Does Specifying @Transactional rollbackFor Also Include RuntimeException?

Does the @Transactional annotation's rollbackFor attribute in Spring include RuntimeExceptions?

@Transactional(rollbackFor = Exception.class) // This includes all subclasses of Exception.

The @Transactional annotation in Spring is a powerful feature that controls transaction boundaries in a declarative manner. One of the configuration properties, rollbackFor, allows you to specify which exceptions should trigger a rollback when they occur within a transactional context. The behavior of rollbackFor in relation to RuntimeExceptions can sometimes lead to confusion, especially among developers new to Spring.

@Transactional(rollbackFor = {SpecificCheckedException.class}) // This only rolls back for SpecificCheckedException.

Causes

• When you specify a rollbackFor attribute, it only rolls back for the specified exceptions and their subclasses.
• By default, Spring rolls back for unchecked exceptions (subclasses of RuntimeException) and Error; however, handling them can be customized.
• Misunderstanding the distinction between checked and unchecked exceptions may lead to incorrect usage of rollbackFor.

Solutions

• To ensure a RuntimeException causes a rollback, explicitly include it in your rollbackFor attribute, e.g., @Transactional(rollbackFor = {RuntimeException.class, MyCustomException.class}).
• Use the default behavior of Spring (rolling back for all unchecked exceptions) if you don't need fine granularity in rollback behavior, which is usually the case in standard applications.

Mistake: Assuming @Transactional will roll back for all exceptions without specifying rollbackFor.

Solution: Understand that by default, it only rolls back for runtime exceptions; specify checked exceptions in rollbackFor if needed.

Mistake: Not including relevant exceptions in rollbackFor and experiencing unexpected outcomes.

Solution: Carefully analyze which exceptions should lead to rollbacks and configure rollbackFor accordingly.