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| 1 | +# After-Response Hook |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +**Status:** Proposed |
| 4 | +**Date:** 2026-05-20 |
| 5 | +**Author:** thced |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +## Goal |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +Let library consumers register code that runs **after the HTTP response has been |
| 10 | +written to the wire**, on the same virtual thread that handled the request, with |
| 11 | +the library's request-scoped value still bound. Hook exceptions are swallowed so |
| 12 | +they never affect the client (which has already received the response anyway). |
| 13 | + |
| 14 | +Typical uses: telemetry flushes, audit log emission, post-commit notifications, |
| 15 | +trace-span close, latency metrics with the final status code. |
| 16 | + |
| 17 | +## API |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +### Global hook (boot-time) |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | +```java |
| 22 | +@FunctionalInterface |
| 23 | +public interface AfterResponseHook { |
| 24 | + void after(Request request, Response response); |
| 25 | +} |
| 26 | +``` |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +Registered on the builder: |
| 29 | + |
| 30 | +```java |
| 31 | +OpenApiServer.builder() |
| 32 | + .afterResponseHook((req, resp) -> log.info("{} {}", req.operationId(), resp.status())) |
| 33 | + .build(); |
| 34 | +``` |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +Multiple hooks may be registered; they run in registration order. |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +### Per-request hook |
| 39 | + |
| 40 | +Handlers (or interceptors) queue `Runnable`s on the current request: |
| 41 | + |
| 42 | +```java |
| 43 | +public final class Request { |
| 44 | + public void afterResponse(Runnable runnable) { /* appends to internal queue */ } |
| 45 | +} |
| 46 | +``` |
| 47 | + |
| 48 | +Multiple runnables may be queued; they run FIFO. |
| 49 | + |
| 50 | +### Order |
| 51 | + |
| 52 | +Global hooks fire first (registration order), then per-request runnables (FIFO). |
| 53 | + |
| 54 | +### Exception policy |
| 55 | + |
| 56 | +Every hook invocation is wrapped in `try { ... } catch (Throwable t) { LOG.debug(...) }`. |
| 57 | +A throwing hook does not affect other hooks, the response (already sent), or the |
| 58 | +exchange. Errors are not propagated. |
| 59 | + |
| 60 | +## Execution model |
| 61 | + |
| 62 | +After-hooks fire on the **request virtual thread**, inside the existing |
| 63 | +`ScopedValue.where(DispatchHandler.CURRENT, request)` binding established by |
| 64 | +`RequestPreparationFilter`. No re-binding, no thread hand-off. |
| 65 | + |
| 66 | +Hooks fire after the bytes have been flushed to the client — i.e., after either |
| 67 | +`ResponseRenderer.render(...)` returns in `DispatchHandler`, or |
| 68 | +`ExceptionHandler.handle(...)` has written an error response. |
| 69 | + |
| 70 | +## Structural change |
| 71 | + |
| 72 | +To run hooks inside the existing scoped binding without re-binding, the |
| 73 | +exception-handling responsibility moves from `ExceptionFilter` into |
| 74 | +`RequestPreparationFilter`. `ExceptionFilter` is deleted. |
| 75 | + |
| 76 | +Filter chain before: |
| 77 | + |
| 78 | +``` |
| 79 | +ExceptionFilter → RequestPreparationFilter → SecurityFilter → DispatchHandler |
| 80 | +``` |
| 81 | + |
| 82 | +Filter chain after: |
| 83 | + |
| 84 | +``` |
| 85 | +RequestPreparationFilter → SecurityFilter → DispatchHandler |
| 86 | +``` |
| 87 | + |
| 88 | +`RequestPreparationFilter` is the single owner of the exchange. Pseudo-code: |
| 89 | + |
| 90 | +```java |
| 91 | +try { |
| 92 | + // routing + parameter/body validation (may throw NotFound/MethodNotAllowed/Validation) |
| 93 | + Request request = build(...); |
| 94 | + ScopedValue.where(DispatchHandler.CURRENT, request).run(() -> { |
| 95 | + try { |
| 96 | + chain.doFilter(exchange); // Security → Dispatch (renders or throws) |
| 97 | + } catch (Throwable t) { |
