API Error Handling with HTTP

1. Introduction

API error handling is a critical aspect of building robust and user-friendly applications. Properly managing errors allows developers to provide meaningful feedback to users and maintain the integrity of the application.

2. HTTP Status Codes

HTTP status codes are issued by a server in response to a client's request made to the server. These codes indicate whether a specific HTTP request has been successfully completed. They are essential for error handling.

3. Best Practices

When handling errors in APIs, consider the following best practices:

1. Use standard HTTP status codes to indicate the result of an API request.
2. Provide a clear and concise error message in the response body.
3. Include an error code for programmatic access and debugging.
4. Log errors for further analysis while not exposing sensitive information to the client.
5. Ensure your API documentation covers error responses.

4. Code Examples

Here is a simple example of how to handle errors in a RESTful API using Node.js and Express:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.use(express.json());

app.get('/api/resource/:id', (req, res) => {
    const resourceId = req.params.id;
    
    // Simulate fetching resource
    const resource = null; // Simulate resource not found

    if (!resource) {
        return res.status(404).json({ 
            error: 'Resource not found', 
            code: 'RESOURCE_NOT_FOUND' 
        });
    }

    res.status(200).json(resource);
});

app.use((err, req, res, next) => {
    console.error(err.stack);
    res.status(500).json({ 
        error: 'Internal Server Error', 
        code: 'SERVER_ERROR' 
    });
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
    console.log('Server is running on port 3000');
});
            

5. FAQ