Exception specifications (throw, noexcept) (C++)

Exception specifications are a C++ language feature that indicate the programmer's intent about the exception types that can be propagated by a function. You can specify that a function may or may not exit by an exception by using an exception specification. The compiler can use this information to optimize calls to the function, and to terminate the program if an unexpected exception escapes the function.

Prior to C++17 there were two kinds of exception specification. The noexcept specification was new in C++11. It specifies whether the set of potential exceptions that can escape the function is empty. The dynamic exception specification, or throw(optional_type_list) specification, was deprecated in C++11 and removed in C++17, except for throw(), which is an alias for noexcept(true). This exception specification was designed to provide summary information about what exceptions can be thrown out of a function, but in practice it was found to be problematic. The one dynamic exception specification that did prove to be somewhat useful was the unconditional throw() specification. For example, the function declaration:

void MyFunction(int i) throw();

tells the compiler that the function does not throw any exceptions. However, in /std:c++14 mode this could lead to undefined behavior if the function does throw an exception. Therefore we recommend using the noexcept operator instead of the one above:

void MyFunction(int i) noexcept;

The following table summarizes the Microsoft C++ implementation of exception specifications:

Exception specification	Meaning
noexcept noexcept(true) throw()	The function does not throw an exception. In /std:c++14 mode (which is the default), noexcept and noexcept(true) are equivalent. When an exception is thrown from a function that is declared noexcept or noexcept(true), std::terminate is invoked. When an exception is thrown from a function declared as throw() in /std:c++14 mode, the result is undefined behavior. No specific function is invoked. This is a divergence from the C++14 standard, which required the compiler to invoke std::unexpected. Visual Studio 2017 version 15.5 and later: In /std:c++17 mode, noexcept, noexcept(true), and throw() are all equivalent. In /std:c++17 mode, throw() is an alias for noexcept(true). In /std:c++17 mode and later, when an exception is thrown from a function declared with any of these specifications, std::terminate is invoked as required by the C++17 standard.
noexcept(false) throw(...) No specification	The function can throw an exception of any type.
throw(type)	(C++14 and earlier) The function can throw an exception of type type. The compiler accepts the syntax, but interprets it as noexcept(false). In /std:c++17 mode and later, the compiler issues warning C5040.

If exception handling is used in an application, there must be a function in the call stack that handles thrown exceptions before they exit the outer scope of a function marked noexcept, noexcept(true), or throw(). If any functions called between the one that throws an exception and the one that handles the exception are specified as noexcept, noexcept(true) (or throw() in /std:c++17 mode), the program is terminated when the noexcept function propagates the exception.

The exception behavior of a function depends on the following factors:

• Which language standard compilation mode is set.

• Whether you are compiling the function under C or C++.

• Which /EH compiler option you use.

• Whether you explicitly specify the exception specification.

Explicit exception specifications are not allowed on C functions. A C function is assumed not to throw exceptions under /EHsc, and may throw structured exceptions under /EHs, /EHa, or /EHac.

The following table summarizes whether a C++ function may potentially throw under various compiler exception handling options:

Function	/EHsc	/EHs	/EHa	/EHac
C++ function with no exception specification	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
C++ function with noexcept, noexcept(true), or throw() exception specification	No	No	Yes	Yes
C++ function with noexcept(false), throw(...), or throw(type) exception specification	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Example

// exception_specification.cpp
// compile with: /EHs
#include <stdio.h>

void handler() {
   printf_s("in handler\n");
}

void f1(void) throw(int) {
   printf_s("About to throw 1\n");
   if (1)
      throw 1;
}

void f5(void) throw() {
   try {
      f1();
   }
   catch(...) {
      handler();
    }
}

// invalid, doesn't handle the int exception thrown from f1()
// void f3(void) throw() {
//   f1();
// }

void __declspec(nothrow) f2(void) {
   try {
      f1();
   }
   catch(int) {
      handler();
    }
}

// only valid if compiled without /EHc
// /EHc means assume extern "C" functions don't throw exceptions
extern "C" void f4(void);
void f4(void) {
   f1();
}

int main() {
   f2();

   try {
      f4();
   }
   catch(...) {
      printf_s("Caught exception from f4\n");
   }
   f5();
}

About to throw 1
in handler
About to throw 1
Caught exception from f4
About to throw 1
in handler

See also

try, throw, and catch Statements (C++)
Modern C++ best practices for exceptions and error handling