Error Handling & Observability

When to Load

• Trigger: Try/catch patterns, retry logic, error responses, circuit breakers, structured logging
• Skip: No error handling or observability involved in the current task

Error Handling Workflow

Copy this checklist and track progress:

Error Handling Progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Define error taxonomy (categories and severity)
- [ ] Step 2: Implement error handling by layer
- [ ] Step 3: Set up structured logging
- [ ] Step 4: Add retry and circuit breaker patterns
- [ ] Step 5: Configure error tracking service
- [ ] Step 6: Define user-facing error messages
- [ ] Step 7: Validate against anti-patterns checklist

Error Handling Patterns by Language

JavaScript / TypeScript

// Custom error hierarchy
class AppError extends Error {
  constructor(
    message: string,
    public statusCode: number = 500,
    public code: string = "INTERNAL_ERROR",
    public isOperational: boolean = true,
  ) {
    super(message);
    this.name = this.constructor.name;
  }
}
class NotFoundError extends AppError {
  constructor(resource: string, id: string) {
    super(`${resource} with id ${id} not found`, 404, "NOT_FOUND");
  }
}
class ValidationError extends AppError {
  constructor(public errors: Record<string, string[]>) {
    super("Validation failed", 400, "VALIDATION_ERROR");
  }
}

// WRONG: Swallowing errors silently
try {
  await saveUser(data);
} catch (e) {
  // nothing here -- bug hides forever
}

// WRONG: Catching and re-throwing without context
try {
  await saveUser(data);
} catch (e) {
  throw e; // pointless try/catch
}

// CORRECT: Add context, handle or propagate
try {
  await saveUser(data);
} catch (error) {
  if (error instanceof ValidationError) {
    return res.status(400).json({ errors: error.errors });
  }
  logger.error({ err: error, userId: data.id }, "Failed to save user");
  throw new AppError("Unable to save user", 500, "USER_SAVE_FAILED");
}