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refactor: make @SimpleBuilder a built-in template annotation (#246) - #256

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AndreasIgel merged 12 commits into
java-helpers:mainfrom
AndreasIgel:devin/fix-issue-246-simplebuilder-template
Aug 16, 2026
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refactor: make @SimpleBuilder a built-in template annotation (#246)#256
AndreasIgel merged 12 commits into
java-helpers:mainfrom
AndreasIgel:devin/fix-issue-246-simplebuilder-template

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Summary

Make @SimpleBuilder a built-in template annotation and drive all builder-triggering annotation discovery through a single path.

Before, BuilderProcessor had two discovery branches: one for @SimpleBuilder and one for annotations meta-annotated with @SimpleBuilder.Template. BuilderConfigurationReader then duplicated this split by reading inline @SimpleBuilder.Options and template options separately. This change unifies both:

  • @SimpleBuilder is now meta-annotated with @SimpleBuilder.Template.
  • BuilderProcessor no longer special-cases @SimpleBuilder; extractingAnnotationsWithTemplate discovers any annotation meta-annotated with @SimpleBuilder.Template.
  • BuilderConfigurationReader resolves configuration per inheritance scope: it extracts the effective configuration from any template annotation, with @SimpleBuilder taking precedence over other templates in the same scope, and direct annotations overriding inherited ones.

@SimpleBuilder.Template.options now defaults to an empty @Options(), so custom templates can omit explicit options and still pick up built-in defaults.

Verification

mvn -pl core,processor,example test -am passes: Processor 342 tests pass

AndreasIgel and others added 12 commits August 15, 2026 10:57
The class-level Javadoc and docs/CONFIGURATION.md implied that
@SimpleBuilder is inherited by subclasses, but the annotation was not
meta-annotated with @inherited. As a result BuilderProcessor, which
collects types via RoundEnvironment.getElementsAnnotatedWith(...),
only produced builders for the exact type carrying @SimpleBuilder and
not for unannotated subclasses.

Add @inherited to @SimpleBuilder so subclasses are treated as if they
also carried the annotation, mirroring the existing behaviour of
@SimpleBuilder.Template (which is already @inherited). Update the
Javadoc to document the inheritance explicitly and clarify the
CONFIGURATION.md wording. @Ignore4BuilderGeneration still suppresses
generation for the exact type it is placed on, so opt-outs continue
to work as before.

Add SimpleBuilderInheritanceTest covering direct inheritance, the
opt-out interaction, and multi-level (grandchild) inheritance.

Closes java-helpers#244

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Co-Authored-By: Devin <158243242+devin-ai-integration[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
…ance

Rename SimpleBuilderInheritanceTest to BuilderAnnotationInheritanceTest
so the name reflects that it covers both builder-triggering annotations.
Add unannotatedSubclassGetsBuilderFromInheritedTemplate, which verifies
that a custom @inherited template annotation (meta-annotated with
@SimpleBuilder.Template) propagates to unannotated subclasses, matching
the existing behaviour of @SimpleBuilder itself.

Generated with [Devin](https://devin.ai)

Co-Authored-By: Devin <158243242+devin-ai-integration[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
The Template Javadoc and CONFIGURATION.md "Template Annotations" section
did not explain that @SimpleBuilder.Template is @inherited, nor that a
custom template annotation must additionally declare @inherited to
propagate to unannotated subclasses. Add explicit documentation and an
example showing the @inherited custom annotation pattern.

Also move assertNoBuilderGenerated to ProcessorAsserts so it is shared
by BuilderAnnotationInheritanceTest and Ignore4BuilderGenerationTest
instead of being duplicated as a private helper in each test class.

Generated with [Devin](https://devin.ai)

Co-Authored-By: Devin <158243242+devin-ai-integration[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
While @SimpleBuilder and @inherited template annotations now correctly
trigger builder generation for unannotated subclasses, the configuration
options declared on the parent's @SimpleBuilder(options = ...) or template
are not yet applied to inherited subclass builders — they use default
options instead. This is tracked separately in issue java-helpers#245.

Add caveats to the SimpleBuilder Javadoc, the CONFIGURATION.md Template
Annotations section, and the Template Annotations Not Working
troubleshooting section so users are not surprised by this limitation.

Generated with [Devin](https://devin.ai)

Co-Authored-By: Devin <158243242+devin-ai-integration[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Generated with [Devin](https://devin.ai)

Co-Authored-By: Devin <158243242+devin-ai-integration[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Add explicit guidance that @SimpleBuilder.Template is a meta-annotation
for custom annotation declarations (@interface) only and cannot be
placed directly on a class or record. @SimpleBuilder is for direct
one-off annotation of classes/records.

- SimpleBuilder.java: add 'When to use' section to class-level Javadoc
- SimpleBuilder.Template Javadoc: state it can only be placed on
  annotation types (ANNOTATION_TYPE), not on classes/records
- CONFIGURATION.md 'Template Annotations': add comparison table and
  introductory paragraph
- CONFIGURATION.md troubleshooting: add item about @SimpleBuilder.Template
  not being a class annotation

Generated with [Devin](https://devin.ai)

Co-Authored-By: Devin <158243242+devin-ai-integration[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
…Javadoc

Generated with [Devin](https://devin.ai)

Co-Authored-By: Devin <158243242+devin-ai-integration[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
…arget

The compiler and IDE already enforce @target(ANNOTATION_TYPE) and show
a clear error when @SimpleBuilder.Template is placed on a class/record,
so this troubleshooting item adds no value.

Generated with [Devin](https://devin.ai)

Co-Authored-By: Devin <158243242+devin-ai-integration[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
…lpers#246)

Co-Authored-By: Andreas Igel <andreas.igel@computacenter.com>
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codecov Bot commented Aug 16, 2026

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Codecov Report

✅ All modified and coverable lines are covered by tests.
✅ All tests successful. No failed tests found.

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@AndreasIgel
AndreasIgel merged commit 6ab9ff7 into java-helpers:main Aug 16, 2026
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