Cannot construct instance of X (no Creators, like default constructor, exist)

The fix

Put @JsonCreator on the constructor, and @JsonProperty("id") and @JsonProperty("status") on its parameters, as in the fixed code. For an abstract class, read into a concrete class instead.

{
  "id": 7,
  "status": "shipped"
}

public class Order {
  private final long id;
  private final String status;

  public Order(long id, String status) {
    this.id = id;
    this.status = status;
  }

  public long getId() {
    return id;
  }

  public String getStatus() {
    return status;
  }
}

Order order = mapper.readValue(json, Order.class);

public class Order {
  private final long id;
  private final String status;

  @JsonCreator
  public Order(@JsonProperty("id") long id, @JsonProperty("status") String status) {
    this.id = id;
    this.status = status;
  }

  public long getId() {
    return id;
  }

  public String getStatus() {
    return status;
  }
}

Order order = mapper.readValue(json, Order.class);

How the message appears

Jackson 2, then Jackson 3, then Spring (the same on 6.2 and 7.0). Spring only prints Type definition error and the class name. After that, two other versions of the problem: a class with a single-argument constructor, and an abstract class.

What causes it

1. 1

   A constructor with arguments and no annotations

   The Order here has one constructor, Order(long id, String status), and no annotations. There is no default constructor to call, and nothing tells Jackson which key goes to which parameter. So it gives up with no Creators, like default constructor, exist. The JSON is fine. (The class was compiled with plain javac, without the -parameters flag.)

2. 2

   A constructor with one argument

   With only Order(long id) the wording changes: although at least one Creator exists, then no delegate- or property-based Creator. Jackson found the constructor but cannot use it for a JSON object. Spring shows this one as JSON parse error, not as a type definition error.

3. 3

   An abstract class

   Reading into an abstract Shape gives abstract types either need to be mapped to concrete types, have custom deserializer, or contain additional type information. Read into a concrete class, or add the type information the message asks for.

4. 4

   Spring only names the class

   Spring 6.2 and 7.0 print HttpMessageConversionException: Type definition error: [simple type, class com.example.Order]. The reason is not in that message. To see it, read the same JSON with a plain ObjectMapper, like the code on this page. Other Spring messages are on the Spring page.