HTTP Request Interceptors (Spring Boot Filters)

How many filters are “too many”?

Spring Boot Filters (HTTP Request Interceptors) seem like a good idea, and they can be. It’s a good place to perform token authentication/authorization for example. However, you should use them judiciously. It can get out of hand quickly. When I saw a couple dozen interceptors in a recent project I had that reaction. What’s worse is that some of the filters depended on other filters and therefore, specific order had to be maintained.

In my opinion you’ve gone too far if you see a situation like this. Use them for auditing, logging, and other non-business logic. When you start seeing business logic show up filters, it’s time to rethink.