# java:S1144: renaming an annotation type changes whether an unused private method is reported

**URL:** <https://community.sonarsource.com/t/java-renaming-an-annotation-type-changes-whether-an-unused-private-method-is-reported/190819>\
**Category:** Report False-positive / False-negative...\
**Tags:** java\
**Created:** [November 3, 2026, 4:06pm UTC](https://community.sonarsource.com/t/java-renaming-an-annotation-type-changes-whether-an-unused-private-method-is-reported/190819 "2026-11-03T16:06:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MarkLee131](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/sonarsource/user_avatar/community.sonarsource.com/marklee131/32/77010_2.png) [@MarkLee131](https://community.sonarsource.com/u/MarkLee131)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2026, 4:06pm UTC](https://community.sonarsource.com/t/java-renaming-an-annotation-type-changes-whether-an-unused-private-method-is-reported/190819/1 "2026-11-03T16:06:47Z")

</div>

**Product/version:** SonarQube Community Build 26.9.0.129388 (sonar-java 8.41.0.47177), sonar-scanner 8.1.0.6389

**Language:** Java

**Rule:** java:S1144

**Issue:**

The two files only differ in the name of a user annotation type: `@interface MethodTag { String value(); }` vs `@interface Lookup`, used as `@MethodTag("helper")` / `@Lookup("helper")` on a public method, plus an unused `private void helper()`. With `MethodTag` S1144 is silent, with `Lookup` it reports `helper()`. Nothing references `helper()` in either file.

`UnusedPrivateMethodCheck.MethodsUsedInAnnotationsFilter` treats a string literal as a method reference when the annotation’s simple name contains “method” (case-insensitive; SONARJAVA-4943, PR #4776). If that’s meant for JUnit’s `@MethodSource` and similar, could it be limited to those, or mentioned in the rule description?

**Reproducer:**

`seed/WRRename.java`:

```java
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;

public class WRRename {
    @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
    @interface MethodTag {
        String value();
    }

    @MethodTag("helper")
    public void run() {
        helper(1);
    }

    public void helper(int x) {
        System.out.println(x);
    }

    private void helper() {
        System.out.println("h");
    }
}

```

`variant/WRRename.java`:

```java
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;

public class WRRename {
    @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
    @interface Lookup {
        String value();
    }

    @Lookup("helper")
    public void run() {
        helper(1);
    }

    public void helper(int x) {
        System.out.println(x);
    }

    private void helper() {
        System.out.println("h");
    }
}

```

**Expected behavior:**

The same result on both files: S1144 on `helper()` in both, or an exemption stated in the rule description.

**How to reproduce:**

```auto
# one project per file
sonar-scanner -Dsonar.projectKey=<key> -Dsonar.sources=. \
    -Dsonar.java.binaries=. -Dsonar.scm.disabled=true

```

**Output** of the commands above:

```plaintext
### SonarQube Community Build 26.9.0.129388 (sonar-java 8.41.0.47177), server reports 26.9.0.129388, default Sonar way profile rule: S1144

--- SEED -- expected: not reported (seed/)
    java:S1220 line - Move this file to a named package.
    java:S106 line 16 Replace this use of System.out by a logger.
    java:S106 line 20 Replace this use of System.out by a logger.
    [S1144: 0]

--- VARIANT -- expected: not reported; actual: reported (variant/)
    java:S1220 line - Move this file to a named package.
    java:S106 line 16 Replace this use of System.out by a logger.
    java:S1144 line 19 Remove this unused private "helper" method. <== S1144
    java:S106 line 20 Replace this use of System.out by a logger.
    [S1144: 1]

```