[Solved] IllegalStateException: Could not initialize plugin MockMaker

If you are working on Spring boot 2.x applications which automatically includes Mockito Core dependency and you are facing this error, then you may try the solution suggested.

1. Problem

Mockito core depends on a library called byte-buddy and this problem is mostly occurred when mocito doesn’t find a matching byte buddy jar version. Error looks like this:

java.lang.IllegalStateException: Could not initialize plugin: interface org.mockito.plugins.MockMaker (alternate: null)
	at org.mockito.internal.configuration.plugins. PluginLoader$1.invoke(PluginLoader.java:74) ~[mockito-core-2.23.4.jar:na]
	at com.sun.proxy.$Proxy61.getHandler(Unknown Source) ~[na:na]
	at org.mockito.internal.util. MockUtil.isMock(MockUtil.java:81) ~[mockito-core-2.23.4.jar:na]
	...
	...
Caused by: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: net/bytebuddy/dynamic/loading/ ClassInjector$UsingReflection
	at org.mockito.internal.creation.bytebuddy. SubclassInjectionLoader.<init>(SubclassInjectionLoader.java:28) ~[mockito-core-2.23.4.jar:na]
	at org.mockito.internal.creation.bytebuddy. SubclassByteBuddyMockMaker.<init>(SubclassByteBuddyMockMaker.java:33) ~[mockito-core-2.23.4.jar:na]
	at org.mockito.internal.creation.bytebuddy. ByteBuddyMockMaker.<init>(ByteBuddyMockMaker.java:21) ~[mockito-core-2.23.4.jar:na]
	
	...
	...
	[spring-test-5.1.4.RELEASE.jar:5.1.4.RELEASE]
	... 19 common frames omitted
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: net.bytebuddy.dynamic. loading.ClassInjector$UsingReflection
	at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_171]
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_171]
	at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_171]
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_171]
	... 42 common frames omitted

2. Solution

• Find out the mockito core version your project is using. In eclipse, you can check in project build path by navigating to
  

  Right click on project -> Properties -> Java build path -> Libraries tab

  

• Search maven repository for that version of mockito core. To me, it was : https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.mockito/mockito-core/2.23.4
• Look at the Compile Dependencies section. Note down the correct dependent version of byte-buddy and include in the project. If the jar is already included with some other version, override the version with this correct version.

  

Build the application and run the tests again. Your issue related to MockMaker must be solved by now.

Happy Learning !!