pi-lens/rules/tree-sitter-queries/java/no-exit-methods.yml

Real-time code feedback for pi — LSP, linters, formatters, type-checking, structural analysis & booboo

# No Exit Methods
# Detects System.exit() and Runtime.exit() calls
id: no-exit-methods
name: Exit Methods Should Not Be Called
severity: error
category: maintainability
defect_class: correctness
inline_tier: blocking
language: java

message: "{{METHOD}} should not be called — use exceptions for normal termination"

description: |
  System.exit() and Runtime.exit() abruptly terminate the JVM, 
  making code hard to test and bypassing normal cleanup. Use 
  exceptions or return codes instead for proper error handling.

  ✅ FIX: Throw an exception or return status

  ```java
  if (error) {
      throw new RuntimeException("Fatal error");  // Better
  }
  ```

query: |
  (method_invocation
    name: (identifier) @METHOD (#eq? @METHOD "exit")
    arguments: (argument_list) @ARGS)

metavars:
  - METHOD
  - ARGS

tags:
  - maintainability
  - java
  - cert
  - testing

examples:
  bad: |
    System.exit(1);  // BAD - abrupt termination
    Runtime.exit(0);  // BAD

  good: |
    throw new RuntimeException("Error");  // GOOD - exception
    return errorCode;  // GOOD - normal return

has_fix: false