Set max line length for google formatter #1563

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1. nedtwigg

   added

   enhancement

   on Feb 8, 2023
2. nedtwigg

   changed the title [-]No max line length for google formatter[/-] [+]Set max line length for google formatter[/+] on Feb 8, 2023
3. nedtwigg commented on Feb 8, 2023

   

   nedtwigg

   on Feb 8, 2023

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   If gjf was converted to a compile-only integration, as in

   • Use custom source sets and compile-only dependencies instead of reflection #524

   Then this would be pretty easy to implement. PRs welcome.
4. simschla commented on Mar 9, 2023

   

   simschla

   on Mar 9, 2023

   Last edited by simschla

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   I've converted GJF to a compile-only integration. To reduce complexity, I would suggest that we'll require GJF of at least version 1.8 (which was released back in May 2020). Before that, we would have two API changes that would require to have specific compile-only variants. Since that version is years old, I don't think any spotless user would have an issue with that requirement.

   After having converted GJF to a compile-only dependency, I've tried to introduce a configuration for the max-line-length. GJF however has taken every measure, for this property to not be changeable, as can be seen here:

   https://github.com/google/google-java-format/blob/1a0065696b4f408313dbd24f9d6606d758e98868/core/src/main/java/com/google/googlejavaformat/java/Formatter.java#L89

   They've decided to make this a public static final int that gets assigned on declaration. So even with (ugly) reflection, the value cannot be changed, since the compiler does inline this value wherever it is used within the gjf lib.

   It was possible to change this value up to GJF Release 1.7 by doing some ugly wrapping of the JavaFormatterOptions class at this location:

   https://github.com/google/google-java-format/blob/69e2efccf9938cfb08b1d5315ad61ca4484bbd0a/core/src/main/java/com/google/googlejavaformat/java/JavaFormatterOptions.java#L60-L64

   This is, ultimately, what the aformentioned maven-plugin does:
   https://github.com/talios/googleformatter-maven-plugin/blob/2034133fe14f0ee928c6942cd037f1fbd52f0abd/src/main/java/com/theoryinpractise/googleformatter/GoogleFormatterMojo.java#L142-L146

   This approach, however, is no longer feasible, as it is only working for GJF Versions ≤ 1.7.

   TL;DR: it is not possible to make GFJ's max-line-length property configurable. Which means this feature request cannot be satisfied.

   @nedtwigg Given the above, should I create a PR to merge the transition of GJF to a compile-only dependency, or would you rather keep it "the old way" using reflection?

   👍React with 👍1Reacted by Jonathan Bluett-Duncan
5. jbduncan commented on Mar 9, 2023

   

   jbduncan

   on Mar 9, 2023

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   @simschla I just wanted to say how bloomin' impressed I am by the time and effort you've spent investigating all this and writing it down, so well done!! 👏

   I'll leave it to @nedtwigg to decide if the compile-only dependency work is worth merging in.

   ❤️React with ❤️1Reacted by Simon Gamma
6. nedtwigg commented on Mar 10, 2023

   

   nedtwigg

   on Mar 10, 2023

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   A GJF conversion to compile-only which drops support for pre-1.8 is very welcome, thanks @simschla!

   I apologize for sending a wild goose-chase regarding max-line-length. I'm going to close this issue since it appears impossible to implement.
7. nedtwigg

   closed this as completedon Mar 10, 2023
8. simschla commented on Mar 17, 2023

   

   simschla

   on Mar 17, 2023

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   I apologize for sending a wild goose-chase regarding max-line-length. I'm going to close this issue since it appears impossible to implement.

   No worries, as it turns out, there is always something to be learned, even if the result is finding out, that something is not possible... 🤔

   I've created #1630 to convert gjf to a compile-only dependency.
9. pks-1981 commented on Oct 3, 2023

   

   pks-1981

   on Oct 3, 2023

   Last edited by pks-1981

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   max-line-length

   Hello
   How configure it on maven?

   <googleJavaFormat>
   <version>1.11.0</version>
   <style>AOSP</style>
   </googleJavaFormat>
   

   ???
10. simschla commented on Oct 3, 2023

    

    simschla

    on Oct 3, 2023

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    @pks-1981 As of now, this setting is not possible due to design decisions on Google's side.
11. xzxiaoshan commented on Oct 23, 2026

    

    xzxiaoshan

    on Oct 23, 2026

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    The blocker that closed this issue no longer exists.

    google-java-format v1.37.0 (released 2026-10-01) ships a native --max-line-length flag — this is google/google-java-format#425, landed in 6b86849.

    Specifically, the public static final int Formatter.MAX_LINE_LENGTH constant that @simschla identified as the hard blocker above (inlined at compile time, immune even to reflection) is gone. The column limit now flows through the options object — Formatter calls options.maxLineLength() — and the new public builder makes it fully programmatic:

    // JavaFormatterOptions.Style is now a record with a public builder
    JavaFormatterOptions.Style.builder()
        .aosp()             // or .google()
        .maxLineLength(120)
        .build();

    So Spotless could now expose something like <maxLineLength>120</maxLineLength> on the googleJavaFormat step (Gradle: googleJavaFormat { maxLineLength(120) }), gated on gjf 1.37.0+. For what it's worth, Google describes the new flag as an orthogonal option — it moves the column limit without changing any other layout decisions, so it doesn't conflict with the "opinionated, minimal configuration" philosophy.

    The default-version bump to 1.37.0 is also pending in #3130.
    @simschla