What happens when a destructor throws

3 days ago

Since C++11, destructors are implicitly noexcept(true), so throwing from one by default calls std::terminate.
If explicitly marked noexcept(false), a destructor can throw when no other exception is active, allowing the exception to propagate and be caught.
If a destructor throws during stack unwinding from another exception, even if noexcept(false), std::terminate is always called, as per the C++ standard.
The conventional advice is to avoid throwing from destructors; instead, use logging or error flags for error handling.
The author highlights that many developers, including senior candidates, are unaware of the behavior and dangers of throwing destructors.

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