaching appender named [consoleAppender] to Logger[ROOT]
13:29:28,789 |-INFO in ch.qos.logback.classic.joran.action.ConfigurationAction - End of configuration.
13:29:28,790 |-INFO in ch.qos.logback.classic.joran.JoranConfigurator@4c178a76 - Registering current configuration as safe fallback point

2023-05-24 13:29:28,819 [main] INFO org.jsmart.zerocode.core.utils.RunnerUtils - ### testClass : class helloworld.JustHelloWorldTest
WARNING: An illegal reflective access operation has occurred
WARNING: Illegal reflective access by com.google.inject.internal.cglib.core.$ReflectUtils$2 (file:/C:/dev/devtools/cache/m2_repository/com/google/inject/guice/4.0/guice-4.0.jar) to method java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(java.lang.String,byte[],int,int,java.security.ProtectionDomain)
WARNING: Please consider reporting this to the maintainers of com.google.inject.internal.cglib.core.$ReflectUtils$2
WARNING: Use --illegal-access=warn to enable warnings of further illegal reflective access operations
WARNING: All illegal access operations will be denied in a future release
2023-05-24 13:29:29,363 [main] INFO org.jsmart.zerocode.core.utils.RunnerUtils - ### testClass : class helloworld.JustHelloWorldTest
2023-05-24 13:29:29,464 [main] INFO org.jsmart.zerocode.core.utils.RunnerUtils - ### testClass : class helloworld.JustHelloWorldTest
2023-05-24 13:29:29,486 [main] INFO org.jsmart.zerocode.core.runner.ZeroCodeUnitRunner - System property zerocode.junit=null
com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.ValueInstantiationException: Cannot construct instance of `org.jsmart.zerocode.core.domain.Step`, problem: `java.lang.NullPointerException`
at [Source: (String)"{
"scenarioName": "GIVEN- the GitHub REST end point, WHEN- I invoke GET, THEN- I will receive the 200 status with body",
"steps": [
{
"name": "get_user_details",
"url": "/users/octocat",
"method": "GET",
"request": {
},
"verify": {
"status": 200,
"body": {
"login" : "octocat",
"id" : 583231,
"type" : "User"
"[truncated 41 chars]; line: 18, column: 9] (through reference chain: org.jsmart.zerocode.core.domain.ScenarioSpec["steps"]->java.util.ArrayList[0])
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.ValueInstantiationException.from(ValueInstantiationException.java:47)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DeserializationContext.instantiationException(DeserializationContext.java:2047)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.StdValueInstantiator.wrapAsJsonMappingException(StdValueInstantiator.java:587)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.StdValueInstantiator.rewrapCtorProblem(StdValueInstantiator.java:610)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.StdValueInstantiator.createFromObjectWith(StdValueInstantiator.java:293)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.ValueInstantiator.createFromObjectWith(ValueInstantiator.java:288)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.impl.PropertyBasedCreator.build(PropertyBasedCreator.java:202)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer._deserializeUsingPropertyBased(BeanDeserializer.java:519)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerBase.deserializeFromObjectUsingNonDefault(BeanDeserializerBase.java:1405)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer.deserializeFromObject(BeanDeserializer.java:352)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer.deserialize(BeanDeserializer.java:185)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.CollectionDeserializer._deserializeFromArray(CollectionDeserializer.java:355)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.CollectionDeserializer.deserialize(CollectionDeserializer.java:244)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.CollectionDeserializer.deserialize(CollectionDeserializer.java:28)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.SettableBeanProperty.deserialize(SettableBeanProperty.java:542)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer._deserializeWithErrorWrapping(BeanDeserializer.java:564)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer._deserializeUsingPropertyBased(BeanDeserializer.java:439)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerBase.deserializeFromObjectUsingNonDefault(BeanDeserializerBase.java:1405)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer.deserializeFromObject(BeanDeserializer.java:352)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer.deserialize(BeanDeserializer.java:185)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DefaultDeserializationContext.readRootValue(DefaultDeserializationContext.java:323)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper._readMapAndClose(ObjectMapper.java:4674)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper.readValue(ObjectMapper.java:3629)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper.readValue(ObjectMapper.java:3597)
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.utils.SmartUtils.scenarioFileToJava(SmartUtils.java:132)
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.runner.ZeroCodeUnitRunner.runLeafJsonTest(ZeroCodeUnitRunner.java:219)
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.runner.ZeroCodeUnitRunner.runChild(ZeroCodeUnitRunner.java:127)
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.runner.ZeroCodeUnitRunner.runChild(ZeroCodeUnitRunner.java:51)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$4.run(ParentRunner.java:331)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:79)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:329)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$100(ParentRunner.java:66)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:293)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:306)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:413)
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.runner.ZeroCodeUnitRunner.run(ZeroCodeUnitRunner.java:107)
at org.junit.runner.JUnitCore.run(JUnitCore.java:137)
at com.intellij.junit4.JUnit4IdeaTestRunner.startRunnerWithArgs(JUnit4IdeaTestRunner.java:69)
at com.intellij.rt.junit.IdeaTestRunner$Repeater$1.execute(IdeaTestRunner.java:38)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.junit.TestsRepeater.repeat(TestsRepeater.java:11)
at com.intellij.rt.junit.IdeaTestRunner$Repeater.startRunnerWithArgs(IdeaTestRunner.java:35)
at com.intellij.rt.junit.JUnitStarter.prepareStreamsAndStart(JUnitStarter.java:235)
at com.intellij.rt.junit.JUnitStarter.main(JUnitStarter.java:54)
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.domain.Step.(Step.java:154)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance0(Native Method)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.java:62)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.java:45)
at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Constructor.newInstance(Constructor.java:490)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.introspect.AnnotatedConstructor.call(AnnotatedConstructor.java:128)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.StdValueInstantiator.createFromObjectWith(StdValueInstantiator.java:291)
... 38 more

