Mastering Java: The Ultimate Quiz for 'Thinking in Java'

What is a potential drawback of throwing a RuntimeException in your code?

1. It has to be declared in the method signature

2. It forces the programmer to use try-catch blocks

3. It can be missed by the programmer and lead to runtime errors

4. It cannot be thrown by methods that return a value

The correct answer is: It can be missed by the programmer and lead to runtime errors

A potential drawback of throwing a RuntimeException in your code is that it can be missed by the programmer and lead to runtime errors. Unlike checked exceptions, which must be declared in the method signature or handled with try-catch blocks, RuntimeExceptions are not required to be handled, making it easier for them to be overlooked. This can result in the program crashing or behaving unexpectedly if the exception is not caught and handled properly. Additionally, because RuntimeExceptions do not need to be declared in the method signature, they can be thrown by methods that return a value, making it difficult to anticipate and handle the potential errors. This means that the programmer must be extra cautious when calling methods that may throw a RuntimeException in order to prevent unexpected errors in the code. Therefore, while utilizing RuntimeExceptions can make the code more concise and flexible, it is important to be careful and properly handle them to avoid potential runtime errors.