getappmap / getappmap/appmap-java
Labeled methods should always be recorded, even if they match trivial-method filters
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- Java
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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-agent1.30.0appmap-annotation1.28.0- Java 23 (OpenJDK)
- Spring Boot 2.4.5
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Assessment
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