In Java, a subclass can catch an exception thrown by a superclass method and then rethrow the same exception or throw a new one. This mechanism allows subclasses to:
- Perform additional processing (e.g., logging, wrapping).
- Convert one exception type to another.
- Propagate errors up the call stack after handling.
Important Concepts
| Concept | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Catch and Rethrow | Catch the exception using try-catch and use throw to rethrow it. |
| Preserve Original Exception | Use throw e; to maintain the original stack trace. |
| Wrap in Custom Exception | You can wrap the caught exception inside another (custom) exception. |
Use throws in method signature |
Required if you rethrow a checked exception. |
Example Program: Catching and Rethrowing in Subclass
import java.io.IOException;
// Superclass
class Employee {
public void performTask() throws IOException {
throw new IOException("I/O error in task");
}
}
// Subclass that catches and rethrows
class SoftwareEngineer extends Employee {
@Override
public void performTask() throws IOException {
try {
super.performTask();
} catch (IOException e) {
System.out.println("Logging in SoftwareEngineer: " + e.getMessage());
// Rethrow the original exception
throw e;
}
}
}
// Subclass that wraps and rethrows
class TechLead extends Employee {
@Override
public void performTask() throws IOException {
try {
super.performTask();
} catch (IOException e) {
System.out.println("Logging in TechLead: " + e.getMessage());
// Wrapping original exception in a custom unchecked exception
throw new RuntimeException("TechLead failed to complete task", e);
}
}
}
public class RethrowExample {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Employee e1 = new SoftwareEngineer();
try {
e1.performTask();
} catch (IOException ex) {
System.out.println("Handled in main (SoftwareEngineer): " + ex.getMessage());
}
Employee e2 = new TechLead();
try {
e2.performTask();
} catch (RuntimeException ex) {
System.out.println("Handled in main (TechLead): " + ex.getMessage());
}
}
}
/*
Logging in SoftwareEngineer: I/O error in task
Handled in main (SoftwareEngineer): I/O error in task
Logging in TechLead: I/O error in task
Handled in main (TechLead): TechLead failed to complete task
*/Catching and rethrowing exceptions in subclasses enables fine-grained control over error handling. It allows:
- Logging or preprocessing before propagating the error.
- Wrapping exceptions to create more meaningful or domain-specific messages.
- Maintaining clear exception hierarchies and stack trace context.
This technique is widely used in layered architectures (e.g., service → controller → UI) for robust exception management.