Spring Boot Dashboard issues when using GitHub Copilot extension in VS Code

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1

I’m encountering a strange issue with my Spring Boot application while using the GitHub Copilot extension in VS Code. Whenever I attempt to access my GET API through the Spring Boot Dashboard, I receive an error stating: “Name for argument of type [java.util.UUID] not specified, and parameter name information not available via reflection. Ensure that the compiler uses the ‘-parameters’ flag”.

Here’s the code for my API:

@GetMapping("/fetch/{id}")
public ResponseEntity fetchData(@PathVariable UUID id) {
    // method implementation
}

I’m currently using Spring Boot 3.4.5, Gradle, and Java 21. Interestingly, when I uninstall both GitHub Copilot and GitHub Copilot Chat extensions, it works flawlessly. Additionally, running the application with the gradle bootRun command works fine without uninstalling Copilot.

Has anyone else faced a similar issue with GitHub Copilot and the Spring Boot Dashboard? Any help on how to resolve this while keeping Copilot active would be appreciated.

2

This looks like a classpath issue with how VS Code’s Spring Boot Dashboard launches apps when Copilot’s running. I’ve seen similar problems with other extensions that mess with Java compilation. Since gradle bootRun works fine, the issue’s definitely with the Dashboard’s launch config, not your build setup. I’d check your VS Code settings for the Spring Boot Dashboard extension - look for any JVM arguments or compilation flags that might be getting overridden. Quick fix that worked for me: explicitly name the parameter with @PathVariable like @PathVariable("id") UUID id. This skips the reflection-based parameter detection completely and should work no matter what compilation flags or extensions are interfering.

3

This sounds like a VS Code Java compilation environment issue. I’ve hit this before when switching between extensions that mess with the Java language server. The Dashboard creates its own runtime environment that’s different from your regular Gradle setup - that’s why bootRun works fine. Try restarting the Java language server after you enable Copilot. Just open the command palette and run “Java: Restart Language Server”. This refreshes the compilation context and usually fixes parameter detection problems. Also check if your workspace has conflicting Java extension settings that might get changed when Copilot loads.

4

Weird one but I had something similar happen. Copilot messes with VS Code’s Java lang server when the dashboard launches apps. Try disabling Copilot temporarily, launch your app through the dashboard once, then re-enable Copilot while the app’s still running. Worked for me as a workaround until I figured out the real fix.

5

Had this exact issue a few weeks back. VS Code’s Spring Boot Dashboard strips away parameter name metadata when Copilot’s running - that’s why @PathVariable stops working. Quick fix: add “vmArgs”: “-parameters” to your launch.json config (create one in .vscode if you don’t have it). This forces parameter retention at runtime instead of just compilation. Gradle bootRun works fine because it uses different JVM startup parameters than the Dashboard does when Copilot interferes.

6

I’ve faced a similar problem when using extensions in VS Code that interfere with how Spring Boot handles parameter names. It seems that GitHub Copilot might be affecting the compilation process when accessing the Spring Boot Dashboard. To resolve this, you can try adding the -parameters flag to your build.gradle file. This adjustment ensures that parameter names are preserved during compilation. Here’s how you can do it:

compileJava {
    options.compilerArgs += '-parameters'
}

This solution worked for me with another extension issue, and it allows you to keep using Copilot without any disruption. It’s clear that the Dashboard interacts differently with your IDE setup while Copilot is active, especially since gradle bootRun functions properly.