Respect @SuppressWarnings("unused") in editor highlighting of private constructors #9747

Apache NetBeans version

Apache NetBeans 31

What happened

In Apache NetBeans 29, an intentionally empty private constructor is marked as unused:

public class Connect {
  @SuppressWarnings("unused")
  private Connect() {
  }

  public static void open() {
  }
}

The private constructor deliberately prevents instantiation of a class used through static methods.

Adding @SuppressWarnings("unused") removes the yellow hint indicator, but the constructor remains underlined as unused.

Expected behavior: the annotation should suppress the unused-element underline as well. An empty private constructor together with explicit suppression clearly indicates intentional non-use.

Disabling unused-element highlighting globally is unsuitable because it hides useful feedback elsewhere.

Environment: Apache NetBeans 29, JDK 25, Windows.

Language / Project Type / NetBeans Component

No response

How to reproduce

In Apache NetBeans 29, an intentionally empty private constructor is marked as unused:

public class Connect {
  @SuppressWarnings("unused")
  private Connect() {
  }

  public static void open() {
  }
}

The private constructor deliberately prevents instantiation of a class used through static methods.

Adding @SuppressWarnings("unused") removes the yellow hint indicator, but the constructor remains underlined as unused.

Expected behavior: the annotation should suppress the unused-element underline as well. An empty private constructor together with explicit suppression clearly indicates intentional non-use.

Disabling unused-element highlighting globally is unsuitable because it hides useful feedback elsewhere.

Environment: Apache NetBeans 29, JDK 25, Windows.

Did this work correctly in an earlier version?

No / Don't know

Operating System

Windows 10

JDK

jdk-21.0.11

Apache NetBeans packaging

Apache NetBeans binary zip

Anything else

Every times

Are you willing to submit a pull request?

No