Prettier Java Plugin

2.8.1 verified Sat Apr 25 auth: no javascript

Prettier Plugin for Java is a code formatter that integrates with Prettier to format Java source code. Version 2.8.1 (active development) is released frequently with bug fixes and improvements. It supports Java 8 through 21+, including records, sealed classes, pattern matching, and text blocks. Differentiators: uses Prettier's infrastructure for consistent formatting across languages, respects existing Prettier config, and offers Java-specific options like arrowParens and experimentalOperatorPosition. Requires Prettier v3+ as a peer dependency. Maintained by the JHipster team.

Common errors

error Cannot find module 'prettier-plugin-java' ↓

cause Plugin not installed or not in node_modules.

fix

Run 'npm install --save-dev prettier prettier-plugin-java'.

error Error: No parser and no file path given, couldn't infer a parser. ↓

cause Using .prettierrc without specifying parser and Prettier cannot auto-detect .java file.

fix

Ensure you are formatting a .java file or specify parser: 'java' in programmatic API.

error TypeError: prettier.resolveConfig.sync is not a function ↓

cause Using incompatible Prettier version (v2) with plugin v2.

fix

Upgrade Prettier to v3: 'npm install prettier@latest'.

error Error: Invalid plugin: prettier-plugin-java ↓

cause Plugin is not a valid Prettier plugin (e.g., installed but not recognized).

fix

Check that the plugin is installed in the same project as Prettier and that Prettier >=3.

Warnings

breaking Version 2.x requires Prettier >=3.0.0. Not compatible with Prettier v2. ↓

fix Upgrade Prettier to v3 or later, or use prettier-plugin-java v1.x with Prettier v2.

deprecated Option 'arrowParens' default changed to 'always' in v2.7.3 to align with Prettier. ↓

fix If you rely on 'avoid', set explicitly in config.

gotcha Plugin auto-loads if installed in the same project. But if using global Prettier, must specify --plugin or in config. ↓

fix Add plugins array in .prettierrc or pass --plugin=prettier-plugin-java.

gotcha Trailing semicolon placement: the plugin does NOT connect trailing semicolon to prettier's 'trailingComma' option (reverted in v2.7.4). ↓

fix Use 'semi' option to control semicolons, not 'trailingComma'.

Install

npm install prettier-plugin-java

yarn add prettier-plugin-java

pnpm add prettier-plugin-java

Imports

(plugin, auto-loaded)

wrong

const plugin = require('prettier-plugin-java') and passing to Prettier API incorrectly

correct

Add plugin to .prettierrc: { "plugins": ["prettier-plugin-java"] } or use --plugin=prettier-plugin-java

Prettier plugins are usually auto-discovered if installed. For programmatic usage, pass plugin in options.

default (none)
```
No explicit import needed; just install and configure in .prettierrc
```
The plugin has no default export. It is used implicitly by Prettier.

(types)

wrong

import something from 'prettier-plugin-java/types' (does not exist)

correct

import { Plugin } from 'prettier'; // types for plugin options

TypeScript types are bundled with the package. No separate type import needed.

Quickstart

Shows installation, Prettier config with plugin, CLI usage, and programmatic formatting with Java parser.

// 1. Install
// npm install --save-dev prettier prettier-plugin-java

// 2. Configure .prettierrc
{
  "semi": true,
  "singleQuote": true,
  "tabWidth": 4,
  "trailingComma": "all",
  "plugins": ["prettier-plugin-java"]
}

// 3. Run
// npx prettier --write "src/**/*.java"

// Or programmatically:
import * as prettier from 'prettier';
const code = `public class Hello { public static void main(String[] args) { System.out.println("Hello"); } }`;
const formatted = await prettier.format(code, {
  parser: 'java',
  plugins: ['prettier-plugin-java']
});
console.log(formatted);