https://javaserverfaces-spec-public.dev.java.net/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=868 Background: The JSF specification contains the following: /** * <p class="changed_added_2_0">The key to which the * <code>UIComponent</code> currently being processed will be * associated with within the {@link FacesContext} attributes map.</p> * * @see javax.faces.context.FacesContext#getAttributes() * * @since 2.0 */ public static final String CURRENT_COMPONENT = "javax.faces.component.CURRENT_COMPONENT"; /** * <p class="changed_added_2_0">The key to which the * <em>composite</em> <code>UIComponent</code> currently being * processed will be associated with within the {@link FacesContext} * attributes map.</p> * * @see javax.faces.context.FacesContext#getAttributes() * * @since 2.0 */ public static final String CURRENT_COMPOSITE_COMPONENT = "javax.faces.component.CURRENT_COMPOSITE_COMPONENT"; The guarantee that the current and current composite components are available through FacesContext.getAttributes() doesn't seem right for several reasons: 1) It isn't useful. The static methods UIComponent.getCurrentComponent() and UIComponent.getCurrentCompositeComponent() are more convenient and typesafe. 2) It is dangerous. If the values of these attributes is set, the current stack will be messed up 3) When we aren't using the particular space-inefficient implementation the JSF RI currently uses, maintaining these attributes just in case a developer tries to request them is a waste Proposal Due to our iron-clad commitment to backwards compatibility, we keep the public static final String constants, but alter the behavior, providing a context-param to restore the old behavior. The constants will only be honored if the context param is set. Does this sound ok? -- | edburns(a)oracle.com | office: +1 407 458 0017 | homepage: | http://ridingthecrest.com/ | 06 work days until JSF 2.1 Milestone 2