[[format]]
= Spring Field Formatting

As discussed in the previous section, xref:core/validation/convert.adoc[`core.convert`] is a
general-purpose type conversion system. It provides a unified `ConversionService` API as
well as a strongly typed `Converter` SPI for implementing conversion logic from one type
to another. A Spring container uses this system to bind bean property values. In
addition, both the Spring Expression Language (SpEL) and `DataBinder` use this system to
bind field values. For example, when SpEL needs to coerce a `Short` to a `Long` to
complete an `expression.setValue(Object bean, Object value)` attempt, the `core.convert`
system performs the coercion.

Now consider the type conversion requirements of a typical client environment, such as a
web or desktop application. In such environments, you typically convert from `String`
to support the client postback process, as well as back to `String` to support the
view rendering process. In addition, you often need to localize `String` values. The more
general `core.convert` `Converter` SPI does not address such formatting requirements
directly. To directly address them, Spring provides a convenient `Formatter` SPI that
provides a simple and robust alternative to `PropertyEditor` implementations for client
environments.

In general, you can use the `Converter` SPI when you need to implement general-purpose type
conversion logic -- for example, for converting between a `java.util.Date` and a `Long`.
You can use the `Formatter` SPI when you work in a client environment (such as a web
application) and need to parse and print localized field values. The `ConversionService`
provides a unified type conversion API for both SPIs.



[[format-Formatter-SPI]]
== The `Formatter` SPI

The `Formatter` SPI to implement field formatting logic is simple and strongly typed. The
following listing shows the `Formatter` interface definition:

[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",chomp="-packages"]
----
	package org.springframework.format;

	public interface Formatter<T> extends Printer<T>, Parser<T> {
	}
----

`Formatter` extends from the `Printer` and `Parser` building-block interfaces. The
following listing shows the definitions of those two interfaces:

[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes"]
----
	public interface Printer<T> {

		String print(T fieldValue, Locale locale);
	}
----

[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes"]
----
	import java.text.ParseException;

	public interface Parser<T> {

		T parse(String clientValue, Locale locale) throws ParseException;
	}
----

To create your own `Formatter`, implement the `Formatter` interface shown earlier.
Parameterize `T` to be the type of object you wish to format -- for example,
`java.util.Date`. Implement the `print()` operation to print an instance of `T` for
display in the client locale. Implement the `parse()` operation to parse an instance of
`T` from the formatted representation returned from the client locale. Your `Formatter`
should throw a `ParseException` or an `IllegalArgumentException` if a parse attempt fails. Take
care to ensure that your `Formatter` implementation is thread-safe.

The `format` subpackages provide several `Formatter` implementations as a convenience.
The `number` package provides `NumberStyleFormatter`, `CurrencyStyleFormatter`, and
`PercentStyleFormatter` to format `Number` objects that use a `java.text.NumberFormat`.
The `datetime` package provides a `DateFormatter` to format `java.util.Date` objects with
a `java.text.DateFormat`.

The following `DateFormatter` is an example `Formatter` implementation:

[tabs]
======
Java::
+
[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="primary",chomp="-packages"]
----
	package org.springframework.format.datetime;

	public final class DateFormatter implements Formatter<Date> {

		private String pattern;

		public DateFormatter(String pattern) {
			this.pattern = pattern;
		}

		public String print(Date date, Locale locale) {
			if (date == null) {
				return "";
			}
			return getDateFormat(locale).format(date);
		}

		public Date parse(String formatted, Locale locale) throws ParseException {
			if (formatted.length() == 0) {
				return null;
			}
			return getDateFormat(locale).parse(formatted);
		}

		protected DateFormat getDateFormat(Locale locale) {
			DateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat(this.pattern, locale);
			dateFormat.setLenient(false);
			return dateFormat;
		}
	}
----

Kotlin::
+
[source,kotlin,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="secondary",chomp="-packages"]
----
	class DateFormatter(private val pattern: String) : Formatter<Date> {

		override fun print(date: Date, locale: Locale)
				= getDateFormat(locale).format(date)

		@Throws(ParseException::class)
		override fun parse(formatted: String, locale: Locale)
				= getDateFormat(locale).parse(formatted)

		protected fun getDateFormat(locale: Locale): DateFormat {
			val dateFormat = SimpleDateFormat(this.pattern, locale)
			dateFormat.isLenient = false
			return dateFormat
		}
	}
----
======

The Spring team welcomes community-driven `Formatter` contributions. See
{spring-framework-issues}[GitHub Issues] to contribute.



