HTTP Status 500 - ... IllegalArgumentException: Unknown return value type when I use ResponseStatus annotation and return value in spring controller

Question

I have wrote following controller method:

    @RequestMapping(value = "/member/createCompany/uploadImage1", method = RequestMethod.GET)
    @ResponseStatus(HttpStatus.OK)
    public Long handle() {
        return 1l;
    }

When I request this method in browser I see following:

HTTP Status 500 - Request processing failed; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Unknown return value type [java.lang.Long]

type Exception report

message Request processing failed; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Unknown return value type [java.lang.Long]

description The server encountered an internal error that prevented it from fulfilling this request.

exception

org.springframework.web.util.NestedServletException: Request processing failed; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Unknown return value type [java.lang.Long]
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:948)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:827)
    javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:620)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:812)
    javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:727)
    org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:52)
    org.springframework.web.filter.CharacterEncodingFilter.doFilterInternal(CharacterEncodingFilter.java:88)
    org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:330)
    org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:118)
    org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:84)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:113)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:103)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.java:113)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.servletapi.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:154)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.RequestCacheAwareFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheAwareFilter.java:45)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.www.BasicAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(BasicAuthenticationFilter.java:150)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.doFilter(AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.java:199)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:110)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.context.request.async.WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.doFilterInternal(WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.java:50)
    org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:87)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilterInternal(FilterChainProxy.java:192)
    org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:160)
    org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:343)
    org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:260)
root cause

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Unknown return value type [java.lang.Long]
    org.springframework.util.Assert.notNull(Assert.java:112)
    org.springframework.web.method.support.HandlerMethodReturnValueHandlerComposite.handleReturnValue(HandlerMethodReturnValueHandlerComposite.java:68)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:122)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandleMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:745)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:686)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:80)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:925)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:856)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:936)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:827)
    javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:620)
    org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:812)
    javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:727)
    org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:52)
    org.springframework.web.filter.CharacterEncodingFilter.doFilterInternal(Charac
    .........

Did I implement server side wrong or is it client side problem?

Update to njjnex answer.

What should I do if I want to realize following logic inside controller method:

       if(someCondition){
           return 1l;
       }else{
         //I want to return 500 or 400 http code
       }

Answer 1

Use @ResponseBody annotation in this case. Without it Spring interpret your return value as a view name. But it cannot be long thats why you got error Unknown return value type

The @ResponseBody annotation is similar to @RequestBody. This annotation can be put on a method and indicates that the return type should be written straight to the HTTP response body (and not placed in a Model, or interpreted as a view name).

Spring Reference ResponseBody

If you want to return error code from ResponseBody use:

return new ResponseEntity<String>(HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);

See also How to respond HTTP error in a @ResponseBody

Answer 2

@RestController is a specialized version of the controller. It includes the @Controller and @ResponseBody annotations and as a result, simplifies the controller implementation:

@RestController
@RequestMapping("books-rest")
public class SimpleBookRestController {

@GetMapping("/{id}", produces = "application/json")
public Book getBook(@PathVariable int id) {
    return findBookById(id);
}

private Book findBookById(int id) {
    // ...
}


 }

I thinked that case (Unknown return value type). i thinks You're applied @Controller annotation in this class. if you want to repair it , you will want apply @Controller instead @RestController annotatan.

refer this link,
https://www.baeldung.com/spring-controller-vs-restcontroller