Finally block in Java - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of try-catch-finally with return

What is the output of this Java code?

Java

public class Test {
    public static int testMethod() {
        try {
            return 1;
        } catch (Exception e) {
            return 2;
        } finally {
            System.out.println("Finally block executed");
        }
    }
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(testMethod());
    }
}

A

1
Finally block executed

B

Finally block executed
1

C

Finally block executed
2

D

2
Finally block executed

💡 Hint

Remember that finally block runs even if there is a return in try.

The finally block runs before the method returns. So it prints first, then the return value is printed.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Finally block with exception thrown

What is the output of this Java code?

Java

public class Test {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            throw new RuntimeException("Error");
        } finally {
            System.out.println("Finally block runs");
        }
    }
}

A

Finally block runs
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.RuntimeException: Error

B

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.RuntimeException: Error
Finally block runs

C Finally block runs

D No output

💡 Hint

Finally block runs even if exception is thrown.

The finally block executes before the exception is propagated, so its message prints first.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

Finally block overriding return value

What is the output of this Java code?

Java

public class Test {
    public static int test() {
        try {
            return 10;
        } finally {
            return 20;
        }
    }
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(test());
    }
}

A 10

B Compilation error

C Runtime exception

D 20

💡 Hint

Finally block return overrides try return.

If finally block has a return statement, it overrides any previous return.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

Finally block with exception and catch

What is the output of this Java code?

Java

public class Test {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            int a = 5 / 0;
        } catch (ArithmeticException e) {
            System.out.println("Catch block");
        } finally {
            System.out.println("Finally block");
        }
    }
}

A Catch block

B

Finally block
Catch block

C

Catch block
Finally block

D Runtime exception

💡 Hint

Catch runs first, then finally.

Exception is caught, so catch block runs, then finally block runs.

🧠 Conceptual

expert

Finally block and System.exit() behavior

What happens when System.exit() is called inside a try block with a finally block present?

A Finally block does not execute, program exits immediately

B Finally block executes before program exits

C Program throws an exception before exiting

D Finally block executes only if System.exit() is called in catch

💡 Hint

System.exit() stops JVM immediately.

System.exit() terminates the JVM immediately, so finally block is skipped.