MapStruct - Using Default Expression

Using Mapstruct we can pass a computed value using defaultExpression in case source property is null using defaultExpression attribute of @Mapping annotation.

Syntax

@Mapping(target = "target-property", source="source-property" defaultExpression = "default-value-method")

Here

• default-value-method − target-property will be set as result of default-value-method in case source-property is null.

Following example demonstrates the same.

Example - Using Default Expression

Open project mapping as updated in Mapping Using defaultValue chapter in Eclipse.

Update CarEntity.java with following code −

CarEntity.java

package com.tutorialspoint.entity;
import java.util.GregorianCalendar;

public class CarEntity {
   private int id;
   private double price;
   private GregorianCalendar manufacturingDate;
   private String name;
   public int getId() {
      return id;
   }
   public void setId(int id) {
      this.id = id;
   }
   public double getPrice() {
      return price;
   }
   public void setPrice(double price) {
      this.price = price;
   }
   public GregorianCalendar getManufacturingDate() {
      return manufacturingDate;
   }
   public void setManufacturingDate(GregorianCalendar manufacturingDate) {
      this.manufacturingDate = manufacturingDate;
   }
   public String getName() {
      return name;
   }
   public void setName(String name) {
      this.name = name;
   }
}

Update Car.java with following code −

Car.java

package com.tutorialspoint.model;
public class Car {
   private int id;
   private String price;
   private String manufacturingDate;
   private String brand;
   private String name;
   public int getId() {
      return id;
   }
   public void setId(int id) {
      this.id = id;
   }
   public String getPrice() {
      return price;
   }
   public void setPrice(String price) {
      this.price = price;
   }
   public String getManufacturingDate() {
      return manufacturingDate;
   }
   public void setManufacturingDate(String manufacturingDate) {
      this.manufacturingDate = manufacturingDate;
   }
   public String getBrand() {
      return brand;
   }
   public void setBrand(String brand) {
      this.brand = brand;
   }
   public String getName() {
      return name;
   }
   public void setName(String name) {
      this.name = name;
   }
}

Update CarMapper.java with following code −

CarMapper.java

package com.tutorialspoint.mapper;

import org.mapstruct.Mapper;
import org.mapstruct.Mapping;
import com.tutorialspoint.entity.CarEntity;
import com.tutorialspoint.model.Car;
import java.util.UUID;

@Mapper( imports = UUID.class )
public interface CarMapper {
   @Mapping(source = "name", target = "name", defaultExpression = "java(UUID.randomUUID().toString())")
   @Mapping(target = "brand", constant = "BMW")
   @Mapping(source = "price", target = "price", numberFormat = "$#.00")
   @Mapping(source = "manufacturingDate", target = "manufacturingDate", dateFormat = "dd.MM.yyyy")
   Car getModelFromEntity(CarEntity carEntity);
}

Update CarMapperTest.java with following code −

CarMapperTest.java

package com.tutorialspoint.test;

import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNotNull;
import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
import org.mapstruct.factory.Mappers;
import com.tutorialspoint.entity.CarEntity;
import com.tutorialspoint.mapper.CarMapper;
import com.tutorialspoint.model.Car;

public class CarMapperTest {
   private CarMapper carMapper=Mappers.getMapper(CarMapper.class);

   @Test
   public void testEntityToModel() {
      CarEntity entity = new CarEntity();
      entity.setPrice(345000);
      entity.setId(1);
      entity.setManufacturingDate(new GregorianCalendar(2015, 3, 5));
      Car model = carMapper.getModelFromEntity(entity);
      assertEquals(model.getPrice(), "$345000.00");
      assertEquals(entity.getId(), model.getId());
      assertEquals("05.04.2015", model.getManufacturingDate());
      assertNotNull(model.getName());
      assertEquals("BMW", model.getBrand());
   }
}

Run the following command to test the mappings.

mvn clean test

Output

Once command is successful. Verify the output.

mvn clean test
[INFO] Scanning for projects...
...
[INFO] -------------------------------------------------------
[INFO]  T E S T S
[INFO] -------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Running com.tutorialspoint.test.[1mCarMapperTest[m
[INFO] [1;32mTests run: [0;1;32m1[m, Failures: 0, Errors: 0, Skipped: 0, Time elapsed: 0.092 s -- in com.tutorialspoint.test.[1mCarMapperTest[m
[INFO] Running com.tutorialspoint.test.[1mDeliveryAddressMapperTest[m
[INFO] [1;32mTests run: [0;1;32m1[m, Failures: 0, Errors: 0, Skipped: 0, Time elapsed: 0.006 s -- in com.tutorialspoint.test.[1mDeliveryAddressMapperTest[m
[INFO] Running com.tutorialspoint.test.[1mStudentMapperTest[m
[INFO] [1;32mTests run: [0;1;32m2[m, Failures: 0, Errors: 0, Skipped: 0, Time elapsed: 0.004 s -- in com.tutorialspoint.test.[1mStudentMapperTest[m
[INFO] 
[INFO] Results:
[INFO] 
[INFO] [1;32mTests run: 4, Failures: 0, Errors: 0, Skipped: 0[m
[INFO] 
[INFO] [1m------------------------------------------------------------------------[m
[INFO] [1;32mBUILD SUCCESS[m
[INFO] [1m------------------------------------------------------------------------[m
[INFO] Total time:  3.968 s
[INFO] Finished at: 2025-09-14T15:56:57+05:30
[INFO] [1m------------------------------------------------------------------------[m