Error Handling Base

Core insight: Good error handling is about communication - to users, developers, and monitoring systems.

Rules

• Always handle errors explicitly - never ignore them
• Use meaningful error messages that describe what went wrong
• Include context in error messages (what was being attempted)
• Log errors at appropriate levels (error vs warning vs info)
• Distinguish between recoverable and unrecoverable errors

Pitfalls

• Swallowing exceptions without logging
• Using generic error messages like "An error occurred"
• Exposing internal implementation details in user-facing errors
• Catching broad exception types when specific ones are needed

Examples

// Bad: Generic error
throw new Error("Error");

// Good: Descriptive error with context
throw new Error(`Failed to parse config file '${filename}': ${parseError.message}`);

Checklist

• All error paths are handled explicitly
• Error messages are actionable and descriptive
• Sensitive information is not leaked in errors
• Errors are logged before being re-thrown or converted