Difference between path and value attributes in @RequestMapping annotation

Question

What is the difference between below two attributes and which one to use when?

@GetMapping(path = \"/usr/{userId}\")         


        

Answer 1

@GetMapping is a shorthand for @RequestMapping(method = RequestMethod.GET).

In your case. @GetMapping(path = "/usr/{userId}") is a shorthand for @RequestMapping(value = "/usr/{userId}", method = RequestMethod.GET).

Both are equivalent. Prefer using shorthand @GetMapping over the more verbose alternative. One thing that you can do with @RequestMapping which you can't with @GetMapping is to provide multiple request methods.

@RequestMapping(value = "/path", method = {RequestMethod.GET, RequestMethod.POST, RequestMethod.PUT)
public void handleRequet() {

}

Use @RequestMapping when you need to provide multiple Http verbs.

Another usage of @RequestMapping is when you need to provide a top level path for a controller. For e.g.

@RestController
@RequestMapping("/users")
public class UserController {

    @PostMapping
    public void createUser(Request request) {
        // POST /users
        // create a user
    }

    @GetMapping
    public Users getUsers(Request request) {
        // GET /users
        // get users
    }

    @GetMapping("/{id}")
    public Users getUserById(@PathVariable long id) {
        // GET /users/1
        // get user by id
    }
}