Simple Hacks: How one can Deal with Exceptions in Java

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IntelliJ IDEA
Java

Maarten Balliauw

Beforehand, we explored the way to throw exceptions in Java to sign error circumstances in our code. However throwing exceptions is barely half the story. To construct strong and dependable functions, we additionally have to know the way to deal with them successfully.

On this publish, we’ll discover how one can deal with exceptions in Java, and we’ll additionally present you some strategies to handle anticipated and sudden occasions in your tasks.

Understanding exceptions

Exceptions are objects that characterize errors or sudden occasions that happen throughout program execution. When an exception is thrown, the conventional move of management is interrupted, and this system transfers management to an acceptable exception handler.

Java defines three primary classes of exceptions:

Checked exceptions – These are exceptions that the compiler requires you to deal with explicitly. They usually characterize recoverable errors, similar to information not being discovered (FileNotFoundException or IOException), community connection points, or enterprise logic errors that it would be best to get well from.

Unchecked exceptions – These exceptions, also referred to as runtime exceptions, don’t require express dealing with. They usually characterize programming errors, similar to trying to entry a null object (NullPointerException), or an invalid array index (ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException).

Errors – These exceptions are usually utilized by the JVM, like OutOfMemoryError, and point out extreme issues just like the JVM being unable to allocate reminiscence for an object. Restoration from such conditions is usually not doable. 

The Java platform offers a wealthy library of exception lessons to sign errors in your code. Moreover, you may create customized exception varieties to point interruptions within the regular utility move.

Strategies in code that may throw checked exceptions have to be annotated with the throws syntax to make data accessible to the caller. Both by including throws to their very own technique signature (signifying the caller may additionally throw checked exceptions), or catch the exception and deal with it. You would additionally re-throw the exception, as we’ll see later. What’s extra, instruments like IntelliJ IDEA can analyze whether or not exceptions are dealt with (or not), and counsel a correct decision.

Dealing with exceptions with attempt…catch blocks

The attempt…catch block is the first mechanism for dealing with Java exceptions. Code that may throw an exception is positioned inside the attempt block, and the catch block handles the exception or its inheritors as acceptable.

Right here’s the essential syntax:

attempt {
// Code that may throw an exception
} catch (SomeException e) {
// Deal with the exception of kind SomeException and its inheritors
}

For instance, the next code makes an attempt to learn information from a file and catches a possible FileNotFoundException:

attempt {
FileReader reader = new FileReader(“information.txt”);
// Learn information from the file
} catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
System.out.println(“Error: File not discovered!”);
}

Word: In IntelliJ IDEA, use the Encompass With… motion (Ctrl+Alt+T on Home windows/Linux, ⌘⌥T on macOS) or use the Encompass tab within the floating toolbar to rapidly add a attempt…catch or attempt…catch…lastly block round chosen code:

You may have a number of catch blocks to deal with several types of exceptions:

attempt {
// Code that may throw completely different exceptions
} catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
// Deal with file not discovered exception
} catch (IOException e) {
// Deal with different I/O exceptions
}

The lastly block is an optionally available a part of the attempt…catch assemble. It executes no matter whether or not an exception is thrown, until it’s an exception that terminates the JVM, such because the one thrown after invoking System.exit(). The lastly block is good for cleanup duties like closing information, streams, database connections, or releasing different assets. Word that attempt…lastly can be doable, with out catch.

attempt {
// Open a file and course of information
} catch (IOException e) {
// Deal with exception
} lastly {
// Shut the file
}

Whereas the attempt…catch…lastly assemble offers a strong mechanism for dealing with exceptions and guaranteeing useful resource cleanup, a extra concise and streamlined method exists: attempt…with…assets. Let’s see the way it works!

Useful resource cleanup with attempt…with…assets

Java 7 launched the attempt…with…assets assemble, simplifying exception dealing with when working with assets that should be closed. Recordsdata, streams, database connections, and different closable assets might be closed mechanically, even when an exception happens, eliminating the necessity for express cleanup in a lastly block.

