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jabrenajabrena/cursor-rules-java/skills/126-java-exception-handling/SKILL.md

126-java-exception-handling

Skill452 starsChanged 3 months agoApache-2.0View on GitHub

Use when you need to apply Java exception handling best practices — including using specific exception types, managing resources with try-with-resources, securing exception messages, preserving error context via exception chaining, validating inputs early with fail-fast principles, handling thread interruption correctly, documenting exceptions with @throws, enforcing logging policy, translating exceptions at API boundaries, managing retries and idempotency, enforcing timeouts, attaching suppressed exceptions, and propagating failures in async/reactive code. This should trigger for requests such as Exception handling; Use try-with-resources in Java code; Create exception chaining in Java code; Apply fail-fast validation in Java code; Review Java exception taxonomy and propagation. Part of Plinth Toolkit

We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent

11 rules. About 0 are common, 5 are distinctive, and 6 are very specific to this project.

  • ≈0

    Common · estimate

    Many files like this have a rule of this kind.

  • ≈5

    Distinctive · estimate

    This author's own choices. Worth a look.

  • 6

    Very specific

    Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

  • Common
  • Distinctive
  • Very specific
  1. Very specific:

    Never catching Throwable/Error

    line 27
  2. Distinctive:

    Before applying any exception handling changes, ensure the project compiles.

    line 35
  3. Very specific:

    MANDATORY: Run ./mvnw compile or mvn compile before applying any changes

    line 37
  4. Distinctive:

    SAFETY: If compilation fails, stop immediately — do not proceed until the project is in a valid state

    line 38
  5. Very specific:

    VERIFY: Run ./mvnw clean verify or mvn clean verify after applying improvements

    line 39
  6. Distinctive:

    BEFORE APPLYING: Read the reference for detailed good/bad examples, constraints, and safeguards for each exception handling pattern

    line 40
  7. Distinctive:

    Use try-with-resources in Java code

    line 45
  8. Distinctive:

    Create exception chaining in Java code

    line 46
  9. Very specific:

    Run ./mvnw compile or mvn compile and stop immediately if compilation fails.

    line 54
  10. Very specific:

    Read references/126-java-exception-handling.md and identify applicable failure-handling and observability improvements.

    line 58
  11. Very specific:

    Run ./mvnw clean verify or mvn clean verify after applying improvements.

    line 66

≈ “Common” is an estimate: at least 1 in 5 of the 308,232 skill files we read have a rule of the same kind, not the same words. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

Keep what fits and drop the rest. Your version, ready for your agents.
Files
SKILL.md

Java Exception Handling Guidelines

Identify and apply robust Java exception handling practices to improve error clarity, security, debuggability, and system reliability.

What is covered in this Skill?

  • Specific exception types instead of generic Exception/RuntimeException
  • try-with-resources for automatic resource cleanup
  • Secure exception messages that avoid information leakage
  • Exception chaining to preserve full error context
  • Early input validation with IllegalArgumentException/NullPointerException
  • InterruptedException handling with interrupted-status restoration
  • @throws JavaDoc documentation, fail-fast principle
  • Structured logging with correlation IDs, avoiding log-and-throw duplication
  • API boundary translation via centralized exception mappers
  • Bounded retry with backoff for idempotent operations only
  • Timeout enforcement with deadline propagation
  • Throwable#addSuppressed for secondary cleanup failures
  • Never catching Throwable/Error
  • Observability via error metrics
  • Failure propagation in async CompletionStage code

Scope: The reference is organized by examples (good/bad code patterns) for each core area. Apply recommendations based on applicable examples.

Constraints

Before applying any exception handling changes, ensure the project compiles. If compilation fails, stop immediately — do not proceed until resolved. After applying improvements, run full verification.

  • MANDATORY: Run ./mvnw compile or mvn compile before applying any changes
  • SAFETY: If compilation fails, stop immediately — do not proceed until the project is in a valid state
  • VERIFY: Run ./mvnw clean verify or mvn clean verify after applying improvements
  • BEFORE APPLYING: Read the reference for detailed good/bad examples, constraints, and safeguards for each exception handling pattern

When to use this skill

  • Exception handling
  • Use try-with-resources in Java code
  • Create exception chaining in Java code
  • Apply fail-fast validation in Java code
  • Review Java exception taxonomy and propagation

Workflow

  1. Compile project before exception-handling changes

Run ./mvnw compile or mvn compile and stop immediately if compilation fails.

  1. Read exception-handling reference

Read references/126-java-exception-handling.md and identify applicable failure-handling and observability improvements.

  1. Apply exception-handling improvements

Refactor to specific exceptions, safe resource handling, error translation, and consistent logging patterns.

  1. Verify with full build

Run ./mvnw clean verify or mvn clean verify after applying improvements.

Reference

For detailed guidance, examples, and constraints, see references/126-java-exception-handling.md.

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