1.7 KiB
Exit Codes
Exit codes, also known as "return codes" or "status codes", are numeric values that a program returns to the calling environment (usually the operating system) when it finishes execution. These codes are used to indicate the success or failure of a program's execution.
0 is the standard exit code for a successful execution, while non-zero exit codes typically indicate errors or other exceptional situations. The actual meanings of non-zero exit codes can vary between different applications or systems.
In C++, you can return an exit code from the main function by using the return statement, or you can use the exit() function, which is part of the C++ Standard Library.
Example: Using return in main
#include <iostream>
int main() {
// Some code here...
if (/*some error condition*/) {
std::cout << "An error occurred." << std::endl;
return 1;
}
// More code here...
if (/*another error condition*/) {
std::cout << "Another error occurred." << std::endl;
return 2;
}
return 0; // Successful execution
}
Example: Using the exit() function
#include <iostream>
#include <cstdlib>
void some_function() {
// Some code here...
if (/*some error condition*/) {
std::cout << "An error occurred." << std::endl;
std::exit(1);
}
// More code here...
}
int main() {
some_function();
// Some other code here...
return 0; // Successful execution
}
In both examples above, the program returns exit codes depending on different error conditions encountered during execution. The codes 1 and 2 are used to distinguish between the two error conditions.