Document the between operator in SpEL

Closes gh-32140

framework-docs/modules/ROOT/pages/core/expressions/language-ref/operators.adoc

@@ -66,8 +66,23 @@ If you prefer numeric comparisons instead, avoid number-based `null` comparisons
 in favor of comparisons against zero (for example, `X > 0` or `X < 0`).
 ====
 
-In addition to the standard relational operators, SpEL supports the `instanceof` and regular
-expression-based `matches` operators. The following listing shows examples of both:
+Each symbolic operator can also be specified as a purely textual equivalent. This avoids
+problems where the symbols used have special meaning for the document type in which the
+expression is embedded (such as in an XML document). The textual equivalents are:
+
+* `lt` (`<`)
+* `gt` (`>`)
+* `le` (`\<=`)
+* `ge` (`>=`)
+* `eq` (`==`)
+* `ne` (`!=`)
+* `not` (`!`)
+
+All of the textual operators are case-insensitive.
+
+In addition to the standard relational operators, SpEL supports the `between`,
+`instanceof`, and regular expression-based `matches` operators. The following listing
+shows examples of all three:
 
 [tabs]
 ======
@@ -75,16 +90,38 @@ Java::
 +
 [source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="primary"]
 ----
+	boolean result;
+
+	// evaluates to true
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
+			"1 between {1, 5}").getValue(Boolean.class);
+
+	// evaluates to false
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
+			"1 between {10, 15}").getValue(Boolean.class);
+
+	// evaluates to true
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
+			"'elephant' between {'aardvark', 'zebra'}").getValue(Boolean.class);
+
 	// evaluates to false
-	boolean falseValue = parser.parseExpression(
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
+			"'elephant' between {'aardvark', 'cobra'}").getValue(Boolean.class);
+
+	// evaluates to true
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
+			"123 instanceof T(Integer)").getValue(Boolean.class);
+
+	// evaluates to false
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
 			"'xyz' instanceof T(Integer)").getValue(Boolean.class);
 
 	// evaluates to true
-	boolean trueValue = parser.parseExpression(
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
 			"'5.00' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean.class);
 
 	// evaluates to false
-	boolean falseValue = parser.parseExpression(
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
 			"'5.0067' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean.class);
 ----
 
@@ -92,38 +129,55 @@ Kotlin::
 +
 [source,kotlin,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="secondary"]
 ----
+	// evaluates to true
+	var result = parser.parseExpression(
+			"1 between {1, 5}").getValue(Boolean::class.java)
+
 	// evaluates to false
-	val falseValue = parser.parseExpression(
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
+			"1 between {10, 15}").getValue(Boolean::class.java)
+
+	// evaluates to true
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
+			"'elephant' between {'aardvark', 'zebra'}").getValue(Boolean::class.java)
+
+	// evaluates to false
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
+			"'elephant' between {'aardvark', 'cobra'}").getValue(Boolean::class.java)
+
+	// evaluates to true
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
+			"123 instanceof T(Integer)").getValue(Boolean::class.java)
+
+	// evaluates to false
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
 			"'xyz' instanceof T(Integer)").getValue(Boolean::class.java)
 
 	// evaluates to true
-	val trueValue = parser.parseExpression(
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
 			"'5.00' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean::class.java)
 
 	// evaluates to false
-	val falseValue = parser.parseExpression(
+	result = parser.parseExpression(
 			"'5.0067' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean::class.java)
 ----
 ======
 
+[NOTE]
+====
+The left operand to the `between` operator must be a single value, and the right operand
+must be a 2-element list which defines the range.
+
+The `between` operator returns `true` if the left operand is _between_ the two elements
+in the range, inclusive (using a comparison algorithm based on `java.lang.Comparable`).
+In addition, the first element in the range must be less than or equal to the second
+element in the range.
+====
+
 CAUTION: Be careful with primitive types, as they are immediately boxed up to their
 wrapper types. For example, `1 instanceof T(int)` evaluates to `false`, while
 `1 instanceof T(Integer)` evaluates to `true`.
 