com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.ValueInstantiationException: Cannot construct instance of `org.jsmart.zerocode.core.domain.Step`, problem: `java.lang.NullPointerException`
at [Source: (String)"{
"scenarioName": "GIVEN- the GitHub REST end point, WHEN- I invoke GET, THEN- I will receive the 200 status with body",
"steps": [
{
"name": "get_user_details",
"url": "/users/octocat",
"method": "GET",
"request": {
},
"verify": {
"status": 200,
"body": {
"login" : "octocat",
"id" : 583231,
"type" : "User"
"[truncated 41 chars]; line: 18, column: 9] (through reference chain: org.jsmart.zerocode.core.domain.ScenarioSpec["steps"]->java.util.ArrayList[0])

at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.ValueInstantiationException.from(ValueInstantiationException.java:47)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DeserializationContext.instantiationException(DeserializationContext.java:2047)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.StdValueInstantiator.wrapAsJsonMappingException(StdValueInstantiator.java:587)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.StdValueInstantiator.rewrapCtorProblem(StdValueInstantiator.java:610)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.StdValueInstantiator.createFromObjectWith(StdValueInstantiator.java:293)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.ValueInstantiator.createFromObjectWith(ValueInstantiator.java:288)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.impl.PropertyBasedCreator.build(PropertyBasedCreator.java:202)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer._deserializeUsingPropertyBased(BeanDeserializer.java:519)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerBase.deserializeFromObjectUsingNonDefault(BeanDeserializerBase.java:1405)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer.deserializeFromObject(BeanDeserializer.java:352)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer.deserialize(BeanDeserializer.java:185)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.CollectionDeserializer._deserializeFromArray(CollectionDeserializer.java:355)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.CollectionDeserializer.deserialize(CollectionDeserializer.java:244)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.CollectionDeserializer.deserialize(CollectionDeserializer.java:28)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.SettableBeanProperty.deserialize(SettableBeanProperty.java:542)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer._deserializeWithErrorWrapping(BeanDeserializer.java:564)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer._deserializeUsingPropertyBased(BeanDeserializer.java:439)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializerBase.deserializeFromObjectUsingNonDefault(BeanDeserializerBase.java:1405)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer.deserializeFromObject(BeanDeserializer.java:352)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.BeanDeserializer.deserialize(BeanDeserializer.java:185)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.DefaultDeserializationContext.readRootValue(DefaultDeserializationContext.java:323)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper._readMapAndClose(ObjectMapper.java:4674)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper.readValue(ObjectMapper.java:3629)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper.readValue(ObjectMapper.java:3597)
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.utils.SmartUtils.scenarioFileToJava(SmartUtils.java:132)
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.runner.ZeroCodeUnitRunner.runLeafJsonTest(ZeroCodeUnitRunner.java:219)
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.runner.ZeroCodeUnitRunner.runChild(ZeroCodeUnitRunner.java:127)
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.runner.ZeroCodeUnitRunner.runChild(ZeroCodeUnitRunner.java:51)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$4.run(ParentRunner.java:331)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:79)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:329)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$100(ParentRunner.java:66)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:293)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:306)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:413)
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.runner.ZeroCodeUnitRunner.run(ZeroCodeUnitRunner.java:107)
at org.junit.runner.JUnitCore.run(JUnitCore.java:137)
at com.intellij.junit4.JUnit4IdeaTestRunner.startRunnerWithArgs(JUnit4IdeaTestRunner.java:69)
at com.intellij.rt.junit.IdeaTestRunner$Repeater$1.execute(IdeaTestRunner.java:38)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.junit.TestsRepeater.repeat(TestsRepeater.java:11)
at com.intellij.rt.junit.IdeaTestRunner$Repeater.startRunnerWithArgs(IdeaTestRunner.java:35)
at com.intellij.rt.junit.JUnitStarter.prepareStreamsAndStart(JUnitStarter.java:235)
at com.intellij.rt.junit.JUnitStarter.main(JUnitStarter.java:54)
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.domain.Step.(Step.java:154)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance0(Native Method)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.java:62)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.java:45)
at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Constructor.newInstance(Constructor.java:490)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.introspect.AnnotatedConstructor.call(AnnotatedConstructor.java:128)
at com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.StdValueInstantiator.createFromObjectWith(StdValueInstantiator.java:291)
... 38 more

2023-05-24 13:29:29,599 [main] INFO org.jsmart.zerocode.core.engine.listener.ZeroCodeTestReportListener - #ZeroCode: Test run completed for this runner. Generating test reports and charts.
* For more examples and help on automated Kafka data stream testing and Load testing visit https://zerocode.io
2023-05-24 13:29:29,677 [main] INFO org.jsmart.zerocode.core.domain.builders.ExtentReportsFactory - Where were the tests fired? Ans: OS:Windows 10, Architecture:amd64, Java:11.0.2, Vendor:Oracle Corporation

Process finished with exit code -1

Reproduce the failure with Spring Boot 2.7.6 and compare it with the working version below 2.4.2. Start at org.jsmart.zerocode.core.domain.Step, especially Step.java line 154, then trace scenario deserialization through SmartUtils.scenarioFileToJava at line 132. Done means the example scenario constructs successfully on supported Spring Boot versions without the null pointer exception.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.