DEV Community

Cover image for Code Smell 26 - Exceptions Polluting
Maxi Contieri
Maxi Contieri

Posted on • Edited on • Originally published at maximilianocontieri.com

3 1

Code Smell 26 - Exceptions Polluting

It is very nice to have lots of different exceptions. Your code is declarative and robust. Or not?

TL;DR; Don't create anemic and empty objects. Even if they are Exceptions.

Problems

  • Over Design

  • Namespace Pollution

Solutions

  1. Avoid creating anemic exceptions as globals.

  2. Create exceptions only if they behave differently.

  3. Model exceptions with objects. Classes are handy for lazy programmers.

Sample Code

Wrong

import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
import java.io.FileReader;
import java.io.IOException;

public class FileReader {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        FileReader file = null;

        try {
            file = new FileReader("source.txt");
            file.read();
        }
        catch(FileNotFoundException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        catch(FileLockedException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        catch(FilePermissionsException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        catch(IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        finally {
            try {
                file.close();
            }
            catch(IOException e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
        }
    }
}
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Right

import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
import java.io.FileReader;
import java.io.IOException;

public class FileReader {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        FileReader file = null;

        try {
            file = new FileReader("source.txt");
            file.read();
        }
        catch(FileException exception) {
            if (exception.description == (this.expectionMessages().errorDescriptionFileTemporaryLocked() {
                //sleep and retry    
                //IF behaviour is the same with all the exceptions just change the text on object creation and raise the icorrect instance
            }            
            this.showErrorToUser(exception.messageToUser();
             //This example is simplified. Text should be translated
        }                
        finally {
            try {
                file.close();
            } 
        }
    }
}
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Detection

New exceptions should override behavior methods.

No. code, description, resumable, etc. are not behavioral.

Tags

  • Abuser

  • Naming

Conclusion

You would not create different classes for every Person instance, so they return different names. Why would you do it with exceptions.

How often do you catch a specific exception?.

Go out and check your code.

Is it necessary to be a class?

You are already coupled to the class. Couple to the description instead.

Exception instances should NOT be Singletons.

Relations

Credits

Photo by Nick van den Berg on Unsplash


You will fall to ruin because you believe that exceptions to the rule make new rules.

Pierce Brown


This article is part of the CodeSmell Series.

Last update: 2021/07/13

Image of Timescale

🚀 pgai Vectorizer: SQLAlchemy and LiteLLM Make Vector Search Simple

We built pgai Vectorizer to simplify embedding management for AI applications—without needing a separate database or complex infrastructure. Since launch, developers have created over 3,000 vectorizers on Timescale Cloud, with many more self-hosted.

Read more

Top comments (0)

Image of Docusign

🛠️ Bring your solution into Docusign. Reach over 1.6M customers.

Docusign is now extensible. Overcome challenges with disconnected products and inaccessible data by bringing your solutions into Docusign and publishing to 1.6M customers in the App Center.

Learn more