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Junit 5 - Failing A Test Manually

[Last Updated: Dec 1, 2025]

The following method is used to explicitly and unconditionally mark a test as failed. 

public static <V> V fail(String message)
public static <V> V fail(String message, Throwable cause)
public static <V> V fail(Throwable cause)
public static <V> V fail(Supplier<String> messageSupplier)

Example

package com.logicbig.example;

import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.fail;

public class ManualFailExamples {

  @Test
  void testBasicFail() {
      // Manually fail the test
      fail("This test is intentionally failing");
  }

  @Test
  void testConditionalFail() {
      int result = performCalculation();

      if (result < 0) {
          fail("Result should not be negative. Got: " + result);
      }
      // Test continues if result is not negative
  }

  private int performCalculation() {
      return -5; // Simulating a negative result
  }
}

mvn test -Dtest=ManualFailExamples

Output

D:\example-projects\junit-5\junit-5-assertions\junit-5-failing-a-test-manually>mvn test -Dtest=ManualFailExamples
[INFO] Scanning for projects...
[INFO] 
[INFO] --------< com.logicbig.example:junit-5-failing-a-test-manually >--------
[INFO] Building junit-5-failing-a-test-manually 1.0-SNAPSHOT
[INFO]   from pom.xml
[INFO] --------------------------------[ jar ]---------------------------------
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- resources:3.3.1:resources (default-resources) @ junit-5-failing-a-test-manually ---
[WARNING] Using platform encoding (UTF-8 actually) to copy filtered resources, i.e. build is platform dependent!
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory D:\example-projects\junit-5\junit-5-assertions\junit-5-failing-a-test-manually\src\main\resources
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- compiler:3.14.1:compile (default-compile) @ junit-5-failing-a-test-manually ---
[INFO] Nothing to compile - all classes are up to date.
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- resources:3.3.1:testResources (default-testResources) @ junit-5-failing-a-test-manually ---
[WARNING] Using platform encoding (UTF-8 actually) to copy filtered resources, i.e. build is platform dependent!
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory D:\example-projects\junit-5\junit-5-assertions\junit-5-failing-a-test-manually\src\test\resources
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- compiler:3.14.1:testCompile (default-testCompile) @ junit-5-failing-a-test-manually ---
[INFO] Recompiling the module because of added or removed source files.
[INFO] Compiling 1 source file with javac [debug target 25] to target\test-classes
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- surefire:3.2.5:test (default-test) @ junit-5-failing-a-test-manually ---
[INFO] Using auto detected provider org.apache.maven.surefire.junitplatform.JUnitPlatformProvider
[INFO] 
[INFO] -------------------------------------------------------
[INFO]  T E S T S
[INFO] -------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Running com.logicbig.example.ManualFailExamples
[ERROR] Tests run: 2, Failures: 2, Errors: 0, Skipped: 0, Time elapsed: 0.059 s <<< FAILURE! -- in com.logicbig.example.ManualFailExamples
[ERROR] com.logicbig.example.ManualFailExamples.testBasicFail -- Time elapsed: 0.017 s <<< FAILURE!
org.opentest4j.AssertionFailedError: This test is intentionally failing
	at org.junit.jupiter.api.AssertionUtils.fail(AssertionUtils.java:48)
	at org.junit.jupiter.api.AssertionUtils.fail(AssertionUtils.java:36)
	at org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.fail(Assertions.java:57)
	at com.logicbig.example.ManualFailExamples.testBasicFail(ManualFailExamples.java:11)
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DirectMethodHandleAccessor.invoke(DirectMethodHandleAccessor.java:104)
	at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:565)
	at org.junit.platform.commons.util.ReflectionUtils.invokeMethod(ReflectionUtils.java:389)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.ExecutableInvoker.invoke(ExecutableInvoker.java:115)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.lambda$invokeTestMethod$6(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:167)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:40)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.invokeTestMethod(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:163)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.execute(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:110)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.execute(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:57)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.lambda$execute$3(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:83)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SingleTestExecutor.executeSafely(SingleTestExecutor.java:66)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.execute(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:77)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.lambda$null$2(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:92)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp$OfRef.accept(ForEachOps.java:186)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline$2$1.accept(ReferencePipeline.java:197)
	at java.base/java.util.Iterator.forEachRemaining(Iterator.java:133)
	at java.base/java.util.Spliterators$IteratorSpliterator.forEachRemaining(Spliterators.java:1939)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.copyInto(AbstractPipeline.java:570)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.wrapAndCopyInto(AbstractPipeline.java:560)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp.evaluateSequential(ForEachOps.java:153)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp$OfRef.evaluateSequential(ForEachOps.java:176)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.evaluate(AbstractPipeline.java:265)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline.forEach(ReferencePipeline.java:632)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.lambda$execute$3(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:92)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SingleTestExecutor.executeSafely(SingleTestExecutor.java:66)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.execute(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:77)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.lambda$null$2(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:92)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp$OfRef.accept(ForEachOps.java:186)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline$2$1.accept(ReferencePipeline.java:197)
	at java.base/java.util.Iterator.forEachRemaining(Iterator.java:133)
	at java.base/java.util.Spliterators$IteratorSpliterator.forEachRemaining(Spliterators.java:1939)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.copyInto(AbstractPipeline.java:570)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.wrapAndCopyInto(AbstractPipeline.java:560)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp.evaluateSequential(ForEachOps.java:153)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp$OfRef.evaluateSequential(ForEachOps.java:176)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.evaluate(AbstractPipeline.java:265)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline.forEach(ReferencePipeline.java:632)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.lambda$execute$3(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:92)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SingleTestExecutor.executeSafely(SingleTestExecutor.java:66)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.execute(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:77)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.execute(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:51)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestEngine.execute(HierarchicalTestEngine.java:43)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.execute(DefaultLauncher.java:170)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.execute(DefaultLauncher.java:154)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.execute(DefaultLauncher.java:90)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.junitplatform.LazyLauncher.execute(LazyLauncher.java:56)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.junitplatform.JUnitPlatformProvider.execute(JUnitPlatformProvider.java:184)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.junitplatform.JUnitPlatformProvider.invokeAllTests(JUnitPlatformProvider.java:148)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.junitplatform.JUnitPlatformProvider.invoke(JUnitPlatformProvider.java:122)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.booter.ForkedBooter.runSuitesInProcess(ForkedBooter.java:385)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.booter.ForkedBooter.execute(ForkedBooter.java:162)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.booter.ForkedBooter.run(ForkedBooter.java:507)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.booter.ForkedBooter.main(ForkedBooter.java:495)

