Should i let Main() exit while worker threads are still running?

Question

what is the Java Best Programming Practices for the issue of having the
public static void main(String[] args) { ... }exit before the worker Threads that is starts exit?
letting main() exit first, or making it wait, has no practical difference.
yet, when others look at my code, what should it look like?
should i thread.join() on all worker threads, before main() exits?
imo: it appears to be bad style to let the main() exit while my session with the jvm is, essentially, still running.
yet, it is extra code that is not necessary.

Answer 1

Strike that. Reverse it.
i.e.
>
1) Have main join the threads, and comment that you're doing so simply to preserve the notion of main as the umbrella for the program.
2) Make the threads daemons, and comment at the end of main that the daemon threads, and hence the program, may still run after main has completed.
>
should instead say:
1) Make the threads daemons, and have main join the threads, and comment that you're doing so simply to preserve the notion of main as the umbrella for the program.
2) Make the threads non-daemons (the default), and comment at the end of main that the non-daemon threads, and hence the program, may still run after main has completed.
Edited by: jverd on Oct 21, 2008 9:27 AM