Description

Blemicek

opened on Dec 1, 2025

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Describe the bug
GraphQL specification prohibits deprecation directive on non-nullable arguments without a default value, but graphql-java allows creation of such schema programmatically although there is validation (DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValid) that should prevent that.

Let say a new argument is created like this:

GraphQLArgument deprecatedArg = GraphQLArgument.newArgument()
  .name("argument")
  .type(GraphQLNonNull.nonNull(Scalars.GraphQLString))
  .deprecate("Some very good reason")
  .build();

The validation then tries to find deprecated applied directive:

graphql-java/src/main/java/graphql/schema/validation/DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValid.java

Line 46 in aa0b31e

GraphQLAppliedDirective deprecatedDirective = argument.getAppliedDirective(Directives.DEPRECATED_DIRECTIVE_DEFINITION.getName());

But deprecatedDirective is null, and so it's reported as valid schema. The fix seems to be calling of argument.isDeprecated(), or combination of both approaches.

To Reproduce

GraphQLArgument deprecatedArg = GraphQLArgument.newArgument()
        .name("input")
        .type(GraphQLNonNull.nonNull(Scalars.GraphQLString))
        .deprecate("Some very good reason")
        .build();

GraphQLFieldDefinition field = GraphQLFieldDefinition.newFieldDefinition()
        .name("field")
        .type(Scalars.GraphQLString)
        .argument(deprecatedArg)
        .dataFetcher(env -> env.getArgument("input")) // for simplicity
        .build();

GraphQLObjectType queryType = GraphQLObjectType.newObject()
        .name("Query")
        .field(field)
        .build();

GraphQLSchema.newSchema()
        .query(queryType)
        .build(); // this method internally do the validation and should throw exception

Equivalent schema (implicit parts are omitted):

type Query {
  field(input: String! @deprecated(reason : "Some very good reason")): String
}

Activity

1. bbakerman commented on Dec 18, 2025

   

   bbakerman

   on Dec 18, 2025

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   Ok I had a look at this and I know the reason its failing.

   When types are created via SDL then code kicks in that notices the @deprecatedArg directive and then calls graphql.schema.GraphQLArgument.Builder#deprecate to set the deprecation string into the argument

   However the DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValid validation code only looks for the actual directive. This is present in the case of SDL build schema but not direct like this.

   I will think more on how we can fix it.
2. bbakerman

   added 2 commits that reference this issue on Dec 18, 2025

   #4182 - code built schemas should perform deprecated non null field v…

   afbcd52

   #4182 - code built schemas should perform deprecated non null field v…

   dd5bc03
3. bbakerman commented on Dec 18, 2025

   

   bbakerman

   on Dec 18, 2025

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   Fixed

   Reacted by Petr Fanta
4. andimarek

   added a commit that references this issue on Jan 21, 2026

   Merge pull request #4194 from graphql-java/4182-deprecated-non-null-a…

   1a80205
5. github-actions commented on Feb 17, 2026

   

   github-actionsBot

   on Feb 17, 2026 – with GitHub Actions

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   Hello, this issue has been inactive for 60 days, so we're marking it as stale. If you would like to continue this discussion, please comment within the next 30 days or we'll close the issue.
6. github-actions

   added

   Stale

   on Feb 17, 2026
7. bbakerman commented on Feb 18, 2026

   

   bbakerman

   on Feb 18, 2026

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   Done
8. bbakerman

   closed this as completedon Feb 18, 2026

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