Error Handling

Error Handling

1. all the programmers should do it

   • making sure that our code does what it needs to do

2. it's important, but if it obscures logic, it's wrong

3. Use exceptions rather than return codes

   • It's better to throw an exception when you encounter an error

4. write your try-catch-finally statement first

   • exceptions define a scope within your program
     • catch has to leave your program in a consistent state

5. Use unchecked exceptions

   • checked exceptions aren't necessary for the production of robust software
     • the changed modules must be rebult and redeployed

6. provide context with exceptions

   • exceptions should provide context to determine the source and location of an error
     • create informative error messages
       • mention the operation that failed and the type of failure

7. define exception classes in terms of a caller's needs

   • classify them by how they are caught

8. define the normal flow

   • special case pattern
     • create a class or configure an object so that it handless a special case
       • the client code doesn't deal with the exception, the behavior is encapsulated in the special case object

9. don't return null, but don't pass null