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Mono switchIfEmpty() is always called

I have two methods.
Main method:
#PostMapping("/login")
public Mono<ResponseEntity<ApiResponseLogin>> loginUser(#RequestBody final LoginUser loginUser) {
return socialService.verifyAccount(loginUser)
.flatMap(socialAccountIsValid -> {
if (socialAccountIsValid) {
return this.userService.getUserByEmail(loginUser.getEmail())
.switchIfEmpty(insertUser(loginUser))
.flatMap(foundUser -> updateUser(loginUser, foundUser))
.map(savedUser -> {
String jwts = jwt.createJwts(savedUser.get_id(), savedUser.getFirstName(), "user");
return new ResponseEntity<>(HttpStatus.OK);
});
} else {
return Mono.just(new ResponseEntity<>(HttpStatus.UNAUTHORIZED));
}
});
}
And this invoked method (the service calls an external api):
public Mono<User> getUserByEmail(String email) {
UriComponentsBuilder builder = UriComponentsBuilder
.fromHttpUrl(USER_API_BASE_URI)
.queryParam("email", email);
return this.webClient.get()
.uri(builder.toUriString())
.exchange()
.flatMap(resp -> {
if (Integer.valueOf(404).equals(resp.statusCode().value())) {
return Mono.empty();
} else {
return resp.bodyToMono(User.class);
}
});
}
In the above example, switchIfEmpty() is always called from the main method, even when a result with Mono.empty() is returned.
I cannot find a solution for this simple problem.
The following also doesn't work:
Mono.just(null)
Because the method will throw a NullPointerException.
What I also can't use is the flatMap method to check that foundUser is null.
Sadly, flatMap doesn't get called at all in case I return Mono.empty(), so I cannot add a condition here either.
#SimY4
#PostMapping("/login")
public Mono<ResponseEntity<ApiResponseLogin>> loginUser(#RequestBody final LoginUser loginUser) {
userExists = false;
return socialService.verifyAccount(loginUser)
.flatMap(socialAccountIsValid -> {
if (socialAccountIsValid) {
return this.userService.getUserByEmail(loginUser.getEmail())
.flatMap(foundUser -> {
return updateUser(loginUser, foundUser);
})
.switchIfEmpty(Mono.defer(() -> insertUser(loginUser)))
.map(savedUser -> {
String jwts = jwt.createJwts(savedUser.get_id(), savedUser.getFirstName(), "user");
return new ResponseEntity<>(HttpStatus.OK);
});
} else {
return Mono.just(new ResponseEntity<>(HttpStatus.UNAUTHORIZED));
}
});
}

