'java.io.ObjectOutputStream' is deprecated - an error in Intellij IDEA

Question

I have this code:

import java.io.FileOutputStream;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.ObjectOutputStream;
import java.util.Date;

public class EmployeeProcessor {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Employee employee = new Employee();
        employee.lastName = "Smith";
        employee.firstName = "Adam";
        employee.id = 123456789;
        employee.salary = 50000;

        try(FileOutputStream fileOutStr = new FileOutputStream("Employee.ser");
            ObjectOutputStream objectOutStr = new ObjectOutputStream(fileOutStr)) {

            objectOutStr.writeObject(employee);
            System.out.println("An employee is externalized into the file Employee.ser");

        } catch (IOException ioError){
            ioError.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}

But in Intellij IDEA ObjectOutputStream class is strikethrough Like this: screenshot. When pointing mouse pointer over - this message appears: 'java.io.ObjectOutputStream' is deprecated. What does it mean?

When I run this code, IntelliJ opens "Edit Configurations" windows asking me to introduce VM options. But I leave it blank and run anyway.

Answer 1

IntelliJ IDEA has an intention action to annotate library classes as Deprecated using the External Annotations support. You've probably triggered this intention action by accident.

For the classes deprecated this way there supposed to be the reverse action: Deannotate, but it may not work (bug reported).

To fix it manually, find the annotations.xml file in a directory that is configured in the SDK Annotations tab and edit/remove it.

UPDATE: Deannoate action should work now, but only while inside the annotated class itself, not from its reference.