error-handling

Error Handling

Implement idiomatic Go error handling patterns.

Quick Start

Basic error handling:

result, err := doSomething()
if err != nil {
    return fmt.Errorf("do something: %w", err)
}

Sentinel error:

var ErrNotFound = errors.New("not found")

if errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound) {
    // Handle not found
}

Instructions

Step 1: Return Errors

Basic error return:

func ReadFile(path string) ([]byte, error) {
    data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
    if err != nil {
        return nil, fmt.Errorf("read file %s: %w", path, err)
    }
    return data, nil
}

Multiple return values:

func Divide(a, b float64) (float64, error) {
    if b == 0 {
        return 0, errors.New("division by zero")
    }
    return a / b, nil
}

Step 2: Wrap Errors with Context

Using fmt.Errorf with %w:

func ProcessFile(path string) error {
    data, err := ReadFile(path)
    if err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("process file: %w", err)
    }
    
    if err := Validate(data); err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("validate data: %w", err)
    }
    
    return nil
}

Error chain:

// Original error
err := os.Open("file.txt")

// Wrapped once
err = fmt.Errorf("open config: %w", err)

// Wrapped again
err = fmt.Errorf("initialize app: %w", err)

// Unwrap to check original
if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
    // Handle file not found
}

Step 3: Use Sentinel Errors

Define sentinel errors:

var (
    ErrNotFound     = errors.New("not found")
    ErrUnauthorized = errors.New("unauthorized")
    ErrInvalidInput = errors.New("invalid input")
)

func GetUser(id string) (*User, error) {
    user, ok := cache[id]
    if !ok {
        return nil, ErrNotFound
    }
    return user, nil
}

Check with errors.Is:

user, err := GetUser("123")
if errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound) {
    // Handle not found case
    return nil
}
if err != nil {
    // Handle other errors
    return err
}