# Errors and exceptions

Source: https://libtmux.org/en/java/latest/topics/errors-and-exceptions/

> Handle command failures, inspect delivery status, and decide when a retry is safe.

A command can fail because tmux rejects it, or because the transport stops
before returning a reply. Inspect the reported error and delivery state before
retrying a mutation: tmux may already have received it.

For lookup failures caused by zero or multiple matches, see [Filtering and
queries](https://libtmux.org/en/java/latest/concepts/queries/#the-cardinality-contract-side-by-side).

## A failed command, as a value

Command failures raise unchecked exceptions derived from
[`LibTmuxException`](<https://libtmux.org/en/java/latest/reference/io-github-libtmux-exception-libtmuxexception-libtmuxexception/>), which extends [`RuntimeException`](<https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/21/docs/api/java.base/java/lang/RuntimeException.html>).

## Is it safe to retry?

Retry a mutation automatically only when you know it was not dispatched, or when
repeating it is safe for your operation. A timeout, cancellation, or dropped
connection can occur after tmux has acted. These APIs expose delivery
information:

`TmuxTimeoutException.outcome()` exposes a [`DispatchOutcome`](<https://libtmux.org/en/java/latest/reference/io-github-libtmux-transport-dispatchoutcome-dispatchoutcome/>):
[`NOT_DISPATCHED`](<https://libtmux.org/en/java/latest/reference/io-github-libtmux-transport-dispatchoutcome-dispatchoutcome-not_dispatched/>), `COMPLETE`, or `UNKNOWN`.

Treat unknown delivery as potentially executed.

[`NOT_DISPATCHED`](<https://libtmux.org/en/java/latest/reference/io-github-libtmux-transport-dispatchoutcome-dispatchoutcome-not_dispatched/>) identifies a request that did not reach tmux.

For subprocess calls that complete normally, inspect the exit status. If a call
is interrupted or times out without a delivery state, check tmux's resulting
state before repeating a mutation.