[ERROR] com.logicbig.example.ManualFailExamples.testConditionalFail -- Time elapsed: 0.004 s <<< FAILURE!
org.opentest4j.AssertionFailedError: Result should not be negative. Got: -5
	at org.junit.jupiter.api.AssertionUtils.fail(AssertionUtils.java:48)
	at org.junit.jupiter.api.AssertionUtils.fail(AssertionUtils.java:36)
	at org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.fail(Assertions.java:57)
	at com.logicbig.example.ManualFailExamples.testConditionalFail(ManualFailExamples.java:19)
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DirectMethodHandleAccessor.invoke(DirectMethodHandleAccessor.java:104)
	at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:565)
	at org.junit.platform.commons.util.ReflectionUtils.invokeMethod(ReflectionUtils.java:389)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.ExecutableInvoker.invoke(ExecutableInvoker.java:115)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.lambda$invokeTestMethod$6(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:167)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:40)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.invokeTestMethod(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:163)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.execute(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:110)
	at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.execute(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:57)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.lambda$execute$3(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:83)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SingleTestExecutor.executeSafely(SingleTestExecutor.java:66)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.execute(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:77)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.lambda$null$2(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:92)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp$OfRef.accept(ForEachOps.java:186)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline$2$1.accept(ReferencePipeline.java:197)
	at java.base/java.util.Iterator.forEachRemaining(Iterator.java:133)
	at java.base/java.util.Spliterators$IteratorSpliterator.forEachRemaining(Spliterators.java:1939)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.copyInto(AbstractPipeline.java:570)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.wrapAndCopyInto(AbstractPipeline.java:560)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp.evaluateSequential(ForEachOps.java:153)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp$OfRef.evaluateSequential(ForEachOps.java:176)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.evaluate(AbstractPipeline.java:265)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline.forEach(ReferencePipeline.java:632)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.lambda$execute$3(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:92)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SingleTestExecutor.executeSafely(SingleTestExecutor.java:66)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.execute(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:77)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.lambda$null$2(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:92)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp$OfRef.accept(ForEachOps.java:186)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline$2$1.accept(ReferencePipeline.java:197)
	at java.base/java.util.Iterator.forEachRemaining(Iterator.java:133)
	at java.base/java.util.Spliterators$IteratorSpliterator.forEachRemaining(Spliterators.java:1939)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.copyInto(AbstractPipeline.java:570)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.wrapAndCopyInto(AbstractPipeline.java:560)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp.evaluateSequential(ForEachOps.java:153)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ForEachOps$ForEachOp$OfRef.evaluateSequential(ForEachOps.java:176)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.evaluate(AbstractPipeline.java:265)
	at java.base/java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline.forEach(ReferencePipeline.java:632)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.lambda$execute$3(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:92)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SingleTestExecutor.executeSafely(SingleTestExecutor.java:66)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.execute(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:77)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.execute(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:51)
	at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestEngine.execute(HierarchicalTestEngine.java:43)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.execute(DefaultLauncher.java:170)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.execute(DefaultLauncher.java:154)
	at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.execute(DefaultLauncher.java:90)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.junitplatform.LazyLauncher.execute(LazyLauncher.java:56)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.junitplatform.JUnitPlatformProvider.execute(JUnitPlatformProvider.java:184)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.junitplatform.JUnitPlatformProvider.invokeAllTests(JUnitPlatformProvider.java:148)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.junitplatform.JUnitPlatformProvider.invoke(JUnitPlatformProvider.java:122)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.booter.ForkedBooter.runSuitesInProcess(ForkedBooter.java:385)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.booter.ForkedBooter.execute(ForkedBooter.java:162)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.booter.ForkedBooter.run(ForkedBooter.java:507)
	at org.apache.maven.surefire.booter.ForkedBooter.main(ForkedBooter.java:495)

