Unable to Produce JSON - javax.ws.rs.WebApplicationException: com.sun.jersey.api.MessageException

[James Dekker]

Am using Jersey 1.15, JDK 1.6, Tomcat 7, Maven 2.2.1 to create a simple Restful Web Service that should return a JSON String from a POJO that I mapped.

Here's my POJO:

package com.myservice.domain;

import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlRootElement;

@XmlRootElement
public class Person {

   private String firstName;
   private String lastName;

   // Getters & Setters
}

my webservice:

package com.myservice.resource;

import javax.ws.rs.GET;
import javax.ws.rs.Path;
import javax.ws.rs.PathParam;
import javax.ws.rs.Produces;
import javax.ws.rs.core.MediaType;
import javax.ws.rs.core.Response;

import com.myservice.domain.Person;
 
@Path("/service")
public class MyService {

     @GET
     @Path("showPerson")
     @Produces(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
     public Person getPerson() {
         Person person = new Person();
         person.setFirstName("John");
         person.setLastName("Doe");
         return person;
     }
}

Here's my pom.xml:

<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
	xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
	<modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
	<groupId>com.myservice</groupId>
	<artifactId>myservice</artifactId>
	<version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
	<packaging>war</packaging>
	<name>My Web Service</name>

	<dependencies>
		<dependency>
			<groupId>junit</groupId>
			<artifactId>junit</artifactId>
			<version>4.8.2</version>
			<scope>test</scope>
		</dependency>

		<dependency>
			<groupId>com.sun.jersey</groupId>
			<artifactId>jersey-servlet</artifactId>
			<version>1.15</version>
			<scope>runtime</scope>
		</dependency>

		<dependency>
			<groupId>com.sun.jersey</groupId>
			<artifactId>jersey-server</artifactId>
			<version>1.15</version>
		</dependency>

		<dependency>
			<groupId>com.sun.jersey</groupId>
			<artifactId>jersey-core</artifactId>
			<version>1.15</version>
		</dependency>

		<dependency>
			<groupId>com.sun.jersey</groupId>
			<artifactId>jersey-json</artifactId>
			<version>1.14</version>
		</dependency>

		<dependency>
			<groupId>com.sun.jersey.contribs</groupId>
			<artifactId>jersey-multipart</artifactId>
			<version>1.14</version>
		</dependency>

		<dependency>
			<groupId>org.codehaus.jackson</groupId>
			<artifactId>jackson-jaxrs</artifactId>
			<version>1.9.9</version>
		</dependency>

	</dependencies>

	<build>
		<finalName>myservice</finalName>
		<plugins>
			<plugin>
				<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
				<configuration>
					<source>1.6</source>
					<target>1.6</target>
				</configuration>
			</plugin>

		</plugins>
	</build>
</project>

My web.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<web-app xmlns="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee"
  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
  xsi:schemaLocation="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee
                      http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee/web-app_3_0.xsd"
  version="3.0"
  metadata-complete="true">
	<display-name>MDS Web Service</display-name>
	<servlet>
		<servlet-name>Jersey REST Service</servlet-name>
		<servlet-class>com.sun.jersey.spi.container.servlet.ServletContainer</servlet-class>
		<init-param>
			<param-name>com.sun.jersey.config.property.packages</param-name>
			<param-value>com.myservice.resource</param-value>
		</init-param>
		<init-param>
			<param-name>com.sun.jersey.api.json.POJOMappingFeature</param-name>
			<param-value>true</param-value>
		</init-param>
		<load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
	</servlet>
	<servlet-mapping>
		<servlet-name>Jersey REST Service</servlet-name>
		<url-pattern>/rest/*</url-pattern>
	</servlet-mapping>
</web-app>

After deploying to tomcat, when I try to invoke the web service like this:

curl -X GET http://localhost:8080/myservice/rest/service/showPerson

I get the following error:

Nov 20, 2012 10:40:06 AM com.sun.jersey.spi.container.ContainerResponse write
SEVERE: A message body writer for Java class com.myservice.domain.Person, and Java type class com.myservice.domain.Person, and MIME media type application/json was not found
Nov 20, 2012 10:40:06 AM com.sun.jersey.spi.container.ContainerResponse write
SEVERE: A message body writer for Java class com.myservice.domain.Person, and Java type class com.myservice.domain.Person, and MIME media type application/json was not found
Nov 20, 2012 10:40:06 AM com.sun.jersey.spi.container.ContainerResponse write
SEVERE: The registered message body writers compatible with the MIME media type are:
*/* ->
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.FormProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.StringProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.ByteArrayProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.FileProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.InputStreamProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.DataSourceProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.XMLJAXBElementProvider$General
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.ReaderProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.DocumentProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.StreamingOutputProviderfg
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.SourceProvider$SourceWriter
  com.sun.jersey.server.impl.template.ViewableMessageBodyWriter
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.XMLRootElementProvider$General
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.XMLListElementProvider$General

