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A Comprehensive Guide to Handling Exceptions in Python
The dos and don’ts of best-practice Python exception handling
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No one wants their code throwing errors, but exceptions in Python can have a whole variety of use cases and are critically important to writing good code.
This article describes some examples of what to do and not do when writing exceptions. Hopefully, it’ll instill in you a deeper understanding of exception handling broadly as well provide some useful Python tips.
Do Write Lots of Exceptions
AttemptedToAccessCoreDatabasePriorToDatabaseTransactionBeingInitiatedException
JavascriptMillisecondTimeFormatBufferOverflowException
CannotDeleteUserAccountThatDoesntExistException
Exceptions, exceptions, exceptions everywhere. These names look challenging to read and are long to type, but are they really so scary?
These exceptions provide the most valuable function exceptionally well — they’re specific, informative, and to the point.
OK, the last one could probably be renamed to CannotDeleteNonExistentUser
, sure, but the point is they’re clear. You know where to go to find the issue, and you know exactly what to try except
if you’re OK with…