Exception Handling Rules

When and how to handle exceptions

Exception Handling Rules

exception, rule, tip  · 

Goal

To get an advice for exception handling.

Rules

  1. Clean Up resources using Finally Block or Try-With-Resources

    Don’t forget to clean used resources up.

  2. Prefer Specific Exceptions

    Don’t handle exceptions in ambiguous way.

  3. Document the Exception You Specify

    Add @throws in you javadoc.

  4. Throw Exceptions With Descriptive Messages

    Specify the reason the exception happened.

  5. Catch the Most Specific Exception First

    Don’t catch its super class exception before.

  6. Don’t Catch Throwable

    Of course you can catch some throwables too, but don’t.

  7. Don’t Ignore Exceptions

    That exception might not that important or not like to happen for now, but you never know.

  8. Don’t Log and Throw

    If you were gonna re-throw it forward it to handle it later, why would you log it?

  9. Wrap the Exception Without Consuming It

    Stack your exceptions, even when making new one.

References