[[format-CustomFormatAnnotations]]
== Annotation-driven Formatting

Field formatting can be configured by field type or annotation. To bind
an annotation to a `Formatter`, implement `AnnotationFormatterFactory`. The following
listing shows the definition of the `AnnotationFormatterFactory` interface:

[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",chomp="-packages"]
----
	package org.springframework.format;

	public interface AnnotationFormatterFactory<A extends Annotation> {

		Set<Class<?>> getFieldTypes();

		Printer<?> getPrinter(A annotation, Class<?> fieldType);

		Parser<?> getParser(A annotation, Class<?> fieldType);
	}
----

To create an implementation:

. Parameterize `A` to be the field `annotationType` with which you wish to associate
formatting  logic -- for example `org.springframework.format.annotation.DateTimeFormat`.
. Have `getFieldTypes()` return the types of fields on which the annotation can be used.
. Have `getPrinter()` return a `Printer` to print the value of an annotated field.
. Have `getParser()` return a `Parser` to parse a `clientValue` for an annotated field.

The following example `AnnotationFormatterFactory` implementation binds the `@NumberFormat`
annotation to a formatter to let a number style or pattern be specified:

[tabs]
======
Java::
+
[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="primary"]
----
	public final class NumberFormatAnnotationFormatterFactory
			implements AnnotationFormatterFactory<NumberFormat> {

		private static final Set<Class<?>> FIELD_TYPES = Set.of(Short.class,
				Integer.class, Long.class, Float.class, Double.class,
				BigDecimal.class, BigInteger.class);

		public Set<Class<?>> getFieldTypes() {
			return FIELD_TYPES;
		}

		public Printer<Number> getPrinter(NumberFormat annotation, Class<?> fieldType) {
			return configureFormatterFrom(annotation, fieldType);
		}

		public Parser<Number> getParser(NumberFormat annotation, Class<?> fieldType) {
			return configureFormatterFrom(annotation, fieldType);
		}

		private Formatter<Number> configureFormatterFrom(NumberFormat annotation, Class<?> fieldType) {
			if (!annotation.pattern().isEmpty()) {
				return new NumberStyleFormatter(annotation.pattern());
			}
			// else
			return switch(annotation.style()) {
				case Style.PERCENT -> new PercentStyleFormatter();
				case Style.CURRENCY -> new CurrencyStyleFormatter();
				default -> new NumberStyleFormatter();
			};
		}
	}
----

Kotlin::
+
[source,kotlin,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="secondary"]
----
	class NumberFormatAnnotationFormatterFactory : AnnotationFormatterFactory<NumberFormat> {

		override fun getFieldTypes(): Set<Class<*>> {
			return setOf(Short::class.java, Int::class.java, Long::class.java, Float::class.java, Double::class.java, BigDecimal::class.java, BigInteger::class.java)
		}

		override fun getPrinter(annotation: NumberFormat, fieldType: Class<*>): Printer<Number> {
			return configureFormatterFrom(annotation, fieldType)
		}

		override fun getParser(annotation: NumberFormat, fieldType: Class<*>): Parser<Number> {
			return configureFormatterFrom(annotation, fieldType)
		}

		private fun configureFormatterFrom(annotation: NumberFormat, fieldType: Class<*>): Formatter<Number> {
			return if (annotation.pattern.isNotEmpty()) {
				NumberStyleFormatter(annotation.pattern)
			} else {
				val style = annotation.style
				when {
					style === NumberFormat.Style.PERCENT -> PercentStyleFormatter()
					style === NumberFormat.Style.CURRENCY -> CurrencyStyleFormatter()
					else -> NumberStyleFormatter()
				}
			}
		}
	}
----
======

