@ControllerAdvice for global handling in Spring Boot - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Global Exception Handling with @ControllerAdvice in Spring Boot

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple Spring Boot web application that manages user data. You want to handle errors like missing users or invalid input in one place, so your app shows friendly error messages everywhere.

🎯 Goal: Create a global error handler using @ControllerAdvice that catches exceptions from all controllers and returns a clear error message with HTTP status.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a custom exception class called UserNotFoundException.

Create a controller class called UserController with a method to get a user by ID.

Create a global exception handler class annotated with @ControllerAdvice.

Add a method in the global handler to catch UserNotFoundException and return a ResponseEntity with status 404 and a message.

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Global exception handling helps keep your web app clean and user-friendly by managing errors in one place instead of repeating code in every controller.

💼 Career

Understanding @ControllerAdvice and global error handling is essential for backend developers working with Spring Boot to build robust and maintainable web services.

1

Create the UserNotFoundException class

Create a public class called UserNotFoundException that extends RuntimeException. Add a constructor that accepts a String message and passes it to the superclass constructor.

Spring Boot

// Your code here

Hint

Think of this class as a special error you create when a user is not found.

2

Create UserController with a method to get user by ID

Create a class called UserController annotated with @RestController. Add a method getUserById that takes a Long id as a path variable. Inside the method, throw new UserNotFoundException("User not found").

Spring Boot

public class UserNotFoundException extends RuntimeException {
    public UserNotFoundException(String message) {
        super(message);
    }
}

// Your code here

Hint

This controller simulates looking for a user but always throws the custom exception.

3

Create a global exception handler with @ControllerAdvice

Create a class called GlobalExceptionHandler annotated with @ControllerAdvice. Add a method handleUserNotFoundException annotated with @ExceptionHandler(UserNotFoundException.class) that takes a UserNotFoundException ex parameter and returns a ResponseEntity<String> with the exception message and HTTP status NOT_FOUND.

Spring Boot

public class UserNotFoundException extends RuntimeException {
    public UserNotFoundException(String message) {
        super(message);
    }
}

import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.PathVariable;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RestController;

@RestController
public class UserController {
    @GetMapping("/users/{id}")
    public String getUserById(@PathVariable Long id) {
        throw new UserNotFoundException("User not found");
    }
}

// Your code here

Hint

This class catches the custom exception from any controller and sends a 404 response with the message.

4

Complete the global handler with @ResponseBody annotation

Add the @ResponseBody annotation to the handleUserNotFoundException method in GlobalExceptionHandler to ensure the message is sent as the HTTP response body.

Spring Boot

public class UserNotFoundException extends RuntimeException {
    public UserNotFoundException(String message) {
        super(message);
    }
}

import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.PathVariable;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RestController;

@RestController
public class UserController {
    @GetMapping("/users/{id}")
    public String getUserById(@PathVariable Long id) {
        throw new UserNotFoundException("User not found");
    }
}

import org.springframework.http.HttpStatus;
import org.springframework.http.ResponseEntity;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.ControllerAdvice;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.ExceptionHandler;

@ControllerAdvice
public class GlobalExceptionHandler {
    @ExceptionHandler(UserNotFoundException.class)
    // Your code here
    public ResponseEntity handleUserNotFoundException(UserNotFoundException ex) {
        return new ResponseEntity(ex.getMessage(), HttpStatus.NOT_FOUND);
    }
}

Hint

This annotation tells Spring to send the returned string as the response content.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of using @ControllerAdvice in a Spring Boot application?

easy

A. To handle exceptions globally for all controllers in one place

B. To define REST endpoints for the application

C. To configure database connections

D. To create scheduled tasks

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of @ControllerAdvice

   @ControllerAdvice is a special annotation in Spring Boot that allows you to write code to handle exceptions or apply logic across all controllers globally.

2. Step 2: Identify its main use

   Its main use is to centralize exception handling so you don't have to repeat error handling code in every controller.

3. Final Answer:

   To handle exceptions globally for all controllers in one place -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   @ControllerAdvice = global exception handling [OK]

Hint: Think global error handling for all controllers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing @ControllerAdvice with @RestController
• Thinking it configures database or tasks
• Assuming it defines endpoints

2. Which of the following is the correct way to declare a global exception handler method inside a @ControllerAdvice class?

easy

A. @Service public String handleError() { return "error"; }

B. @ExceptionHandler(Exception.class) public String handleError() { return "error"; }

C. @GetMapping public String handleError() { return "error"; }

D. @RequestMapping("/error") public String handleError() { return "error"; }

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the annotation for exception handling

   The correct annotation to handle exceptions globally is @ExceptionHandler with the exception class specified.

