When is "java.io.IOException:Connection reset by peer" thrown?

Question

ERROR GServerHandler  - java.io.IOException: Connection reset by peer
java.io.IOException: Connection reset by peer
        at sun.nio.ch.FileDispatcher.read0(Native Method)
        at sun.nio.ch.SocketDispatcher.read(Unknown Source)
        at sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.readIntoNativeBuffer(Unknown Source)
        at sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.read(Unknown Source)
        at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.read(Unknown Source)
        at org.jboss.netty.channel.socket.nio.NioWorker.read(NioWorker.java:323)
        at org.jboss.netty.channel.socket.nio.NioWorker.processSelectedKeys(NioWorker.java:282)
        at org.jboss.netty.channel.socket.nio.NioWorker.run(NioWorker.java:202)
        at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.runTask(Unknown Source)
        at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

This log is from a game server implemented using netty. What can cause this exception ?

Answer 1

java.io.IOException: Connection reset by peer

The other side has abruptly aborted the connection in midst of a transaction. That can have many causes which are not controllable from the server side on. E.g. the enduser decided to shutdown the client or change the server abruptly while still interacting with your server, or the client program has crashed, or the enduser's internet connection went down, or the enduser's machine crashed, etc, etc.