[[bean-language]]
= Bean method Language
:page-source: components/camel-bean/src/main/docs/bean-language.adoc
== Bean Language
*Available as of Camel version 1.3*

The purpose of the Bean Language is to be able to implement an
xref:manual::expression.adoc[Expression] or xref:manual::predicate.adoc[Predicate] using
a simple method on a bean. The bean name is resolved using a xref:manual::registry.adoc[Registry], such as the
xref:manual::spring.adoc[Spring] *`ApplicationContext`*, then a method is
invoked to evaluate the xref:manual::expression.adoc[Expression] or
xref:manual::predicate.adoc[Predicate]. If no method name is provided then one
is chosen using the rules for xref:manual::bean-binding.adoc[Bean Binding];
using the type of the message body and using any annotations on the bean
methods.

The xref:manual::bean-binding.adoc[Bean Binding] rules are used to bind the
xref:manual::message.adoc[Message] Exchange to the method parameters; so you can
annotate the bean to extract headers or other expressions such as
xref:components::xpath-language.adoc[XPath] or xref:components::xquery-language.adoc[XQuery] from the message.

== Bean Language options

// language options: START
The Bean method language supports 4 options, which are listed below.


[width="100%",cols="2,1m,1m,6",options="header"]
|===
| Name | Default | Java Type | Description
| ref |  | String | Reference to bean to lookup in the registry
| method |  | String | Name of method to call
| beanType |  | String | Class name of the bean to use
| trim | true | Boolean | Whether to trim the value to remove leading and trailing whitespaces and line breaks
|===
// language options: END

// spring-boot-auto-configure options: START
== Spring Boot Auto-Configuration

When using Spring Boot make sure to use the following Maven dependency to have support for auto configuration:

[source,xml]
----
<dependency>
  <groupId>org.apache.camel</groupId>
  <artifactId>camel-bean-starter</artifactId>
  <version>x.x.x</version>
  <!-- use the same version as your Camel core version -->
</dependency>
----


The component supports 5 options, which are listed below.


[width="100%",cols="2,5,^1,2",options="header"]
|===
| Name | Description | Default | Type
| *camel.component.bean.basic-property-binding* | Whether the component should use basic property binding (Camel 2.x) or the newer property binding with additional capabilities | false | Boolean
| *camel.component.bean.cache* | If enabled, Camel will cache the result of the first Registry look-up. Cache can be enabled if the bean in the Registry is defined as a singleton scope. |  | Boolean
| *camel.component.bean.enabled* | Whether to enable auto configuration of the bean component. This is enabled by default. |  | Boolean
| *camel.language.bean.enabled* | Whether to enable auto configuration of the bean language. This is enabled by default. |  | Boolean
| *camel.language.bean.trim* | Whether to trim the value to remove leading and trailing whitespaces and line breaks | true | Boolean
|===
// spring-boot-auto-configure options: END

[[BeanLanguage-UsingBeanExpressionsinJava]]
== Using Bean Expressions in Java

[source,syntaxhighlighter-pre]
----
from("activemq:topic:OrdersTopic")
  .filter().method("myBean", "isGoldCustomer")
    .to("activemq:BigSpendersQueue");
----

[[BeanLanguage-UsingBeanExpressionsinSpringXML]]
== Using Bean Expressions in Spring XML

[source,syntaxhighlighter-pre]
----
<route>
  <from uri="activemq:topic:OrdersTopic"/>
  <filter>
    <method ref="myBean" method="isGoldCustomer"/>
    <to uri="activemq:BigSpendersQueue"/>
  </filter>
</route>
----

[WARNING]
====
 **Bean Attribute Now Deprecated**

The *`bean`* attribute of the method expression element is now
deprecated. Use the *`ref`* attribute instead.

====

[[BeanLanguage-WritingtheExpressionBean]]
== Writing the Expression Bean

The bean in the above examples is just any old Java Bean with a method
called *`isGoldCustomer()`* that returns some object that is easily
converted to a *`boolean`* value in this case, as its used as a
predicate.

Example:

[source,syntaxhighlighter-pre]
----
public class MyBean {
  public boolean isGoldCustomer(Exchange exchange) {
     // ...
  }
}
----

We can also use the xref:manual::bean-integration.adoc[Bean Integration]
annotations.

Example:

[source,syntaxhighlighter-pre]
----
public boolean isGoldCustomer(String body) {...}
----

or

[source,syntaxhighlighter-pre]
----
public boolean isGoldCustomer(@Header(name = "foo") Integer fooHeader) {...}
----

So you can bind parameters of the method to the Exchange, the
xref:manual::message.adoc[Message] or individual headers, properties, the body
or other expressions.

[[BeanLanguage-Non-RegistryBeans]]
== Non-Registry Beans

The xref:bean-language.adoc[Bean Language] also supports invoking beans
that isn't registered in the xref:manual::registry.adoc[Registry]. This is
usable for quickly to invoke a bean from Java DSL where you don't need
to register the bean in the xref:manual::registry.adoc[Registry] such as the
xref:spring.adoc[Spring] *`ApplicationContext`*. Camel can instantiate
the bean and invoke the method if given a class or invoke an already
existing instance.

Example:

[source,syntaxhighlighter-pre]
----
from("activemq:topic:OrdersTopic")
  .filter().expression(BeanLanguage(MyBean.class, "isGoldCustomer"))
  .to("activemq:BigSpendersQueue");
----

The 2nd parameter *`isGoldCustomer`* is an optional parameter to
explicit set the method name to invoke. If not provided Camel will try
to invoke the most suitable method. If case of ambiguity Camel will
thrown an Exception. In these situations the 2nd parameter can solve
this problem. Also the code is more readable if the method name is
provided. The 1st parameter can also be an existing instance of a Bean
such as:

[source,syntaxhighlighter-pre]
----
private MyBean my;

from("activemq:topic:OrdersTopic")
  .filter().expression(BeanLanguage.bean(my, "isGoldCustomer"))
  .to("activemq:BigSpendersQueue");
----

In *Camel 2.2*: you can avoid the *`BeanLanguage`* and have it just as:

[source,syntaxhighlighter-pre]
----
private MyBean my;

from("activemq:topic:OrdersTopic")
  .filter().expression(bean(my, "isGoldCustomer"))
  .to("activemq:BigSpendersQueue");
----

Which also can be done in a bit shorter and nice way:

[source,syntaxhighlighter-pre]
----
private MyBean my;

from("activemq:topic:OrdersTopic")
  .filter().method(my, "isGoldCustomer")
  .to("activemq:BigSpendersQueue");
----

[[BeanLanguage-OtherExamples]]
== Other Examples

We have some test cases you can look at if it'll help

* https://github.com/apache/camel/blob/master/core/camel-core/src/test/java/org/apache/camel/processor/MethodFilterTest.java[MethodFilterTest]
is a JUnit test case showing the Java xref:manual::dsl.adoc[DSL] use of the bean
expression being used in a filter
* https://github.com/apache/camel/blob/master/components/camel-spring/src/test/resources/org/apache/camel/spring/processor/aggregator.xml[aggregator.xml]
is a Spring XML test case for the xref:manual::aggregate-eip.adoc[Aggregator] which
uses a bean method call to test for the completion of the aggregation.