Refaster template compilation instructions are out of date or unclear

[timo-a]

Following https://errorprone.info/docs/refaster I created a new file StringIsEmpty.java (in an empty directory) and ran:

$ wget http://repo1.maven.org/maven2/com/google/errorprone/error_prone_refaster/2.3.1/error_prone_refaster-2.3.1.jar
--2024-01-25 21:56:41--  http://repo1.maven.org/maven2/com/google/errorprone/error_prone_refaster/2.3.1/error_prone_refaster-2.3.1.jar
Resolving repo1.maven.org (repo1.maven.org)... 2a04:4e42:8d::209, 146.75.116.209
Connecting to repo1.maven.org (repo1.maven.org)|2a04:4e42:8d::209|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 501 HTTPS Required
2024-01-25 21:56:41 ERROR 501: HTTPS Required.

➡️ This information is out of date the URL needs to have https

Then, I ran

$ javac -version
javac 17.0.8
$ javac \
  -cp error_prone_refaster-2.3.1.jar \
  "-Xplugin:RefasterRuleCompiler --out ${PWD}/myrule.refaster" \
  StringIsEmpty.java
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.IllegalAccessError: class com.google.errorprone.refaster.RefasterRuleCompiler (in unnamed module @0x6b143ee9) cannot access class com.sun.tools.javac.api.BasicJavacTask (in module jdk.compiler) because module jdk.compiler does not export com.sun.tools.javac.api to unnamed module @0x6b143ee9
        at com.google.errorprone.refaster.RefasterRuleCompiler.init(RefasterRuleCompiler.java:51)
        at jdk.compiler/com.sun.tools.javac.api.BasicJavacTask.initPlugin(BasicJavacTask.java:255)
        at jdk.compiler/com.sun.tools.javac.api.BasicJavacTask.initPlugins(BasicJavacTask.java:229)
        at jdk.compiler/com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:292)
        at jdk.compiler/com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:176)
        at jdk.compiler/com.sun.tools.javac.Main.compile(Main.java:64)
        at jdk.compiler/com.sun.tools.javac.Main.main(Main.java:50)

➡️ compile instructions are either out of date or not fool proof

A look at the maven repo reveals that the current version is 2.24.1, I get the same error however.

➡️ error_prone_refaster version needs to be updated

[trebele-tibco]

I had the same error. I got it working for my purposes with Java 11.

[renannprado]

I have the same issue, but I've just tried to use error-prone with Java 21.

[rajkumar5781]

I have the same issue, but I've just tried to use error-prone. JDK version 23.Is there are any others ways to resolve this issue.

[malet-pr]

I have the same issue with Java 17 and Java 21. I don't know what to try next.

[Stephan202]

I just filed #4814 to update the documentation for compatibility with Error Prone 2.36.0 and JDK 17/21. Let me know if things work for you with those instructions.

I'll also use this opportunity to plug Error Prone Support, as it provides a a more user-friendly Maven- and Gradle-compatble Refaster integration: it comes with a compiler plugin that supports compiling multiple Refaster rules at the same time, and an Error Prone plugin that acts as a proxy for any compiled Refaster rules found on the classpath.