It's because switchIfEmpty accepts Mono "by value". Meaning that even before you subscribe to your mono, this alternative mono's evaluation is already triggered.
Imagine a method like this:
Mono<String> asyncAlternative() {
return Mono.fromFuture(CompletableFuture.supplyAsync(() -> {
System.out.println("Hi there");
return "Alternative";
}));
}
If you define your code like this:
Mono<String> result = Mono.just("Some payload").switchIfEmpty(asyncAlternative());
It'll always trigger alternative no matter what during stream construction. To address this you can defer evaluation of a second mono by using Mono.defer
Mono<String> result = Mono.just("Some payload")
.switchIfEmpty(Mono.defer(() -> asyncAlternative()));
This way it will only print "Hi there" when alternative is requested
UPD:
Elaborating a little on my answer. The problem you're facing is not related to Reactor but to Java language itself and how it resolves method parameters. Let's examine the code from the first example I provided.
Mono<String> result = Mono.just("Some payload").switchIfEmpty(asyncAlternative());
We can rewrite this into:
Mono<String> firstMono = Mono.just("Some payload");
Mono<String> alternativeMono = asyncAlternative();
Mono<String> result = firstMono.switchIfEmpty(alternativeMono);
These two code snippets are semantically equivalent. We can continue unwrapping them to see where the problem lies:
Mono<String> firstMono = Mono.just("Some payload");
CompletableFuture<String> alternativePromise = CompletableFuture.supplyAsync(() -> {
System.out.println("Hi there");
return "Alternative";
}); // future computation already tiggered
Mono<String> alternativeMono = Mono.fromFuture(alternativePromise);
Mono<String> result = firstMono.switchIfEmpty(alternativeMono);
As you can see future computation was already triggered at the point when we start composing our Mono types. To prevent unwanted computations we can wrap our future into a defered evaluation:
Mono<String> result = Mono.just("Some payload")
.switchIfEmpty(Mono.defer(() -> asyncAlternative()));
Which will unwrap into
Mono<String> firstMono = Mono.just("Some payload");
Mono<String> alternativeMono = Mono.defer(() -> Mono.fromFuture(CompletableFuture.supplyAsync(() -> {
System.out.println("Hi there");
return "Alternative";
}))); // future computation defered
Mono<String> result = firstMono.switchIfEmpty(alternativeMono);
In second example the future is trapped in a lazy supplier and is scheduled for execution only when it will be requested.
UPD: 2022:
Since some time project reactor comes with an alternative API for wrapping eagerly computed futures which results in the same - trapping eager computation in a lazy supplier:
Mono<String> result = Mono.just("Some payload")
.switchIfEmpty(Mono.fromCompletionStage(() -> alternativePromise()));

For those who, despite the well voted answer, do not still understand why such a behaviour:
Reactor sources (Mono.xxx & Flux.xxx) are either:
Lazily evaluated : the content of the source is evaluated/triggered only when a subscriber subscribes to it;
or eagerly evaluated : the content of the source is immediately evaluated even before the subscriber subscribes.
Expressions like Mono.just(xxx), Flux.just(xxx), Flux.fromIterable(x,y,z) are eager.
By using defer(), you force the source to be lazily evaluated. That's why the accepted answer works.
So doing this:
someMethodReturningAMono()
.switchIfEmpty(buildError());
with buildError() relying on an eager source to create an alternative Mono will ALWAYS be evaluated before the subscription:
Mono<String> buildError(){
return Mono.just("An error occured!"); //<-- evaluated as soon as read
}
To prevent that, do this:
someMethodReturningAMono()
.switchIfEmpty(Mono.defer(() -> buildError()));
Read this answer for more.

Mono.flatMap is not getting invoked

I am still new to Spring Webflux and flatMap on Mono doesn't seem to work.
I have the following function and call to kafkaPublisher.publishToTopic is not working. I inserted the print statement to test if it prints anything and it doesn't even execute the print statement. publishToTopic returns Mono<Void>.
private Mono<Void> test(Long gId, UUID pId) {
Mono<UUID> nId = pDao.findNId(pId);
Mono<List<String>> channels = nId.flatMapMany(pDao::findChannels).collectList();
return Mono.zip(nId, channels)
.flatMap(t -> {
System.out.println(t.getT1());
return kafkaPublisher.publishToTopic(gId, t.getT1().toString(), t.getT2());
});
}
It gets invoked if .block is called on flatMap as shown below.
private Mono<Void> test(Long gId, UUID pId) {
Mono<UUID> nId = pDao.findNId(pId);
Mono<List<String>> channels = nId.flatMapMany(pDao::findChannels).collectList();
Mono.zip(nId, channels)
.flatMap(t -> {
System.out.println(t.getT1());
return kafkaPublisher.publishToTopic(gId, t.getT1().toString(), t.getT2());
}).block();
return Mono.empty();
}

I found my mistake. I wasn't not using the result of test anywhere in the function where I was calling this test method. Here is the code I was using to call test
public Mono<Void> saveNew(NewPre pre) {
preDao.insert(pre)
.flatMap(p -> test(p.pId(), p.nId()));
return Mono.empty();
}
I changed it to following and it works.
public Mono<Void> saveNew(NewPre pre) {
return preDao.insert(preference)
.flatMap(p -> test(p.p(), p.n())
.then(Mono.empty()));
}

flatMap hangs indefinitely, Best way to close the Asynchronous operation by converting it into future object .
public Mono<Void> saveNew(NewPre pre) {
return preDao.insert(preference)
.flatMap({
p -> test(p.p(), p.n())
}).toFuture();
}