| 98 | + exceptionHandler.handle(exchange, t); // writes error response to exchange |
| 99 | + } |
| 100 | + // response is sent; scope still bound |
| 101 | + fireAfterHooks(request, exchange); |
| 102 | + }); |
| 103 | +} catch (Throwable t) { |
| 104 | + // pre-Request failure (404/405/validation): no Request, so no after-hooks |
| 105 | + exceptionHandler.handle(exchange, t); |
| 106 | +} |
| 107 | +``` |
| 108 | + |
| 109 | +The "extras" routes registered via `Builder.extraRoute(...)` keep their own |
| 110 | +`ExceptionFilter` wrapper — these routes have no OpenAPI Request and no |
| 111 | +after-hook semantics. `ExceptionFilter` the class is retained and used only for |
| 112 | +extras contexts; it is no longer added to the OpenAPI context's filter chain. |
| 113 | + |
| 114 | +## The `Response` object passed to hooks |
| 115 | + |
| 116 | +On the success path, hooks receive the exact `Response` rendered by |
| 117 | +`DispatchHandler` (after `ResponseDecorator`s). |
| 118 | + |
| 119 | +On the error path, `ExceptionHandler` writes directly to the exchange and never |
| 120 | +produces a `Response`. To keep the hook signature uniform, the framework |
| 121 | +synthesises one after the error has been rendered: |
| 122 | + |
| 123 | +```java |
| 124 | +new Response( |
| 125 | + exchange.getResponseCode(), // 4xx/5xx from ExceptionHandler |
| 126 | + null, // body already streamed; unavailable |
| 127 | + exchange.getResponseHeaders().getFirst("Content-Type"), |
| 128 | + flatten(exchange.getResponseHeaders())) // first value per header name |
| 129 | +``` |
| 130 | + |
| 131 | +Hooks must therefore treat `Response.body()` as **always `null` on error paths**. |
| 132 | +Status and headers are accurate. This is documented on `AfterResponseHook`. |
| 133 | + |
| 134 | +## Edge cases |
| 135 | + |
| 136 | +**Streaming responses.** `Response.stream(...)` writes the body via a |
| 137 | +`StreamingBody` callback inside `ResponseRenderer`. The hook fires after the |
| 138 | +streaming callback returns, i.e., after the last byte has been written. |
| 139 | + |
| 140 | +**Per-request queue when handler is missing.** `MissingOperationHandlerException` |
| 141 | +is thrown by `DispatchHandler` after `Request` is built. The handler queue is |
| 142 | +empty (handler never ran), so only global hooks fire. The error-path synthetic |
| 143 | +`Response` is used. |
| 144 | + |
| 145 | +**Pre-Request failures (404/405/validation).** No `Request` was built. Neither |
| 146 | +global nor per-request hooks fire. Documented limitation. |
| 147 | + |
| 148 | +**Hook throws.** Logged at DEBUG, swallowed. Next hook still runs. |
| 149 | + |
| 150 | +**`afterResponse` called after hooks have started.** The runner snapshots the |
| 151 | +queue before invoking the first per-request runnable. Calls to |
| 152 | +`afterResponse(...)` from inside a running hook, or from a leaked `Request` |
| 153 | +reference held after the response has been sent, are silently ignored. The |
| 154 | +queue stays appendable (no clear/lock) — the snapshot semantics are what |
| 155 | +guarantee deterministic execution. Documented; not enforced at runtime. |
| 156 | + |
| 157 | +## Implementation outline |
| 158 | + |
| 159 | +### `com.retailsvc.http.AfterResponseHook` (new public) |
| 160 | + |
| 161 | +```java |
| 162 | +package com.retailsvc.http; |
| 163 | + |
| 164 | +@FunctionalInterface |
| 165 | +public interface AfterResponseHook { |
| 166 | + void after(Request request, Response response); |
| 167 | +} |
| 168 | +``` |
| 169 | + |
| 170 | +### `com.retailsvc.http.Request` (modified) |
| 171 | + |
| 172 | +Add an internal `List<Runnable>` field plus: |
| 173 | + |
| 174 | +```java |
| 175 | +public void afterResponse(Runnable runnable) { |
| 176 | + Objects.requireNonNull(runnable, "runnable must not be null"); |
| 177 | + afterHooks.add(runnable); |
| 178 | +} |
| 179 | +``` |
| 180 | + |
| 181 | +A package-private getter (`List<Runnable> afterHooks()`) exposes the list to |
| 182 | +`RequestPreparationFilter`. The list is initialised to an empty mutable |
