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