getappmap / getappmap/appmap-java

Labeled methods should always be recorded, even if they match trivial-method filters

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#323 0 comments 1 reaction 2 assignees View on GitHub

@kgilpin is already working on this.

Since Apr 1, 2026.

  • #324 by @copilot-swe-agent — open
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Description

Summary

Methods annotated with @Labels(...) from appmap-annotation are not recorded when the agent considers them "trivial" (e.g. simple getter/setter patterns like getFirstName() that just return a field). The agent's trivial-method filter takes precedence over the explicit label annotation.

Expected behavior

If a developer explicitly labels a method with @Labels(...), that method should always be recorded in the AppMap trace, regardless of whether it would otherwise be filtered out as trivial. The label annotation is a deliberate opt-in signal that the method is meaningful for analysis.

Observed behavior

Given a class like:

@Labels("secret")
public String getFirstName() {
    return this.firstName;
}

The method does not appear in the recorded AppMap events or classMap. In contrast, a method with identical logic but a non-getter name is recorded:

@Labels("secret")
public String firstName() {
    return this.firstName;
}

This was confirmed by comparing the recorded events across multiple test runs. Methods like getPet (which has a loop and conditional logic) are recorded normally — the filter appears to target methods based on complexity/pattern, not just the get prefix.

Workaround

Wrap the getter in a non-getter-named method and label that instead:

@Labels("secret")
public String firstName() {
    return this.firstName;
}

public String getFirstName() {
    return firstName();
}

This works but is awkward — it forces users to create redundant wrapper methods just to satisfy the agent's filter.

Environment

  • appmap-agent 1.30.0
  • appmap-annotation 1.28.0
  • Java 23 (OpenJDK)
  • Spring Boot 2.4.5

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