In some rare cases, the client libraries may need to terminate the application because it encounters an unrecoverable error. For example:
If the application callsStatusOr<T>::value(), and the library was compiled with exceptions disabled, and theStatusOr<T>contains an error,thenthe function throws an exception to report the error as the function cannot return a valid value. Applications that disable exceptions should query theStatusOr<T>status (using.ok()or.status()) and avoid calling.value()if theStatusOr<T>is holding an error.
If the application callsfuture<T>::get(), the library was compiled with exceptions disabled, and (somehow) the future is satisfied with an exception. Note that the library APIs typically returnfuture<StatusOr<T>>to avoid this problem, but the application may have createdfuture<T>andpromise<T>pairs in their own code.
In these cases there is no mechanism to return the error. The library cannot continue working correctly and must terminate the program. The application may want to intercept these errors, before the application crashes, and log or otherwise capture additional information to help with debugging or troubleshooting. The functions in this module can be used to do so.
By their nature, there is no mechanism to "handle" and "recover" from unrecoverable errors. All the application can do is log additional information before the program terminates.
Note that the libraries do not use functions that can trigger unrecoverable errors (if they do we consider that a library bug).
The default behavior in the client library is to callstd::abort()when an unrecoverable error occurs.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-09-04 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThis document details how the client libraries handle unrecoverable errors that result in application termination.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eUnrecoverable errors can occur when functions like \u003ccode\u003eStatusOr<T>::value()\u003c/code\u003e or \u003ccode\u003efuture<T>::get()\u003c/code\u003e are called and the library is compiled with exceptions disabled, resulting in a situation where an error cannot be properly returned.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe library provides functions to intercept these errors, such as \u003ccode\u003eSetTerminateHandler(TerminateHandler)\u003c/code\u003e, \u003ccode\u003eGetTerminateHandler()\u003c/code\u003e, and \u003ccode\u003eTerminate(char const *)\u003c/code\u003e, allowing the application to log additional information before termination.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eWhile these errors are unrecoverable, the provided mechanisms allow applications to capture diagnostic information before the program terminates via the \u003ccode\u003eTerminateHandler\u003c/code\u003e type.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe default behavior is to call \u003ccode\u003estd::abort()\u003c/code\u003e when such an unrecoverable error happens.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Intercepting Unrecoverable Errors (2.12.0)\n\nVersion 2.12.0keyboard_arrow_down\n\n- [2.42.0-rc (latest)](/cpp/docs/reference/common/latest/group__terminate)\n- [2.41.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.41.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.40.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.40.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.39.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.39.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.38.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.38.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.37.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.37.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.36.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.36.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.35.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.35.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.34.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.34.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.33.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.33.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.32.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.32.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.31.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.31.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.30.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.30.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.29.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.29.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.28.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.28.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.27.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.27.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.26.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.26.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.25.1](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.25.1/group__terminate)\n- [2.24.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.24.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.23.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.23.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.22.1](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.22.1/group__terminate)\n- [2.21.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.21.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.20.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.20.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.19.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.19.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.18.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.18.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.17.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.17.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.16.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.16.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.15.1](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.15.1/group__terminate)\n- [2.14.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.14.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.13.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.13.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.12.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.12.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.11.0](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.11.0/group__terminate)\n- [2.10.1](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.10.1/group__terminate) \n\nIntercepting Unrecoverable Errors\n=================================\n\nIn some rare cases, the client libraries may need to terminate the application because it encounters an unrecoverable error. For example:\n\n- If the application calls [`StatusOr`](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.12.0/classgoogle_1_1cloud_1_1StatusOr)`\u003cT\u003e::value()`, and the library was compiled with exceptions disabled, and the [`StatusOr`](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.12.0/classgoogle_1_1cloud_1_1StatusOr)`\u003cT\u003e` contains an error, *then* the function throws an exception to report the error as the function cannot return a valid value. Applications that disable exceptions should query the [`StatusOr`](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.12.0/classgoogle_1_1cloud_1_1StatusOr)`\u003cT\u003e` status (using `.ok()` or `.status()`) and avoid calling `.value()` if the [`StatusOr`](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.12.0/classgoogle_1_1cloud_1_1StatusOr)`\u003cT\u003e` is holding an error.\n- If the application calls `future\u003cT\u003e::get()`, the library was compiled with exceptions disabled, and (somehow) the future is satisfied with an exception. Note that the library APIs typically return `future\u003c`[`StatusOr`](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.12.0/classgoogle_1_1cloud_1_1StatusOr)`\u003cT\u003e\u003e` to avoid this problem, but the application may have created `future\u003cT\u003e` and `promise\u003cT\u003e` pairs in their own code.\n\nIn these cases there is no mechanism to return the error. The library cannot continue working correctly and must terminate the program. The application may want to intercept these errors, before the application crashes, and log or otherwise capture additional information to help with debugging or troubleshooting. The functions in this module can be used to do so.\n\nBy their nature, there is no mechanism to \"handle\" and \"recover\" from unrecoverable errors. All the application can do is log additional information before the program terminates.\n\nNote that the libraries do not use functions that can trigger unrecoverable errors (if they do we consider that a library bug).\n\nThe default behavior in the client library is to call `std::abort()` when an unrecoverable error occurs.\n\n### Functions\n\n- [`SetTerminateHandler(TerminateHandler)`](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.12.0/namespacegoogle_1_1cloud)\n- [`GetTerminateHandler()`](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.12.0/namespacegoogle_1_1cloud)\n- [`Terminate(char const *)`](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.12.0/namespacegoogle_1_1cloud)\n\n### Types\n\n- [`TerminateHandler`](/cpp/docs/reference/common/2.12.0/namespacegoogle_1_1cloud)"]]