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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"jsonMergePatch operations use Fabric8 JSON Patch semantics and can remove spec","articleBody":"### What happened?\n\n`ResourceOperations.jsonMergePatch(...)` and `ResourceOperations.jsonMergePatchPrimary(...)` are documented as applying RFC 7386 JSON Merge Patch, but they delegate to Fabric8's no-context `.patch()` method.\n\nFabric8's default `.patch()` intentionally fetches the current resource and computes an RFC 6902 JSON Patch diff. When the supplied resource is a partial metadata patch, the generated diff removes fields that are omitted from the partial object, including `spec`.\n\nThe status variants are not affected because Fabric8's `patchStatus()` explicitly selects `PatchType.JSON_MERGE`.\n\n### Versions verified\n\n- Java Operator SDK 5.3.5 with Fabric8 7.7.0\n- Java Operator SDK 5.5.0 with Fabric8 7.8.0\n\nThe behavior is still present in the current `main` branch.\n\n### Minimal reproduction\n\nAssume this custom resource already exists:\n\n```yaml\napiVersion: example.io/v1\nkind: Example\nmetadata:\n  name: example\nspec:\n  value: keep-me\n```\n\nApply a partial metadata patch through `ResourceOperations`:\n\n```java\nExample patch = new Example();\npatch.getMetadata().setName(\"example\");\npatch.getMetadata().setLabels(Map.of(\"resolved\", \"true\"));\n\ncontext.resourceOperations().jsonMergePatchPrimary(patch);\n```\n\nFabric8 computes a JSON Patch equivalent to:\n\n```json\n[\n  {\"op\":\"add\",\"path\":\"/metadata/labels/resolved\",\"value\":\"true\"},\n  {\"op\":\"remove\",\"path\":\"/spec\"},\n  {\"op\":\"remove\",\"path\":\"/status\"}\n]\n```\n\nFor a CRD whose root `spec` is optional, the API server accepts the patch and permanently removes the spec. We encountered this in a real controller where subsequent reconciliation failed because `getSpec()` returned null.\n\n### Expected behavior\n\nMethods named and documented as JSON Merge Patch should send `application/merge-patch+json` and preserve fields omitted from the partial resource.\n\n### Relevant implementation\n\nJOSDK 5.5.0 delegates to `.patch()` without specifying a patch type:\n\n- [`ResourceOperations.jsonMergePatchPrimary`](https://github.com/operator-framework/java-operator-sdk/blob/v5.5.0/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/ResourceOperations.java#L838-L843)\n\nFabric8's default `.patch()` selects JSON Patch and diffs the current and supplied resources:\n\n- [`HasMetadataOperation.patch()`](https://github.com/fabric8io/kubernetes-client/blob/v7.8.0/kubernetes-client/src/main/java/io/fabric8/kubernetes/client/dsl/internal/HasMetadataOperation.java#L245-L246)\n- [`OperationSupport.handlePatch(...)`](https://github.com/fabric8io/kubernetes-client/blob/v7.8.0/kubernetes-client/src/main/java/io/fabric8/kubernetes/client/dsl/internal/OperationSupport.java#L377-L397)\n\n### Suggested fix\n\nMake the non-status JSON Merge Patch operations pass an explicit patch context, for example:\n\n```java\nr -> context.getClient()\n    .resource(r)\n    .patch(PatchContext.of(PatchType.JSON_MERGE), r)\n```\n\nThe cache and own-event filtering behavior can remain unchanged. Regression coverage should create a complete resource, apply a partial metadata merge patch, and assert that `spec` survives.\n","author":{"url":"https://github.com/brianzilliz","@type":"Person","name":"brianzilliz"},"datePublished":"2026-07-23T08:01:42Z","url":"https://github.com/operator-framework/java-operator-sdk/issues/3512"}