Nov 20, 2012 10:40:06 AM com.sun.jersey.spi.container.ContainerResponse write
SEVERE: The registered message body writers compatible with the MIME media type are:
*/* ->
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.FormProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.StringProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.ByteArrayProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.FileProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.InputStreamProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.DataSourceProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.XMLJAXBElementProvider$General
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.ReaderProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.DocumentProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.StreamingOutputProvider
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.SourceProvider$SourceWriter
  com.sun.jersey.server.impl.template.ViewableMessageBodyWriter
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.XMLRootElementProvider$General
  com.sun.jersey.core.impl.provider.entity.XMLListElementProvider$General

Nov 20, 2012 10:40:06 AM com.sun.jersey.spi.container.ContainerResponse logException
SEVERE: Mapped exception to response: 500 (Internal Server Error)
javax.ws.rs.WebApplicationException: com.sun.jersey.api.MessageException: A message body writer for Java class com.myservice.domain.Person, 
and Java type class com.myservice.domain.Person, and MIME media type application/json was not found
	at com.sun.jersey.spi.container.ContainerResponse.write(ContainerResponse.java:285)
	at com.sun.jersey.server.impl.application.WebApplicationImpl._handleRequest(WebApplicationImpl.java:1448)
	at com.sun.jersey.server.impl.application.WebApplicationImpl.handleRequest(WebApplicationImpl.java:1360)
	at com.sun.jersey.server.impl.application.WebApplicationImpl.handleRequest(WebApplicationImpl.java:1350)
	at com.sun.jersey.spi.container.servlet.WebComponent.service(WebComponent.java:416)
	at com.sun.jersey.spi.container.servlet.ServletContainer.service(ServletContainer.java:538)
	at com.sun.jersey.spi.container.servlet.ServletContainer.service(ServletContainer.java:716)
	at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:722)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:305)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:222)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:123)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:168)
	at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:99)
	at org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:929)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:118)
	at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:407)
	at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1002)
	at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:585)
	at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:310)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.runTask(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:886)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:908)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:662)
Caused by: com.sun.jersey.api.MessageException: A message body writer for Java class com.myservice.domain.Person, and Java type class com.myservice.domain.Person, and MIME media type application/json was not found
	... 23 more
Nov 20, 2012 10:40:06 AM com.sun.jersey.spi.container.ContainerResponse logException
SEVERE: Mapped exception to response: 500 (Internal Server Error)
javax.ws.rs.WebApplicationException: com.sun.jersey.api.MessageException: A message body writer for Java class com.myservice.domain.Person, and Java type class com.myservice.domain.Person, and MIME media type application/json was not found
	at com.sun.jersey.spi.container.ContainerResponse.write(ContainerResponse.java:285)
	at com.sun.jersey.server.impl.application.WebApplicationImpl._handleRequest(WebApplicationImpl.java:1448)
	at com.sun.jersey.server.impl.application.WebApplicationImpl.handleRequest(WebApplicationImpl.java:1360)
	at com.sun.jersey.server.impl.application.WebApplicationImpl.handleRequest(WebApplicationImpl.java:1350)
	at com.sun.jersey.spi.container.servlet.WebComponent.service(WebComponent.java:416)
	at com.sun.jersey.spi.container.servlet.ServletContainer.service(ServletContainer.java:538)
	at com.sun.jersey.spi.container.servlet.ServletContainer.service(ServletContainer.java:716)
	at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:722)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:305)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:222)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:123)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:168)
	at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:99)
	at org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:929)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:118)
	at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:407)
	at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1002)
	at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:585)
	at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:310)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.runTask(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:886)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:908)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:662)
Caused by: com.sun.jersey.api.MessageException: A message body writer for Java class com.myservice.domain.Person, and Java type class com.myservice.domain.Person, and MIME media type application/json was not found
	... 23 more
<html><head><title>Apache Tomcat/7.0.32 - Error report</title><style>

HTTP Status 500 - Internal Server Error The server encountered an internal error that prevented it from fulfilling this request.

After scouring the Internet, I tried inserting the following proposed solution that everyone suggested into web.xml:

<init-param>
	<param-name>com.sun.jersey.api.json.POJOMappingFeature</param-name>
	<param-value>true</param-value>
</init-param>

But it still gives me the same issue! It does return the correct data marshalled to XML if I use APPLICATION_XML, however.

Would really appreciate it if someone could point me in the right direction.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this.

[James Dekker]

Was able to getting it working by adding this to the pom.xml:

<dependency>
      <groupId>com.owlike</groupId>
      <artifactId>genson</artifactId>
      <version>0.93</version>
</dependency>

This seems more like a hack (because I have yet to use this library)... It would be interesting if someone would replicate my steps (without this solution) and try to figure out why it fixed Jersey's JSON to object binding...