Restart and Error Handling
Recover from failures in batch jobs.
Restart and Error Handling is a free Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 4 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
Failures are inevitable
Long batch jobs hit bad rows, transient network errors, and crashes. Spring Batch provides skip, retry and restartability so a job can survive and resume.
Restartability basics
Because the JobRepository records each step execution, a failed job can be restarted and it resumes from where it stopped, not from the beginning. The same JobParameters must be used.
Re-launching a failed job
Relaunch with the same parameters and Spring Batch detects the prior failed execution and continues it. Completed steps are skipped.
JobParameters params = new JobParametersBuilder()
.addString("runDate", "2026-05-30")
.toJobParameters();
// running again with SAME params resumes the failed instance
jobLauncher.run(importJob, params);Skipping bad items
Use a fault-tolerant step to skip records that throw a given exception, up to a limit, instead of failing the whole job.
return new StepBuilder("step1", repo)
.<Person, Person>chunk(10, tx)
.reader(reader()).processor(proc()).writer(writer())
.faultTolerant()
.skip(ParseException.class)
.skipLimit(20)
.build();Skip limit
The skipLimit caps how many skips are tolerated. Once exceeded, the step fails. This prevents a job from silently ignoring a flood of bad data.
Retrying transient errors
For temporary failures (a deadlock, a brief network blip) use retry. The item operation is retried up to a limit before being skipped or failing.
return new StepBuilder("step1", repo)
.<Person, Person>chunk(10, tx)
.reader(reader()).processor(proc()).writer(writer())
.faultTolerant()
.retry(DeadlockLoserDataAccessException.class)
.retryLimit(3)
.build();Combining skip and retry
You can chain both: retry transient exceptions a few times, and skip persistent ones. Order matters - retry first, then skip if retries are exhausted.
.faultTolerant()
.retry(TransientException.class).retryLimit(3)
.skip(InvalidDataException.class).skipLimit(50)SkipListener and RetryListener
Listeners let you observe and log what was skipped or retried, which is essential for auditing batch runs.
public class LogSkipListener implements SkipListener<Person, Person> {
@Override
public void onSkipInProcess(Person item, Throwable t) {
log.warn("Skipped {} due to {}", item, t.getMessage());
}
}Idempotency matters
On restart, already-committed chunks are not re-read, but your writes should still be idempotent where possible (use upserts or natural keys) so a partial run does not create duplicates.
No-rollback exceptions
Sometimes an exception should not roll back the chunk. Declare it with noRollback so processing continues without discarding the transaction.
.faultTolerant()
.noRollback(NonCriticalException.class)Preventing accidental reruns
A completed JobInstance cannot be re-run with the same parameters - Spring throws JobInstanceAlreadyCompleteException. Add a unique parameter (like a timestamp) when you truly want a fresh run.
Quick Check
Test your error-handling knowledge.
Recap
You made batch jobs resilient:
- Restartability resumes a failed job from the last good point
skip+skipLimittolerates bad dataretry+retryLimithandles transient errors- Listeners audit skips/retries; keep writes idempotent
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Restart and Error Handling” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Restart and Error Handling” is free to read here on the web, and the Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “Restart and Error Handling”?
Recover from failures in batch jobs. You practise Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs?
No prior experience is required. Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 4 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “Restart and Error Handling” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs lesson?
Yes. Every Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- Scheduling with @Scheduled
- Spring Batch Jobs and Steps
- Readers, Processors, and Writers
- Restart and Error Handling