ERR04-J. Do not complete abruptly from a finally block

Never use return, break, continue, or throw statements within a finally block. When program execution enters a try block that has a finally block, the finally block always executes, regardless of whether the try block (or any associated catch blocks) executes to normal completion. Statements that cause the finally block to complete abruptly also cause the try block to complete abruptly and consequently suppress any exception thrown from the try or catch blocks. According to the Java Language Specification, §14.20.2, Execution of try-catch-finally [JLS 2005]:

If execution of the try block completes abruptly for any other reason R, then the finally block is executed. Then there is a choice:

• If the finally block completes normally, then the try statement completes abruptly for reason R.
• If the finally block completes abruptly for reason S, then the try statement completes abruptly for reason S (and reason R is discarded).

Noncompliant Code Example

In this noncompliant code example, the finally block completes abruptly because of a return statement in the block.

class TryFinally {
  private static boolean doLogic() {
    try {
      throw new IllegalStateException();
    } finally {
      System.out.println("logic done");
      return true;
    }
  }
}

The IllegalStateException is suppressed by the abrupt completion of the finally block caused by the return statement.

Compliant Solution

This compliant solution removes the return statement from the finally block.

class TryFinally {
  private static boolean doLogic() {
    try {
      throw new IllegalStateException();
    } finally {
      System.out.println("logic done");
    }
    // Any return statements must go here; 
    // applicable only when exception is thrown conditionally
  }
}

Exceptions

ERRO4-EX0: Control flow statements whose destination is within the finally block are perfectly acceptable.

For example, the following code does not violate this rule, because the break statement exits the while loop, but not the finally block.

class TryFinally {
  private static boolean doLogic() {
    try {
      throw new IllegalStateException();
    } finally {
      int c;
      try {
        while ((c = input.read()) != -1) {
          if (c > 128) {
            break;
          }
        }
      } catch (IOException x) {
        // forward to handler
      }
      System.out.println("logic done");
    }
    // Any return statements must go here; applicable only when exception is thrown conditionally
  }
}

Risk Assessment

Abrupt completion of a finally block masks any exceptions thrown inside the associated try and catch blocks.

Automated Detection

Related Guidelines

Bibliography