[INFO] 
[INFO] Results:
[INFO] 
[ERROR] Failures: 
[ERROR]   ManualFailExamples.testBasicFail:11 This test is intentionally failing
[ERROR]   ManualFailExamples.testConditionalFail:19 Result should not be negative. Got: -5
[INFO] 
[ERROR] Tests run: 2, Failures: 2, Errors: 0, Skipped: 0
[INFO] 
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] BUILD FAILURE
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Total time:  2.908 s
[INFO] Finished at: 2025-12-01T13:26:53+08:00
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ERROR] Failed to execute goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-surefire-plugin:3.2.5:test (default-test) on project junit-5-failing-a-test-manually: There are test failures.
[ERROR] 
[ERROR] Please refer to D:\example-projects\junit-5\junit-5-assertions\junit-5-failing-a-test-manually\target\surefire-reports for the individual test results.
[ERROR] Please refer to dump files (if any exist) [date].dump, [date]-jvmRun[N].dump and [date].dumpstream.
[ERROR] -> [Help 1]
[ERROR] 
[ERROR] To see the full stack trace of the errors, re-run Maven with the -e switch.
[ERROR] Re-run Maven using the -X switch to enable full debug logging.
[ERROR] 
[ERROR] For more information about the errors and possible solutions, please read the following articles:
[ERROR] [Help 1] http://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/MAVEN/MojoFailureException

Example Project

Dependencies and Technologies Used:

  • junit-jupiter-engine 6.0.1 (Module "junit-jupiter-engine" of JUnit)
     Version Compatibility: 5.0.0 - 6.0.1Version List
    ×

    Version compatibilities of junit-jupiter-engine with this example:

    • 5.0.0
    • 5.0.1
    • 5.0.2
    • 5.0.3
    • 5.1.0
    • 5.1.1
    • 5.2.0
    • 5.3.0
    • 5.3.1
    • 5.3.2
    • 5.4.0
    • 5.4.1
    • 5.4.2
    • 5.5.0
    • 5.5.1
    • 5.5.2
    • 5.6.0
    • 5.6.1
    • 5.6.2
    • 5.6.3
    • 5.7.0
    • 5.7.1
    • 5.7.2
    • 5.8.0
    • 5.8.1
    • 5.8.2
    • 5.9.0
    • 5.9.1
    • 5.9.2
    • 5.9.3
    • 5.10.0
    • 5.10.1
    • 5.10.2
    • 5.10.3
    • 5.10.4
    • 5.10.5
    • 5.11.0
    • 5.11.1
    • 5.11.2
    • 5.11.3
    • 5.11.4
    • 5.12.0
    • 5.12.1
    • 5.12.2
    • 5.13.0
    • 5.13.1
    • 5.13.2
    • 5.13.3
    • 5.13.4
    • 5.14.0
    • 5.14.1
    • 6.0.0
    • 6.0.1

    Versions in green have been tested.

  • JDK 25
  • Maven 3.9.11
Junit 5 - Failing A Test Manually Select All Download
  • junit-5-failing-a-test-manually
    • src
      • main
      • test
        • java
          • com
            • logicbig
              • example
                • ManualFailExamples.java

    See Also