Remove java packages from OSGi Import-Package directives

[axeluhl]

I'm using org.eclipse.tycho.surefire.junit59-4.0.12.jar for a Maven/Tycho build including surefire tests.

I'm currently using the following in my target platform definition:

The error message I'm seeing is this:

!ENTRY org.eclipse.osgi 4 0 2025-07-07 14:34:24.651
!MESSAGE Error installing bundle: reference:file:../../../../../../../.m2/repository/org/eclipse/tycho/org.eclipse.tycho.surefire.junit59/4.0.12/org.eclipse.tycho.surefire.junit59-4.0.12.jar
!STACK 0
org.osgi.framework.BundleException: Invalid manifest header Import-Package: "java.io" : Cannot specify java.* packages in Import/Export headers "java.io"
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.checkImportExportSyntax(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:147)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.validateHeaders(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:118)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.createBuilder(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:78)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.createBuilder(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:56)
at org.eclipse.osgi.storage.Storage.getBuilder(Storage.java:587)
at org.eclipse.osgi.storage.Storage.install(Storage.java:514)
at org.eclipse.osgi.internal.framework.BundleContextImpl.installBundle(BundleContextImpl.java:146)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.installBundles(EclipseStarter.java:966)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.loadBasicBundles(EclipseStarter.java:575)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.startup(EclipseStarter.java:311)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:231)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:648)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:603)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:1465)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.main(Main.java:1438)

!ENTRY org.eclipse.osgi 4 0 2025-07-07 14:34:24.654
!MESSAGE Error installing bundle: reference:file:../../../../../../../.m2/repository/p2/osgi/bundle/junit-platform-launcher/1.11.3/junit-platform-launcher-1.11.3.jar
!STACK 0
org.osgi.framework.BundleException: Invalid manifest header Import-Package: "java.io" : Cannot specify java.* packages in Import/Export headers "java.io"
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.checkImportExportSyntax(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:147)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.validateHeaders(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:118)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.createBuilder(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:78)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.createBuilder(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:56)
at org.eclipse.osgi.storage.Storage.getBuilder(Storage.java:587)
at org.eclipse.osgi.storage.Storage.install(Storage.java:514)
at org.eclipse.osgi.internal.framework.BundleContextImpl.installBundle(BundleContextImpl.java:146)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.installBundles(EclipseStarter.java:966)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.loadBasicBundles(EclipseStarter.java:575)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.startup(EclipseStarter.java:311)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:231)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:648)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:603)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:1465)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.main(Main.java:1438)

!ENTRY org.eclipse.osgi 4 0 2025-07-07 14:34:24.701
!MESSAGE Error installing bundle: reference:file:../../../../../../../.m2/repository/p2/osgi/bundle/junit-jupiter-engine/5.11.3/junit-jupiter-engine-5.11.3.jar
!STACK 0
org.osgi.framework.BundleException: Invalid manifest header Import-Package: "java.io" : Cannot specify java.* packages in Import/Export headers "java.io"
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.checkImportExportSyntax(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:147)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.validateHeaders(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:118)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.createBuilder(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:78)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.createBuilder(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:56)
at org.eclipse.osgi.storage.Storage.getBuilder(Storage.java:587)
at org.eclipse.osgi.storage.Storage.install(Storage.java:514)
at org.eclipse.osgi.internal.framework.BundleContextImpl.installBundle(BundleContextImpl.java:146)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.installBundles(EclipseStarter.java:966)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.loadBasicBundles(EclipseStarter.java:575)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.startup(EclipseStarter.java:311)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:231)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:648)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:603)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:1465)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.main(Main.java:1438)