Asynchronous sequential calls based on condition checks in reactor

Here, I am trying to make asynchronous and non-blocking calls using reactor and for each request, I may have to call two services in sequence (in my case below, getAccountInfoFromAAA and getAccountInfoFromBBB).
Here is my ItemRequest object:
public class ItemRequest {
private Account account;
private Result firstServiceResult;
private Result secondServiceResult;
private PostingParameterCode postingParameterCode; //enum
//...
//...
//getters and setters
}
So, my request input will contain multiple itemRequests and for each itemRequest, I am doing asynchronous calls as:
public void getAccountData(List<ItemRequest> itemRequests) {
ImmutableList<ItemRequest> list = ImmutableList.copyOf(itemRequests);
Flux.fromIterable(list).flatMap(this::callBothSors).blockLast();
}
public Mono<ItemRequest> callBothSors(ItemRequest itemRequest) {
return getAccountDataService.getAccountDataFromAAAandBBB(itemRequest);
//here, it will enter into a sequential call for each itemRequest
}
This is my first service call interface:
public Mono<ItemRequest> getAccountDataFromAAA(ItemRequest itemRequest);
This is my second service call interface:
public Mono<ItemRequest> getAccountDataFromBBB(ItemRequest itemRequest);
This method will have upto two calls in sequence based on the condition:
public Mono<ItemRequest> getAccountDataFromAAAandBBB(ItemRequest itemRequest){
Mono<ItemRequest> firstCallResult = Mono.empty();
Mono<ItemRequest> secondCallResult = Mono.empty();
if(isFirstServiceCallRequired(itemRequest)){
firstCallResult = this.firstServiceCallImpl.getAccountDataFromAAA(itemRequest);
//basically, firstService call will update the accountKey information and
//will also set the result status to OK which is required to decide
//whether to make secondService call.
} else {
//Account key is already present, so just update the result status which I need later.
Result result = new Result();
result.setStatus(Result.Status.OK);
result.setMessageText("First call not required as account info is set for item request");
itemRequest.setFirstServiceResult(result);
}
//Now, before calling the second service, I need to check the following:
if(null!= itemRequest.getFirstServiceResult() &&
itemRequest.getFirstServiceResult().getStatus().equals(Result.Status.OK) &&
itemRequest.getPostingParameterCode().equals(PostingParameterCode.MOBILECREDIT)){
secondCallResult = this.secondServiceCallImpl.getAccountDataFromBBB(itemRequest);
}
return firstCallResult.then(secondCallResult); //attaching the
//firstCallResult and secondCallResult to produce a single Mono
}
This is working fine when firstCallResult is not required. But when the first call is required, this condition check will not pass since I won't have first call result object updated:
if(null != itemRequest.getFirstServiceResult() &&
itemRequest.getFirstServiceResult().getStatus().equals(Result.Status.OK) &&
itemRequest.getPostingParameterCode().equals(PostingParameterCode.MOBILECREDIT))) { ... }
//this condition check will not pass because first service call is not actually executing
Both cases works fine if I put the following statement:
if(isFirstServiceCallRequired(itemRequest)){
firstCallResult = this.firstServiceCallImpl.getAccountDataFromAAA(itemRequest);
firstCallResult.block(); //adding this case will work on both cases
}
But, I don't think I will get the reactors benefit this way.
I was thinking to have the logic like this:
Mono<ItemRequest> result = firstService.call(...)
.doOnNext(/*do something */)
.then( ... secondService.call())
But couldn't figure out the way to chain the secondService with firstService to get the mono result and have those condition checks too.
Condition check is important since I don't always want to execute the second service. Is there any way to chain the secondService with firstService to get the result and have those condition checks too?
Apologies for the long question. Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated.