To trigger formatting, you can annotate fields with `@NumberFormat`, as the following
example shows:

[tabs]
======
Java::
+
[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="primary"]
----
	public class MyModel {

		@NumberFormat(style=Style.CURRENCY)
		private BigDecimal decimal;
	}
----

Kotlin::
+
[source,kotlin,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="secondary"]
----
	class MyModel(
		@field:NumberFormat(style = Style.CURRENCY) private val decimal: BigDecimal
	)
----
======


[[format-annotations-api]]
=== Format Annotation API

A portable format annotation API exists in the `org.springframework.format.annotation`
package. You can use `@NumberFormat` to format `Number` fields such as `Double` and
`Long`, and `@DateTimeFormat` to format `java.util.Date`, `java.util.Calendar`, `Long`
(for millisecond timestamps) as well as JSR-310 `java.time`.

The following example uses `@DateTimeFormat` to format a `java.util.Date` as an ISO Date
(yyyy-MM-dd):

[tabs]
======
Java::
+
[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="primary"]
----
	public class MyModel {

		@DateTimeFormat(iso=ISO.DATE)
		private Date date;
	}
----

Kotlin::
+
[source,kotlin,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="secondary"]
----
	class MyModel(
		@DateTimeFormat(iso=ISO.DATE) private val date: Date
	)
----
======


[[format-FormatterRegistry-SPI]]
== The `FormatterRegistry` SPI

The `FormatterRegistry` is an SPI for registering formatters and converters.
`FormattingConversionService` is an implementation of `FormatterRegistry` suitable for
most environments. You can programmatically or declaratively configure this variant
as a Spring bean, e.g. by using `FormattingConversionServiceFactoryBean`. Because this
implementation also implements `ConversionService`, you can directly configure it
for use with Spring's `DataBinder` and the Spring Expression Language (SpEL).

The following listing shows the `FormatterRegistry` SPI:

[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",chomp="-packages"]
----
	package org.springframework.format;

	public interface FormatterRegistry extends ConverterRegistry {

		void addPrinter(Printer<?> printer);

		void addParser(Parser<?> parser);

		void addFormatter(Formatter<?> formatter);

		void addFormatterForFieldType(Class<?> fieldType, Formatter<?> formatter);

		void addFormatterForFieldType(Class<?> fieldType, Printer<?> printer, Parser<?> parser);

		void addFormatterForFieldAnnotation(AnnotationFormatterFactory<? extends Annotation> annotationFormatterFactory);
	}
----

As shown in the preceding listing, you can register formatters by field type or by annotation.

The `FormatterRegistry` SPI lets you configure formatting rules centrally, instead of
duplicating such configuration across your controllers. For example, you might want to
enforce that all date fields are formatted a certain way or that fields with a specific
annotation are formatted in a certain way. With a shared `FormatterRegistry`, you define
these rules once, and they are applied whenever formatting is needed.



[[format-FormatterRegistrar-SPI]]
== The `FormatterRegistrar` SPI

`FormatterRegistrar` is an SPI for registering formatters and converters through the
FormatterRegistry. The following listing shows its interface definition:

[source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",chomp="-packages"]
----
	package org.springframework.format;

	public interface FormatterRegistrar {

		void registerFormatters(FormatterRegistry registry);
	}
----

A `FormatterRegistrar` is useful when registering multiple related converters and
formatters for a given formatting category, such as date formatting. It can also be
useful where declarative registration is insufficient -- for example, when a formatter
needs to be indexed under a specific field type different from its own `<T>` or when
registering a `Printer`/`Parser` pair. The next section provides more information on
converter and formatter registration.



[[format-configuring-formatting-mvc]]
== Configuring Formatting in Spring MVC

See xref:web/webmvc/mvc-config/conversion.adoc[Conversion and Formatting] in the Spring MVC chapter.




