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[IO-438] Clarify IOUtils.closeQuietly() Javadocs #857

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[IO-438] Clarify IOUtils.closeQuietly() Javadocs #857

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[IO-438] Clarify IOUtils.closeQuietly() Javadocs
Jun 12, 2026
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[IO-438] Clarify IOUtils.closeQuietly() Javadocs, and added examples …
Jun 12, 2026
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18 changes: 13 additions & 5 deletions src/main/java/org/apache/commons/io/IOUtils.java
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -778,7 +778,11 @@ private static void closeQ(final Closeable closeable) {
/**
* Closes a {@link Closeable} unconditionally.
* <p>
* Equivalent to {@link Closeable#close()}, except any exceptions will be ignored. This is typically used in finally blocks.
* Equivalent to {@link Closeable#close()}, except any exceptions will be ignored. This is typically used in cleanup code when reporting a close failure is not
* necessary or useful.
* <p>
* Do not use this method to close output streams or writers when close failures must be reported. Closing an output stream or writer may flush buffered data,
* and ignoring a close failure can hide that data was not fully written.
* <p>
* Example code:
* </p>
Expand All @@ -801,10 +805,12 @@ private static void closeQ(final Closeable closeable) {
*
* <pre>
* try {
* return IOUtils.copy(inputStream, outputStream);
* IOUtils.copy(inputStream, outputStream);
* outputStream.close(); // close errors are handled
* outputStream = null;
* } finally {
* IOUtils.closeQuietly(inputStream);
* IOUtils.closeQuietly(outputStream);
* IOUtils.closeQuietly(outputStream); // only if normal close was skipped

@garydgregory garydgregory Jun 12, 2026

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@Sarankumar18
This example makes no sense to me:

  • First, you close() the OS on line 809 with the contradictory comment "close errors are handled"; the close() call does not handle errors.
  • Second, in the finally block, the comment "only if normal close was skipped" is not true because the finally block is always executed.
    Please come up with an example and comments that make sense and are consistent with what actually happens.
    TY

* }
* </pre>
* <p>
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -853,9 +859,11 @@ public static void closeQuietly(final Closeable closeable) {
*
* <pre>
* try {
* return IOUtils.copy(inputStream, outputStream);
* IOUtils.copy(inputStream, outputStream);
* outputStream.close(); // close errors are handled

@garydgregory garydgregory Jun 12, 2026

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Same comment as above.

@garydgregory garydgregory Jun 18, 2026

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Ping.

* outputStream = null;
* } finally {
* IOUtils.closeQuietly(inputStream, outputStream);
* IOUtils.closeQuietly(inputStream, outputStream); // only closes outputStream if normal close was skipped
* }
* </pre>
* <p>
Expand Down