I’m currently working on a Java Spring project and trying to add elements to a List<String> using the .add() method. However, when I type the dot (.) after declaring my list, IntelliJ doesn’t recognize the dot operator. Instead of allowing me to call methods like .add(), a lightbulb icon appears next to the line, and the tooltip suggests “Not a statement.”

@Bean
public Subjects Msub() {
    Subjects subj = new Subjects();
    List<String> subjList = new ArrayList<>();
    
    // Issue occurs here when I try to use the .add() method
    subjList.add("Math");  // The dot operator is not clickable, and IntelliJ shows a lightbulb.
    
    return subj;
}`

I ensured that my list was initialized properly and checked for syntax errors, but the issue persists.

Troubleshooting Attempts:

• Checked imports: I verified that java.util.List and java.util.ArrayList are imported correctly.
• Rebuilt the project: I tried rebuilding the project to ensure all dependencies were loaded.
• Invalidated caches and restarted IntelliJ: This didn’t resolve the issue.
• Used IntelliJ suggestions (Alt/Option + Enter): IntelliJ offers no helpful suggestions, just stating “Not a statement.”

• but when I directly copy and paste the code, it works

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