Any object that implements java.lang.AutoCloseable, which incorporates all objects that implement java.io.Closeable, can be utilized as a useful resource.

Right here’s the syntax for attempt…with…assets:

attempt (Useful resource useful resource = …) {
// Code that makes use of the useful resource
} catch (ExceptionType e) {
// Deal with exception
}

The next instance reads the primary line from a file. It makes use of an occasion of FileReader and BufferedReader to learn information from the file. FileReader is a useful resource that have to be closed after this system is completed utilizing it with a purpose to forestall useful resource leaks and permit different applications to entry the file:

attempt (BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(“information.txt”))) {
String line;
whereas ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
// Course of the road
}
} catch (IOException e) {
System.out.println(“Error studying file: ” + e.getMessage());
}

On this instance, the FileReader utilized by the BufferedReader useful resource is mechanically closed when the attempt block finishes, no matter whether or not an exception happens or not. This eliminates the necessity for a lastly block to explicitly shut the reader. 

In IntelliJ IDEA, use the Repair Something motion (Alt+Enter on Home windows/Linux, ⌥⏎ on macOS) after the IDE warns about utilizing a closable useful resource with out attempt…with…assets to mechanically wrap the useful resource with this assemble:

As a extra elaborate instance, think about using a JDBC database connection, executing a question on it, and dealing with the outcome set. The Connection, PreparedStatement, and ResultSet objects getting used all need to be closed within the lastly block. Right here’s what that code would appear to be with attempt…catch…lastly:

Connection conn = null;
PreparedStatement preparedStatement = null;
ResultSet resultSet = null;
attempt {
conn = getConnection();
preparedStatement = prepareStatement(conn);
resultSet = executeQuery(preparedStatement);

// …do one thing with resultSet…

} catch (SQLException ex) {
ex.printStackTrace();
} lastly {
if (resultSet != null) {
attempt {
resultSet.shut();
} catch (SQLException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
if (preparedStatement != null) {
attempt {
preparedStatement.shut();
} catch (SQLException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
if (conn != null) {
attempt {
conn.shut();
} catch (SQLException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}

Yikes! Right here’s some equal code with attempt…with…assets, the place the three closable objects are instantiated within the attempt assertion:

attempt (Connection conn = getConnection();
PreparedStatement preparedStatement = prepareStatement(conn);
ResultSet resultSet = executeQuery(preparedStatement)) {

// …do one thing with resultSet…

} catch (SQLException ex) {
ex.printStackTrace();
}

Now that’s rather more readable! Word that there’s a distinction between this instance and the unique code: the attempt…with…assets model doesn’t catch exceptions from the calls to shut() on the useful resource. If you happen to additionally have to catch these exceptions, you’ll need to resort to utilizing attempt…lastly and catch the exception when calling shut() within the lastly block, very like within the authentic code.

Exception propagation

When an exception is thrown inside a technique and never caught domestically, it’s propagated up the decision stack to the calling technique. This course of continues till an identical catch block is discovered or the exception reaches the highest of the decision stack, inflicting this system to terminate. Exception propagation permits for centralized exception dealing with, the place exceptions could be caught and handled at a better stage within the utility.

Right here’s an instance illustrating exception propagation:

public void primary() {
attempt {
methodA();
} catch (FileNotFoundException e) { // Exception dealt with right here
System.out.println(“File not discovered exception caught in primary technique.”);
}
}

public void methodA() throws FileNotFoundException {
methodB(); // Exception not dealt with right here, so it propagates up the stack
}

public void methodB() throws FileNotFoundException {
FileReader reader = new FileReader(“nonexistent_file.txt”); // Exception thrown right here
}

On this instance, methodB() makes an attempt to open a non-existent file, throwing a FileNotFoundException. Since methodB() doesn’t deal with the exception, it’s propagated to methodA(), which additionally doesn’t have a catch block. The exception is additional propagated to the primary technique, which catches the exception and prints an error message.

