When should you prefer Error vs Exception and when should you avoid it?

In Java, both Error and Exception are subclasses of Throwable, but they serve different purposes. Understanding when to use each is crucial for effective error handling in your applications.

When to Prefer Error

Error is used to indicate serious problems that a reasonable application should not try to catch, such as resource exhaustion or system failures. You should prefer Error in scenarios like:

OutOfMemoryError
StackOverflowError
VirtualMachineError

These errors usually signal severe issues with the Java Runtime Environment that the application cannot handle.

When to Prefer Exception

Exception is meant for conditions that an application might want to catch, including various runtime exceptions, checked exceptions, and custom exceptions. Use Exception when:

The issue can be gracefully handled (like a file not found).
You want to create custom exception conditions for your specific needs.

When to Avoid Using Error and Exception

Avoid using Error for common application-level errors. Instead, reserve Exception for predictable issues that can occur in normal operation. Additionally, do not catch Error in a way that suppresses critical information.

Example Code


        // Example of using Exception
        try {
            int result = divideNumbers(10, 0);
        } catch (ArithmeticException e) {
            System.out.println("You cannot divide by zero!");
        }

        // Example of using Error
        throw new StackOverflowError("This is a critical error that should not be handled.");

When should you prefer Error vs Exception and when should you avoid it?

When to Prefer Error

When to Prefer Exception

When to Avoid Using Error and Exception

Example Code

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When should you prefer Error vs Exception and when should you avoid it?

When to Prefer Error

When to Prefer Exception

When to Avoid Using Error and Exception

Example Code

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Popular Topics

Recent Languages