2. Step 2: Check method signature and annotation usage

   @ExceptionHandler(Exception.class) public String handleError() { return "error"; } uses @ExceptionHandler(Exception.class) which is correct inside a @ControllerAdvice class to catch all exceptions.

3. Final Answer:

   @ExceptionHandler(Exception.class) public String handleError() { return "error"; } -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   @ExceptionHandler = global exception method [OK]

Hint: Use @ExceptionHandler with exception class inside @ControllerAdvice [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using @RequestMapping or @GetMapping instead of @ExceptionHandler
• Missing exception class in @ExceptionHandler
• Using @Service annotation incorrectly

3. Given the following code snippet, what will be the HTTP response status when a NullPointerException is thrown in any controller?

@ControllerAdvice
public class GlobalExceptionHandler {
  @ExceptionHandler(NullPointerException.class)
  public ResponseEntity<String> handleNullPointer() {
    return new ResponseEntity<>("Null pointer error", HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
  }
}

medium

A. 400 Bad Request with message "Null pointer error"

B. 500 Internal Server Error with default message

C. 200 OK with message "Null pointer error"

D. 404 Not Found with message "Null pointer error"

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the @ExceptionHandler method

   The method handles NullPointerException and returns a ResponseEntity with message "Null pointer error" and status BAD_REQUEST.

2. Step 2: Understand HTTP status returned

   HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST corresponds to 400 status code, so the response will have status 400 with the given message.

3. Final Answer:

   400 Bad Request with message "Null pointer error" -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   @ExceptionHandler returns 400 status [OK]

Hint: Check ResponseEntity status in @ExceptionHandler method [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming default 500 error instead of specified status
• Confusing 400 with 200 OK
• Ignoring the returned ResponseEntity status

4. Consider this @ControllerAdvice class:

@ControllerAdvice
public class GlobalHandler {
  @ExceptionHandler(IllegalArgumentException.class)
  public String handleIllegalArgument() {
    return "illegal";
  }

  @ExceptionHandler(Exception.class)
  public String handleAll() {
    return "error";
  }
}

What is the problem if a NullPointerException occurs in a controller?

medium

A. NullPointerException is not handled and causes server error

B. handleIllegalArgument() method will handle NullPointerException incorrectly

C. handleAll() method will handle NullPointerException correctly

D. Compilation error due to multiple @ExceptionHandler methods

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify exception handlers and their scopes

   handleIllegalArgument() handles IllegalArgumentException only; handleAll() handles all Exceptions as a fallback.

2. Step 2: Determine which method handles NullPointerException

   Since NullPointerException is not IllegalArgumentException, handleAll() will catch it as it handles Exception class.

3. Final Answer:

   handleAll() method will handle NullPointerException correctly -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   More specific handlers first, then general Exception handler [OK]

Hint: General @ExceptionHandler(Exception.class) catches all others [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking NullPointerException is unhandled
• Assuming multiple handlers cause compile error
• Confusing which handler matches which exception

5. You want to create a global error handler that returns JSON with error details for all exceptions except ResourceNotFoundException, which should return 404 status with a custom message. How should you implement this using @ControllerAdvice?

hard

A. Use a single @ExceptionHandler(Exception.class) method and check exception type inside to return different responses

B. Use @ControllerAdvice only for ResourceNotFoundException and ignore other exceptions

C. Handle ResourceNotFoundException in each controller separately, and use @ControllerAdvice only for other exceptions

D. Create two @ExceptionHandler methods: one for ResourceNotFoundException returning 404 JSON, another for Exception returning generic JSON with 500 status

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand requirement for specific and general handling

   You need one handler for ResourceNotFoundException with 404 and custom JSON, and another for all other exceptions with generic 500 JSON.

2. Step 2: Implement two separate @ExceptionHandler methods in @ControllerAdvice

   One method annotated with @ExceptionHandler(ResourceNotFoundException.class) returns 404 JSON; another with @ExceptionHandler(Exception.class) returns 500 JSON.

3. Final Answer:

   Create two @ExceptionHandler methods: one for ResourceNotFoundException returning 404 JSON, another for Exception returning generic JSON with 500 status -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Separate handlers for specific and general exceptions [OK]

Hint: Use multiple @ExceptionHandler methods for different exceptions [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using one method with manual type checks inside
• Handling specific exceptions in controllers, not globally
• Ignoring general exceptions in @ControllerAdvice