This demonstrates how exceptions could be dealt with at completely different name stack ranges, permitting for versatile and centralized error administration.

Re-throwing exceptions

In some circumstances, you may wish to catch an exception inside a technique however then re-throw it to be dealt with additional up the decision stack. This may be helpful in a number of conditions:

Performing extra actions earlier than passing the exception – You may wish to log the exception, carry out some cleanup, or add extra context earlier than letting one other a part of this system deal with it.

Changing to a extra particular exception kind – You may catch a basic exception after which re-throw it as a extra particular exception kind that gives extra details about the error.

Disguise implementation-specific examples – Think about constructing a framework to retailer information in numerous database programs. As a substitute of surfacing exceptions for particular database engines, your framework might catch all these and throw a typical exception kind out of your framework.

Right here’s an instance of re-throwing an exception:

public void processFile(String filename) throws IOException {
attempt {
FileReader reader = new FileReader(filename);
// Course of the file content material
} catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
System.out.println(“File not discovered: ” + filename);
throw e; // Re-throw the exception after logging
}
}

On this instance, the processFile() technique catches a FileNotFoundException however then re-throws it. This permits the calling technique to deal with the exception if wanted, whereas nonetheless logging the error message inside processFile() itself.

When re-throwing exceptions, you may re-throw the identical exception object or create a brand new exception. If you happen to create a brand new exception, you may embody the unique exception because the trigger so strategies up the decision stack nonetheless have entry to the unique exception:

public void processFile(String filename) throws IOException {
attempt {
FileReader reader = new FileReader(filename);
// Course of the file content material
} catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
System.out.println(“File not discovered: ” + filename);
throw CustomException(“Couldn’t course of file: not discovered”, e); // Throw new exception
}
}

Greatest practices for exception dealing with

When dealing with exceptions, there are three key greatest practices. Let’s begin with crucial: Don’t depart catch blocks empty. Whereas it’s tempting to write down code that’s extra “fire-and-forget”, and Java requires you to catch checked exceptions, you’ll lose out on priceless data and trigger issues in your utility. Don’t do that! At a minimal, log your exceptions so you may doubtlessly deal with them higher based mostly on the data within the logs.

With Java Exception Breakpoints in IntelliJ IDEA, you may have the debugger droop program execution on any caught/uncaught exception, which can enable you to establish exceptions dealt with in an empty catch block. You may allow/disable Java Exception breakpoints for all exceptions or particular exception varieties utilizing the Run | View Breakpoints menu (Ctrl+Shift+F8 on Home windows/Linux, ⌘⇧F8 on macOS).

When debugging, IntelliJ IDEA will droop your program each time an exception that matches the breakpoint settings is thrown:

One other greatest observe can be to deal with exceptions on the acceptable stage. Catch exceptions on the stage within the name stack the place you may meaningfully deal with them. Don’t catch exceptions only for the sake of catching them. When you’ve got a utility operate to learn a file, you may catch IOException straight if it is smart. Nevertheless, it is perhaps extra significant to deal with file-related exceptions at a better stage the place the caller can determine the way to proceed (e.g. retry, or immediate the person to supply a special file).

Lastly, keep away from catching overly broad exceptions. Be particular concerning the exceptions you catch. Keep away from catching generic exceptions like Exception, as this could masks different potential errors.

Conclusion

On this publish, we’ve explored the important points of exception dealing with in Java. We realized the way to use attempt…catch blocks to gracefully deal with checked and unchecked exceptions, guaranteeing that our applications don’t crash unexpectedly. With attempt…catch…lastly and check out…with…assets, it’s doable to gracefully shut assets like information, streams, database connections, and extra. We additionally checked out exception propagation and re-throwing exceptions.

Keep in mind to make sure there are not any empty catch blocks, on the minimal log exceptions, deal with exceptions on the acceptable stage, and keep away from catching overly broad exceptions. With these practices in thoughts, you may write cleaner, extra maintainable, and user-friendly Java code.

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