DPC2019: Exception design - the art of making debugging more accurate - Szymon Szymański

Improve your code's debugging capabilities with a thoughtful approach to exception design, including naming conventions, exception chaining, and more.

Key takeaways

Exceptions are a powerful tool for improving code readability and better understanding of code intent.
Exceptions should not be used as a catch-all for every error, but only for exceptional situations.
The name of the exception should provide a hint about what went wrong and what the user can do to fix the issue.
Exception chaining can be used to create a history of the problem, making it easier for developers to debug.
The decision to use exceptions should be based on the probability of the problem and the business context.
Namespaces can be used to group related exceptions together and make them easier to manage.
Exceptions can be created from anywhere, but it’s generally better to create them as close to the source of the problem as possible.
Exception messages can be short and concise, but should still provide enough information to help the user understand what went wrong.
Exception messages should be designed to be machine parseable, to make it easier for tools to automatically detect and handle exceptions.
Exceptions can be used to control the flow of the program, but should not be used as a replacement for conditional logic.
The context of the exception should be considered, including the severity of the error and the type of user who will be affected.
The choice between different exception types, such as exceptions and runtime exceptions, should be based on the specific requirements of the application.
The importance of abstraction in exceptions, including using abstract classes and interfaces to create a hierarchy of exceptions.

DPC2019: Exception design - the art of making debugging more accurate - Szymon Szymański

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