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I am trying to use the @Deprecated annotation. The @Deprecated documentation says that: "Compilers warn when a deprecated program element is used or overridden in non-deprecated code". I would think this should trigger it, but it did not. javac version 1.7.0_09 and compiled using and not using -Xlint and -deprecation. 

public class TestAnnotations { public static void main(String[] args) { TestAnnotations theApp = new TestAnnotations(); theApp.thisIsDeprecated(); } @Deprecated public void thisIsDeprecated() { System.out.println("doing it the old way"); } }

Edit: per the comment of gd1 below regarding it only working if the method is in another class, I added a second class. And it DOES WARN on the call to theOldWay():

public class TestAnnotations { public static void main(String[] args) { TestAnnotations theApp = new TestAnnotations(); theApp.thisIsDeprecated(); OtherClass thatClass = new OtherClass(); thatClass.theOldWay(); } @Deprecated public void thisIsDeprecated() { System.out.println("doing it the old way"); } } class OtherClass { @Deprecated void theOldWay() { System.out.println("gone out of style"); } }

The warning:

/home/java/TestAnnotations.java:10: warning: [deprecation] theOldWay() in OtherClass has been deprecated

 thatClass.theOldWay(); ^

1 warning

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    WARNING: I'm just guessing. Maybe no deprecated warning is fired unless you call the deprecated method from another class. Random guess. Commented Oct 28, 2012 at 10:44
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    @gd1 no. Deprecation Doesn't trigger warning. You have to manage Deprecation logic in your framework/application Commented Oct 28, 2012 at 10:46

2 Answers 2

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From the Java Language Specification:

A Java compiler must produce a deprecation warning when a type, method, field, or constructor whose declaration is annotated with the annotation @Deprecated is used (i.e. overridden, invoked, or referenced by name), unless:

  • The use is within an entity that is itself annotated with the annotation @Deprecated; or

  • The use is within an entity that is annotated to suppress the warning with the annotation @SuppressWarnings("deprecation"); or

  • The use and declaration are both within the same outermost class.

Your example is an example of the last condition: you're only using the deprecated method from the same outermost class as the deprecated method.

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1 Comment

Thanks. I think they should add that information to docs.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/api/java/lang/Deprecated.html.
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Deprecation Doesn't always trigger warnings. You have to manage Deprecation logic in your framework/application.

From 1.5 JavaDoc:

NOTE: The Java Language Specification requires compilers to issue warnings when classes, methods, or fields marked with the @Deprecated annotation are used. Compilers are not required by the Java Language Specification to issue warnings when classes, methods, or fields marked with the @deprecated Javadoc tag are accessed, although the Sun compilers currently do so. However, there is no guarantee that the Sun compiler will always issue such warnings.

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3 Comments

The text you quoted contradicts your answer: The Java Language Specification requires compilers to issue warnings when classes, methods, or fields marked with the @Deprecated annotation are used. So the compiler is required to trigger a warning.
"..However, there is no guarantee that the Sun compiler will always issue such warnings.."
the optional warnings are on the deprecated javadoc tag, not on the Deprecated Java annotation.

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