doubt regarding file handling

[abin joy]

File file=new File("myfile.txt");

file.createNewFile()
file.isDirectory()

Here file.createNewFile() needs a try/catch block or need throws declaration in the method signature to compile where as file.isDirectory() is just fine.I expect file.isDirectory() to behave the same way as file.createNewFile() behaves.Can anyone explain this

[Jelle Klap]

Why would it throw an IOException if no I/O takes place?
The method can throw an unchecked SecurityException, which (obviously) is not subject to the same catch-or-declare requirement as the IOException thrown by the createNewFile() method.

[Nickolas Case]

file.createNewFile is modifying the file system while file.isDirectory is only checking the status of the file system.