Error Handling Best Practices

error-handling-best-practices.md

Error Handling Best Practices

• System Errors
  • eg null pointers/failed db query/failed api calls
  • Log this at the error level
  • Log stack trace if possible
  • Log any relevant identifiers if possible
  • Don't log any unapproved sensitive data
• User errors
  • eg invalid zip code/name length
  • Optionally log at warn level
    • Still an error for the user just not the system
  • Notify user of the error
    • Use Alerts, Toast, HTTP Codes/Payload, Kaka Message
      • Clearly define the specific issue
        • eg invalid last name is better than invalid request
        • eg last name too long is better than invalid last name
        • eg last name must be less than 25 characters better than last name too long
      • If it makes sense describe ways to correct issue
        • eg if database is locked ask user to retry later

Exceptions

• Do not throw an exception if it can be handled in the current function
• Catch user error exceptions so they don't trigger error messages
• Do clean up regardless of exception in finally block
• Use framework exception handling where applicable (eg. @ControllerAdvice)

Related

Logging Best Practices