C++ – Arguments for Exceptions over Return Codes

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I think this article sums it up.

Arguments for Using Exceptions

  1. Exceptions separate error-handling code from the normal program flow and thus make the code more readable, robust and extensible.
  2. Throwing an exception is the only clean way to report an error from a constructor.
  3. Exceptions are hard to ignore, unlike error codes.
  4. Exceptions are easily propagated from deeply nested functions.
  5. Exceptions can be, and often are, user defined types that carry much more information than an error code.
  6. Exception objects are matched to the handlers by using the type system.

Arguments against Using Exceptions

  1. Exceptions break code structure by creating multiple invisible exit points that make code hard to read and inspect.
  2. Exceptions easily lead to resource leaks, especially in a language that has no built-in garbage collector and finally blocks.
  3. Learning to write exception safe code is hard.
  4. Exceptions are expensive and break the promise to pay only for what we use.
  5. Exceptions are hard to introduce to legacy code.
  6. Exceptions are easily abused for performing tasks that belong to normal program flow.

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