!ENTRY org.eclipse.osgi 4 0 2025-07-07 14:34:24.706
!MESSAGE Error installing bundle: reference:file:../../../../../../../.m2/repository/p2/osgi/bundle/junit-jupiter-api/5.11.3/junit-jupiter-api-5.11.3.jar
!STACK 0
org.osgi.framework.BundleException: Invalid manifest header Import-Package: "java.io" : Cannot specify java.* packages in Import/Export headers "java.io"
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.checkImportExportSyntax(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:147)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.validateHeaders(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:118)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.createBuilder(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:78)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.createBuilder(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:56)
at org.eclipse.osgi.storage.Storage.getBuilder(Storage.java:587)
at org.eclipse.osgi.storage.Storage.install(Storage.java:514)
at org.eclipse.osgi.internal.framework.BundleContextImpl.installBundle(BundleContextImpl.java:146)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.installBundles(EclipseStarter.java:966)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.loadBasicBundles(EclipseStarter.java:575)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.startup(EclipseStarter.java:311)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:231)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:648)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:603)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:1465)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.main(Main.java:1438)

!ENTRY org.eclipse.osgi 4 0 2025-07-07 14:34:24.744
!MESSAGE Error installing bundle: reference:file:../../../../../../../.m2/repository/p2/osgi/bundle/junit-platform-commons/1.11.3/junit-platform-commons-1.11.3.jar
!STACK 0
org.osgi.framework.BundleException: Invalid manifest header Import-Package: "java.io" : Cannot specify java.* packages in Import/Export headers "java.io"
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.checkImportExportSyntax(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:147)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.validateHeaders(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:118)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.createBuilder(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:78)
at org.eclipse.osgi.container.builders.OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.createBuilder(OSGiManifestBuilderFactory.java:56)
at org.eclipse.osgi.storage.Storage.getBuilder(Storage.java:587)
at org.eclipse.osgi.storage.Storage.install(Storage.java:514)
at org.eclipse.osgi.internal.framework.BundleContextImpl.installBundle(BundleContextImpl.java:146)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.installBundles(EclipseStarter.java:966)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.loadBasicBundles(EclipseStarter.java:575)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.startup(EclipseStarter.java:311)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:231)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:648)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:603)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:1465)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.main(Main.java:1438)

All these bundles contain MANIFEST.MF files that use Import-Package: headers with java.* packages making OSGi/Equinox fail upon strict validation.

I think those bundles should not contain these Import-Package: specifiers for java.* packages. Maybe this is an artifact of how the manifests are built?

[marcphilipp]

Thanks for the report! It goes to show that we're not using the OSGi metadata ourselves. Otherwise, this wouldn't have been broken for so long.

I ran a git bisect and the first bad commit was 6b34cdd, updating bnd from 6.4.0 to 7.0.0.

Looks like this is due to a new feature introduced in that version.

Does Eclipse Equinox not support OSGi Core R7?

Removing those directives now could be considered a breaking change since other users with different OSGi runtimes might rely on them.

@bjhargrave Do you have any insight here?

[bjhargrave]

Importing java.* packages is no longer invalid with the R7 Core specification. It does require the OSGi framework implementation supports R7 Core and also that you are using Java 9 or later (Java 9 added the reflective API which the OSGi framework implementation needs in order to know what java.* packages are present at runtime).

One "solution" would be for JUnit to add -noimportjava=true to its bnd configuration. This prevents bnd from ever importing java.* packages.

[bjhargrave]

Java 9 added the reflective API which the OSGi framework implementation needs in order to know what java.* packages are present at runtime

bnd will check for this at build time, but with a library like JUnit, you cannot assume the same (or later) version of Java is used at build time and runtime. Since JUnit is probably using the most current Java release at build time, bnd's heuristics determined importing java.* was safe. But this will not be the case for all possible users of JUnit, so adding the -noimportjava=true bnd configuration is appropriate.

[axeluhl]

We're using this on Java 8. The problem showed when trying to upgrade Equinox from 3.18 to 3.22. For some reason different versions of the Equinox launcher are used for different test fragments in our workspace (1.3 vs. 1.6). Those run with 1.6 work ok. Those launched with 1.3 fail with the errors above.

[marcphilipp]

@bjhargrave The upcoming 6.0 release will have a Java 17 baseline. IIUC, you're saying that we can safely keep this feature enabled for 6.0 but should remove it for 5.x which has a Java 8 baseline, correct?

Why does bnd use the Java runtime as its heuristic rather than the Java compatibility that gets written to OSGi metadata?

[marcphilipp]

@axeluhl Would it be possible to update the Equinox launcher you'rr using to 1.6 everywhere in your workspace?