Isn't try / catch / finally redundant?

Question

In PHP, JS and others, finally {} is there to be executed after try/catch, irrespective of an exception thrown or not. But isn't that just the function of all code after try/catch?

The two snippets should behave exactly the same:

try {
    throwException();
} catch () {
} finally () {
    executeMe();
}

and

try {
    throwException();
} catch () {
}

executeMe();

In your second snippet, `executeMe()` wouldn't get executed if you're `return`ing in your `try` or in your `catch` block. It also won't get reached if you're re-throwing the exception (or another exception) in your `catch` block. With `finally`, it *will* be reached. — haim770, Jun 27 '19 at 11:04
So finally{} gets parsed even if I jumped out of the function with a return? Is the return then delayed, or is the finally executed after the return and without the methods/objects context? — Zsolt Szilagyi, Jun 27 '19 at 11:05
finally will be executed with the context preceding the block whenever the try/catch block is being exited, even on a return — Aditya, Jun 27 '19 at 11:07
This is for java language, but the behaviour is the same: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3861522/do-you-really-need-the-finally-block — Valentino, Jun 27 '19 at 11:47

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 20 '19 at 11:36

These comments add up to a nice answer:

In your second snippet, executeMe() wouldn't get executed if you're returning in your try or in your catch block. It also won't get reached if you're re-throwing the exception (or another exception) in your catch block. With finally, it will be reached. – haim770

So finally{} gets parsed even if I jumped out of the function with a return? Is the return then delayed, or is the finally executed after the return and without the methods/objects context? – Zsolt Szilagyi

finally will be executed with the context preceding the block whenever the try/catch block is being exited, even on a return – Aditya Jun

Isn't try / catch / finally redundant?

1 Answers1