The document provides an introduction to exception handling in Java, explaining how runtime errors can be managed to maintain normal application flow. It discusses various types of exceptions, including checked and unchecked exceptions, and details the use of keywords such as try, catch, finally, throw, and throws. It also includes examples illustrating common exceptions and their handling within Java programs.

1. Introduction to Java Programming Language
Unit-11 [Exception Handling]
The exception handling in java is used to handle the runtime errors so that normal flow of the
application can be maintained. A Java Exception is an object that describes the exception that occurs
in a program. When an exceptional events occurs in java, an exception is said to be thrown. The
code that's responsible for doing something about the exception is called an exception handler.
Exception Class Hierarchy
All exception types are subclasses of class Throwable, which is at the top of exception class
hierarchy.
Below is a brief description of all classes mentioned here:
• Exception class is for exceptional conditions that program should catch. This class is
extended to create user specific exception classes.
• RuntimeException is a subclass of Exception. Exceptions under this class are automatically
defined for programs.
• Exceptions of type Error are used by the Java run-time system to indicate errors having to
do with the run-time environment, itself. Error is irrecoverable e.g. OutOfMemoryError,
VirtualMachineError, Stack OverflowError.
Types of Exception:
1. Checked exceptions: Checked exceptions are checked at compile-time. Note that, the classes
that extend Throwable class except RuntimeException and Error are known as checked exceptions.
e.g.IOException, SQLException etc.
2. Unchecked Exception: The classes that extend RuntimeException are known as unchecked
exceptions e.g. ArithmeticException, NullPointerException, ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException
etc. Unchecked exceptions are not checked at compile-time rather they are checked at runtime.
3. Errors: These are typically ignored in code because you can rarely do anything about an error.
Example :if stack overflow occurs, an error will arise. This type of error cannot be handled in the
code.
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2. Introduction to Java Programming Language
Examples:
1) ArithmeticException occurs: If we divide any number by zero, there occurs an
ArithmeticException.
Int a=50/0; //ArithmeticException
2) Scenario where NullPointerException occurs: If we have null value in any variable,
performing any operation by the variable occurs an NullPointerException.
String s=null;
System.out.println(s.length()); //NullPointerException
3) Scenario where NumberFormatException occurs: The wrong formatting of any value, may
occur NumberFormatException. Suppose I have a string variable that have characters, converting
this variable into digit will occur NumberFormatException.
String s="abc";
int i=Integer.parseInt(s); //NumberFormatException
4) Scenario where ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException occurs: If you are inserting any value in
the wrong index, it would result ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException as shown below:
Int a[]=new int[5];
a[10]=50; //ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException
There are 5 keywords used in java exception handling:
1. try
2. catch
3. finally
4. throw
5. throws
Java Program of Exception Example:
class Excp{
public static void main(String args[]) {
int a,b,c;
try {
a=0;
b=10;
c=b/a;
System.out.println("This line will not be executed");
}
catch(ArithmeticException e) {
System.out.println("Divided by zero");
}
System.out.println("After exception is handled");
}
}
Output
Divided by zero
After exception is handled
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3. Introduction to Java Programming Language
Try is used to guard a block of code in which exception may occur. This block of code is called
guarded region. A catch statement involves declaring the type of exception you are trying to catch.
If an exception occurs in guarded code, the catch block that follows the try is checked, if the type of
exception that occured is listed in the catch block then the exception is handed over to the catch
block which then handles it.
An exception will be thrown by this program as we are trying to divide a number by zero inside try
block. The program control is transferred outside try block. Thus the line "This line will not be
executed" is never parsed by the compiler. The exception thrown is handled in catch block. Once
the exception is handled, the program control is continue with the next line in the program i.e after
catch block. Thus the line "After exception is handled" is printed.
Exceptions throws and throw clause
throw clause
throw keyword is used to throw an exception explicitly. Only object of Throwable class or its sub
classes can be thrown. Program execution stops on encountering throw statement, and the closest
catch statement is checked for matching type of exception.
Syntax :
throw ThrowableInstance
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4. Introduction to Java Programming Language
Example:
class Test{
static void avg() {
try
{
throw new ArithmeticException("demo");
}
catch(ArithmeticException e) {
System.out.println("Exception caught");
}
}
public static void main(String args[]) {
avg();
}
}
new ArithmeticException("demo") constructs an instance of ArithmeticException with
name “demo”. The avg() method throw an instance of ArithmeticException, which is successfully
handled using the catch statement and thus, the program outputs:
"Exception caught"
throws clause
Any method that is capable of causing exceptions must list all the exceptions possible during its
execution, so that anyone calling that method gets a prior knowledge about which exceptions are to
be handled. A method can do so by using the throws keyword.
General syntax of throws:
type method_name(parameter_list) throws exception_list
{
//definition of method
}
Example:
class Test{
static void check() throws ArithmeticException {
System.out.println("Inside check function");
throw new ArithmeticException("demo");
}
public static void main(String args[]) {
try {
check();
}
catch(ArithmeticException e) {
System.out.println("caught" + e);
}
}
}
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5. Introduction to Java Programming Language
Output
Inside check function
caughtjava.lang.ArithmeticException: demo
Difference between throw and throws
throw throws
throw keyword is used to throw an exception
explicitly.
throws keyword is used to declare an exception
possible during its execution.
throw keyword is followed by an instance of
Throwable class or one of its sub-classes.
throws keyword is followed by one or more
Exception class names separated by commas.
throw keyword is declared inside a method
body.
throws keyword is used with method signature
(method declaration).
We cannot throw multiple exceptions using
throw keyword.
We can declare multiple exceptions (separated by
commas) using throws keyword.
finally clause
A finally keyword is used to create a block of code that follows a try block. A finally block of code
is always executed whether an exception has occurred or not. Using a finally block, it lets you run
any cleanup type statements that you want to execute, no matter what happens in the protected code.
A finally block appears at the end of catch block.
In the following example, you can see in above example even if exception is thrown by the
program, which is not handled by catch block, still finally block will get executed.
Example
Class ExceptionTest{
public static void main(String[] args) {
int a[]= new int[2];
System.out.println("out of try");
try {
System.out.println("Access invalid element"+ a[3]);
/* the above statement will throw ArrayIndexOutOfBoundException */
}
finally {
System.out.println("finally is always executed.");
}
}
}
Output
Out of try
finally is always executed.
Exception in thread main java. Lang. exception array Index out of bound exception.
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6. Introduction to Java Programming Language
Related University Question
1. Discuss java error handling mechanism. What is the difference between runtime (unchecked)
exceptions and checked exceptions? what is the implication of catching all the exceptions with the
type 'exception'?
[Year 2015]
2. What is exception handling? What are the statements used for it? Show an example. [Year 2016]
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