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SYSTEM_EXIT

Summary

  • Rule ID: SYSTEM_EXIT
  • Name: System.exit call
  • Problem: System.exit(int) terminates the whole JVM and can abruptly stop applications or services.

What This Rule Reports

This rule reports direct process-termination calls in analysis target classes: - java/lang/System.exit(I)V - kotlin.system.exitProcess(Int) (treated equivalently)

Examples (reported)

package com.example;
public class ClassA {
    public void methodX() {
        System.exit(1);
    }
}

package com.example

import kotlin.system.exitProcess

fun methodX(varOne: Boolean) {
    if (varOne) {
        exitProcess(0)
    }
}

What This Rule Does Not Report

  • Other System APIs that do not terminate the JVM (for example System.lineSeparator()).
  • Calls that appear only in classpath/dependency classes outside the analysis target.
  • Calls inside application entry points:
  • Java: public static void main(String[] args)
  • Kotlin top-level main entry points (fun main(args: Array<String>) and fun main())

Examples (not reported)

package com.example;
public class ClassA {
    public String methodX() {
        return System.lineSeparator();
    }
}

package com.example;
public class ClassB {
    public static void main(String[] varOne) {
        System.exit(0);
    }
}

package com.example

import kotlin.system.exitProcess

fun main() {
    exitProcess(0)
}

Avoid terminating the JVM from library/application internals. Return an error to the caller or throw/propagate an exception so the caller decides shutdown behavior.

Message Shape

Findings are reported as Avoid System.exit() in <class>.<method><descriptor>; return an error or throw an exception instead.