-Each symbolic operator can also be specified as a purely textual equivalent. This avoids
-problems where the symbols used have special meaning for the document type in which the
-expression is embedded (such as in an XML document). The textual equivalents are:
-
-* `lt` (`<`)
-* `gt` (`>`)
-* `le` (`\<=`)
-* `ge` (`>=`)
-* `eq` (`==`)
-* `ne` (`!=`)
-* `not` (`!`)
-
-All of the textual operators are case-insensitive.
-
 
 [[expressions-operators-logical]]
 == Logical Operators

spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/OperatorBetween.java

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2022 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2024 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -26,12 +26,18 @@ import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelMessage;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.support.BooleanTypedValue;
 
 /**
- * Represents the between operator. The left operand to between must be a single value and
- * the right operand must be a list - this operator returns true if the left operand is
- * between (using the registered comparator) the two elements in the list. The definition
- * of between being inclusive follows the SQL BETWEEN definition.
+ * Represents the {@code between} operator.
+ *
+ * <p>The left operand must be a single value, and the right operand must be a
+ * 2-element list which defines the range.
+ *
+ * <p>This operator returns {@code true} if the left operand is between the two
+ * elements in the range, inclusive (using the registered {@link TypeComparator}
+ * for comparison). In addition, the first element in the range must be less than
+ * or equal to the second element in the range.
  *
  * @author Andy Clement
+ * @author Sam Brannen
  * @since 3.0
  */
 public class OperatorBetween extends Operator {

spring-expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/SpelDocumentationTests.java

@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ class SpelDocumentationTests extends AbstractExpressionTests {
 	void relationalOperators() {
 		boolean result = parser.parseExpression("2 == 2").getValue(Boolean.class);
 		assertThat(result).isTrue();
+
 		// evaluates to false
 		result = parser.parseExpression("2 < -5.0").getValue(Boolean.class);
 		assertThat(result).isFalse();
@@ -232,17 +233,47 @@ class SpelDocumentationTests extends AbstractExpressionTests {
 
 	@Test
 	void otherOperators() {
+		boolean result;
+
+		// evaluates to true
+		result = parser.parseExpression(
+				"1 between {1, 5}").getValue(Boolean.class);
+		assertThat(result).isTrue();
+
 		// evaluates to false
-		boolean falseValue = parser.parseExpression("'xyz' instanceof T(int)").getValue(Boolean.class);
-		assertThat(falseValue).isFalse();
+		result = parser.parseExpression(
+				"1 between {10, 15}").getValue(Boolean.class);
+		assertThat(result).isFalse();
 
 		// evaluates to true
-		boolean trueValue = parser.parseExpression("'5.00' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean.class);
-		assertThat(trueValue).isTrue();
+		result = parser.parseExpression(
+				"'elephant' between {'aardvark', 'zebra'}").getValue(Boolean.class);
+		assertThat(result).isTrue();
 
-		//evaluates to false
-		falseValue = parser.parseExpression("'5.0067' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean.class);
-		assertThat(falseValue).isFalse();
+		// evaluates to false
+		result = parser.parseExpression(
+				"'elephant' between {'aardvark', 'cobra'}").getValue(Boolean.class);
+		assertThat(result).isFalse();
+
+		// evaluates to true
+		result = parser.parseExpression(
+				"123 instanceof T(Integer)").getValue(Boolean.class);
+		assertThat(result).isTrue();
+
+		// evaluates to false
+		result = parser.parseExpression(
+				"'xyz' instanceof T(Integer)").getValue(Boolean.class);
+		assertThat(result).isFalse();
+
+		// evaluates to true
+		result = parser.parseExpression(
+				"'5.00' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean.class);
+		assertThat(result).isTrue();
+
+		// evaluates to false
+		result = parser.parseExpression(
+				"'5.0067' matches '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d{2})?$'").getValue(Boolean.class);
+		assertThat(result).isFalse();
 	}
 
 	@Test