Exception: javax.naming.NoInitialContextException

If you try to use Camel without Spring using code something like this:

CamelContext context = new DefaultCamelContext();
context.addRoutes(new MyRouteBuilder());

context.start();

You might get an exception like this:

     [java] Caused by: javax.naming.NoInitialContextException: Need to specify class name in environment or system property, or as an applet parameter, or in an application resource file:  java.naming.factory.initial
     [java]     at javax.naming.spi.NamingManager.getInitialContext(NamingManager.java:645)
     [java]     at javax.naming.InitialContext.getDefaultInitCtx(InitialContext.java:247)
     [java]     at javax.naming.InitialContext.getURLOrDefaultInitCtx(InitialContext.java:284)
     [java]     at javax.naming.InitialContext.lookup(InitialContext.java:351)
     [java]     at org.apache.camel.impl.JndiRegistry.lookup(JndiRegistry.java:51)

This is because if you are not using Spring then the default Registry implementation uses JNDI.

A simple workaround for this is to specify a JNDI provider. An easy fix is to create a file called jndi.properties on the classpath and give it this content…​

java.naming.factory.initial = org.apache.camel.util.jndi.CamelInitialContextFactory
Back to top