Question 1

How to get the output of a command as a string using zt-exec?

Accepted Answer

Use the .readOutput(true) method before .execute(), then call .outputUTF8() on the ProcessResult to capture standard output as a UTF-8 string, as shown in the README examples for simple one-liners.

Question 2

zt-exec vs Apache Commons Exec: which is better for Java?

Accepted Answer

zt-exec offers a more fluent API and better integration with modern Java features like SLF4J logging and timeouts, while Commons Exec is more established with broader community usage. Choose zt-exec for simpler syntax and enhanced reliability, but Commons Exec if you need a wider ecosystem or are already familiar with it.

Question 3

How to set a timeout for a process in zt-exec?

Accepted Answer

Use the .timeout(duration, TimeUnit) method before execution; if the process exceeds the timeout, a TimeoutException is thrown and the process is automatically destroyed, preventing hangs without manual intervention.

Question 4

Can zt-exec run processes asynchronously in Java?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it supports asynchronous execution via the .start() method, which returns a Future for non-blocking process management, allowing you to retrieve results later or handle concurrent executions efficiently.

Question 5

Does zt-exec work with Java 11 or 17?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the library is tested with Java 8, 11, and 17, and the minimal required version is Java 6, so it's fully compatible with modern Java versions without issues.

Question 6

How to redirect stderr to stdout with zt-exec?

Accepted Answer

By default, when using .readOutput(true), stderr is redirected to stdout, but for custom handling, you can use methods like .redirectError() to pipe stderr to other streams or loggers, similar to output redirection examples.

zt-exec

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