After offering the bounty points to this question, I was really excited and expecting some answers.
But anyways, I am able to improve my initial solution and have those condition checks too.
I did the following:
I changed the return type from Mono<ItemRequest> to Mono<Void> in both service calls since I am basically updating the data to ItemRequest list:
Handling the parallel call here (each parallel call has a sequential call):
public void getAccountData(List<ItemRequest> itemRequests) {
ImmutableList<ItemRequest> list = ImmutableList.copyOf(itemRequests);
Flux.fromIterable(list).flatMap(this::callBothSors).blockLast();
}
public Mono<Void> callBothSors(ItemRequest itemRequest) {
return getAccountDataService.getAccountDataFromAAAandBBB(itemRequest);
//here, it will enter into a sequential call for each itemRequest
}
and these are my firstServiceCall and secondServiceCall interface changes:
public Mono<Void> getAccountDataFromAAA(ItemRequest itemRequest);
public Mono<Void> getAccountDataFromBBB(ItemRequest itemRequest);
and I chained the secondServiceCall with firstServiceCall to get the mono result and have those condition checks too as:
public Mono<Void> getAccountDataFromAAAandBBB(ItemRequest itemRequest){
Mono<Void> callSequence = Mono.empty();
if(isFirstServiceCallRequired(itemRequest)){
callSequence = this.firstServiceCallImpl.getAccountDataFromAAA(itemRequest);
} else {
//Account key is already present, so just update the result status which I need later.
Result result = new Result();
result.setStatus(Result.Status.OK);
result.setMessageText("First call not required as account info is set for item request");
itemRequest.setFirstServiceResult(result);
}
return callSequence.thenEmpty(Mono.defer(() -> {
//note: Mono.defer ==>> Create a Mono provider that will supply a target Mono to subscribe to
//for each subscriber downstream.
//only if the firstServiceCall result is successful & other condition check successful,
// I am calling secondServiceCall:
if(shouldCallSecondService(itemRequest)){
return this.secondServiceCallImpl.getAccountDataFromAAAandBBB(itemRequest);
} else {
return Mono.empty();
}
}))

Here are some news: A Reactor is not a silver bullet! :)
Whenever you need the response of a call to determine if you need to do something else, this will never be able to be fully parallelized. E.g. you could always do you last suggestion. However, this doesn't mean that using the Reactor doesn't give you any benefits!
Some of the benefits you get:
You are using Netty under the hood instead of Servlet, which helps to avoid locking on I/O operations. This can lead to better allocation of resources, making your system more resilient.
You can do other operations while waiting for a response. If you have things to do where the order doesn't matter, you can always put them there (e.g. auditing, logging etc).
I hope this answers your question :)

public Mono<ItemRequest> getAccountDataFromAAAandBBB(ItemRequest itemRequest) {
Mono<ItemRequest> firstCallResult = Mono.empty();
Mono<ItemRequest> secondCallResult = Mono.empty();
if (isFirstServiceCallRequired(itemRequest)) {
firstCallResult = this.firstServiceCallImpl.getAccountDataFromAAA(itemRequest);
//basically, firstService call will update the accountKey information and
//will also set the result status to OK which is required to decide
//whether to make secondService call.
} else {
/*Account key is already present, so just update the result status which I need
later.*/
firstCallResult = Mono.defer(() -> {
Result result = new Result();
result.setStatus(Result.Status.OK);
result.setMessageText("First call not required as account info is set for item request");
itemRequest.setFirstServiceResult(result);
return Mono.just(itemRequest);
});
}
return firstCallResult.flatMap(itReq -> {
//Now, before calling the second service, I need to check the following:
if (null != itemRequest.getFirstServiceResult() &&
itemRequest.getFirstServiceResult().getStatus().equals(Result.Status.OK) &&
itemRequest.getPostingParameterCode().equals(PostingParameterCode.MOBILECREDIT)) {
return secondCallResult = this.secondServiceCallImpl.getAccountDataFromBBB(itemRequest);
} else {
return itReq;
}
});
}
The next simple example can help you with flatMap understanding:
public static void main(String[] args) {
callExternalServiceA.flatMap(response -> {
if(response.equals("200")){
return Mono.just(response);
} else {
return callExtertnalServiceB();
}
}).block();
}
public static Mono<String> callExtertnalServiceA() {
return Mono.defer(() -> {
System.out.println("Call external service A");
return Mono.just("400");
});
}
public static Mono<String> callExtertnalServiceB() {
return Mono.defer(() -> {
System.out.println("Call external service B");
return Mono.just("200");
});
}

