java - Try , finally execution flow when return is in try block

Question

When try , finally combination is used, in try if there is a return statement.Why is finally block executed first?

---

class Palindrome
{
    public static void main(String args[]) 
    { 
        System.out.println(Palindrome.test()); 
    }

    public static int test()
    {
        try {  
                //return 0;  
                return 100;
        }  
        finally {  
            System.out.println("finally trumps return.");
        }
    }
}

In the above code please tell me the flow of execution. I know that finally will be executed mandatorily after the try block.But in try block, return staatement will take the control to main class. In that case how will the control come to finally block?

Answer 1

What do you mean by "first"?

The finally runs before execution leaves the method. When else should it run? It is, after all, part of the method.

But if you have

int x = 1;
try{
   return x;
} finally {
   x = x + 1;
}

then the method will still return 1. So the return statement does get executed before the finally block in a way (to determine the return value).

If the question is why the finally block is executed at all, well, that's what they are for: To "finally" run after the "try" block is done, no matter what.

But in try block, return statement will take the control to main class. In that case how will the control come to finally block?

How? Well, that's just how the language (and runtime) work.

Before control flow is returned to the calling method, the finally block is executed.

It technically even has the option to change the return value (by having its own return statement), but that is highly discouraged.