| 183 | +`ArrayList` in the constructor. The runner snapshots the list before iterating |
| 184 | +so runnables added during hook execution are ignored. |
| 185 | + |
| 186 | +The current `Request` constructor has seven parameters. Adding an eighth would |
| 187 | +ripple through call sites; instead the field is initialised internally and |
| 188 | +exposed only through `afterResponse(...)` and the package-private getter. |
| 189 | + |
| 190 | +### `com.retailsvc.http.internal.RequestPreparationFilter` (modified) |
| 191 | + |
| 192 | +- Constructor takes `ExceptionHandler` and `List<AfterResponseHook>` in addition |
| 193 | + to its current dependencies. |
| 194 | +- `doFilter` restructured per the pseudo-code above. |
| 195 | +- New private helper `fireAfterHooks(Request, HttpExchange)` builds the |
| 196 | + synthetic `Response` if needed, then invokes each hook inside a `try/catch`. |
| 197 | + |
| 198 | +### `com.retailsvc.http.internal.ExceptionFilter` |
| 199 | + |
| 200 | +- Deleted from the OpenAPI route's filter chain (folded into |
| 201 | + `RequestPreparationFilter`). |
| 202 | +- For `extraRoute` contexts, `OpenApiServer` continues to install an |
| 203 | + `ExceptionFilter` (or an inline equivalent) so unhandled exceptions from |
| 204 | + extras still flow to the user's `ExceptionHandler`. |
| 205 | + |
| 206 | +### `com.retailsvc.http.OpenApiServer` (modified) |
| 207 | + |
| 208 | +- `HandlerConfig` gains `List<AfterResponseHook> afterHooks`. |
| 209 | +- The OpenAPI context registration no longer adds `ExceptionFilter` first; it |
| 210 | + starts with the updated `RequestPreparationFilter` which is given the |
| 211 | + `ExceptionHandler` and the after-hook list. |
| 212 | +- `Builder.afterResponseHook(AfterResponseHook)` appends to an `ArrayList`. |
| 213 | + |
| 214 | +### `com.retailsvc.http.internal.ResponseRenderer` (no change expected) |
| 215 | + |
| 216 | +`render` already runs synchronously on the request thread. |
| 217 | + |
| 218 | +## Testing strategy |
| 219 | + |
| 220 | +Unit tests (Surefire, `*Test.java`): |
| 221 | + |
| 222 | +- `RequestTest`: `afterResponse(null)` throws NPE; multiple calls queue in order. |
| 223 | +- `OpenApiServerBuilderTest` (new or extend existing): `afterResponseHook(null)` |
| 224 | + throws NPE; multiple hooks queue in order. |
| 225 | + |
| 226 | +Integration tests (Failsafe, `*IT.java`) using the existing test server harness: |
| 227 | + |
| 228 | +- **Success path:** handler returns 200; global hook + per-request hook both fire |
| 229 | + in order; both see the rendered status and operationId. |
| 230 | +- **Per-request only:** no global hook registered; handler queues two runnables; |
| 231 | + both fire FIFO. |
| 232 | +- **Handler throws:** handler queues a runnable then throws; runnable still |
| 233 | + fires (per-request queue is drained regardless); global hook sees synthetic |
| 234 | + Response with the error status. |
| 235 | +- **Hook throws:** first hook throws, second hook still runs; response to client |
| 236 | + is unaffected. |
| 237 | +- **Pre-Request failure:** request hits an unknown path; 404 returned; no hooks |
| 238 | + fire (assert global counter unchanged). |
| 239 | +- **Scoped value visibility:** hook reads `DispatchHandler.CURRENT.get()` and |
| 240 | + gets the same `Request` instance the handler saw. |
| 241 | +- **Thread identity:** hook captures `Thread.currentThread()` and the handler |
| 242 | + captures the same; assert equality (same virtual thread). |
| 243 | + |
| 244 | +## Out of scope |
| 245 | + |
| 246 | +- Async / off-thread hooks: explicitly not supported. Users wanting async |
| 247 | + behavior can submit to their own executor from inside a hook. |
| 248 | +- Ordering across global hooks of different priorities. Insertion order only. |
| 249 | +- Removing or de-registering hooks after `build()`. |
| 250 | +- Hooks on `extraRoute` handlers. |
| 251 | +- Mutating the response from a hook (impossible — bytes have been sent). |
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