Concat and return Observable

I'm trying to figure out how to get a result from the network, persist it and return the reponse body to the Observable.
Like this:
#Override
public Observable<DefaultUserResponse> createUser(CreateUserCommand command) {
return this.userService.createUser(command)
.map(defaultUserResponse -> {
User user = new User();
defaultUserResponse.setUser(user);
return defaultUserResponse;
}).flatMap(defaultUserResponse -> persist(defaultUserResponse.getUser()));
}
Observable<User> persist(User user) {return null;}
Steps:
I get a DefaultUserResponse from the server.
Transform the command to a User (command = DTO)
Persist the user locally.
Return the DefaultUserResponse.
How should I proceed ?
Thanks

Consider using Completable type for your persist method (if you don't care about the returned value(s)):
Completable persist(User user) {
return Completable.fromCallable(() -> {
//persisting
return null;
}
}
Then you could use andThen operator to wait until persisting completes and push your value further:
...
.flatMap(defaultUserResponse -> persist(defaultUserResponse.getUser()).andThen(Observable.just(defaultUserResponse)));
Or if you still want to use Observable for persisting, just use another flatMap instead of andThen.

Java - Break execution sequence using CompletableFuture chain

I am new to Java and am using CompletableFutures to perform async operations such as below:
public CompletionStage<Either<ErrorResponse, Response>> insertOrUpdate(String actor, String key) {
return this.objectDAO.getByKey(key)
.thenApply(mapDOToContainer(key))
.thenApply(mergeContainerToDO(key, actor))
.thenComposeAsync(this.objectDAO.UpdateFn())
.thenApply(DBResult::finished)
.thenApply(finished -> {
if (finished) {
Response response = Response.ok().build();
return Either.right(response);
} else {
return Either.left(ErrorResponse.create("Error", 400));
}
});
}
Now I need to modify this so that if the get fails then I perform the above chain, but if it succeeds then I need to break this chain and return from the function with an Either object containing an ErrorResponse.
How can I break this processing chain? I know I can pass a flag to each function in the chain and achieve this by performing the actions in the functions based on the value of the flag. I was hoping there is a better way to do this.
Thanks!!

I would rewrite your code.
Don't use Either for errors, Java has exception
Don't return a CompletionStage from your DAO
Use exceptionally from CompletableFuture, it is designed for this
Then do this:
public CompletionStage<Response> insertOrUpdate(String actor, String key) {
return CompletableFuture.supplyAsync(() -> this.objectDAO.getByKey(key))
.thenApply(mapDOToContainer(key))
.thenApply(mergeContainerToDO(key, actor))
.thenComposeAsync(this.objectDAO.UpdateFn())
.thenApply(DBResult::finished)
.thenApply(finished -> {
Response response = Response.ok().build();
return response;
})
.exceptionally(e -> ErrorResponse.create("Error", 400));
}
The DAO should be something like this:
class ObjectDAO {
public Object getByKey(String key) {
if (keyNotFound) {
throw new NoSuchElementException();
}
return new Object();
}
}
You may have to make sure that ErrorResponse is a subclass of Response to make this work.