Error Handling Validator

This skill ensures Zig code follows best practices for error handling, including custom error sets, proper propagation, and meaningful error context.

Zig Error Handling Fundamentals

Error Sets

Define custom error sets for each module:

zig

// GOOD: Module-specific error set
pub const ParseError = error{
    InvalidMagic,
    UnsupportedVersion,
    MalformedChunk,
    UnknownChunkType,
    BufferTooSmall,
};

pub fn parseData(data: []const u8) ParseError!Result {
    if (data.len < 4) return error.BufferTooSmall;
    if (!std.mem.eql(u8, data[0..4], "MAGIC")) return error.InvalidMagic;
    // ...
}

Avoid generic errors:

zig

// BAD: No custom error set
pub fn parseData(data: []const u8) !Result {
    if (data.len < 4) return error.TooSmall;  // Unclear error
    // ...
}

Error Unions

Functions that can fail return error unions:

zig

// GOOD: Clear error union return type
pub fn execute(self: *Server) ServerError!void {
    // ...
}

// GOOD: Combined error sets
pub fn run(self: *Server) (ServerError || AllocatorError)!Result {
    // ...
}

// BAD: Hiding errors with void
pub fn process(self: *Server) void {
    self.execute() catch |err| {
        // Silently ignoring errors!
    };
}

Error Propagation

Use try for simple propagation, catch for handling:

zig

// GOOD: Propagate errors up
pub fn loadConfig(self: *Server, path: []const u8) !void {
    const file = try std.fs.cwd().openFile(path, .{});
    defer file.close();

    const data = try file.readToEndAlloc(self.allocator, max_size);
    defer self.allocator.free(data);

    const config = try Config.parse(data);
    try self.applyConfig(config);
}

// BAD: Catching without handling
pub fn loadConfig(self: *Server, path: []const u8) void {
    const file = std.fs.cwd().openFile(path, .{}) catch return;
    // Lost error information!
}

Error Handling Patterns

1. Define Module-Level Error Sets

Each module should define its error set at the top:

zig

// src/parser.zig
pub const ParseError = error{
    InvalidMagic,
    UnsupportedVersion,
    MalformedSection,
    UnknownSectionType,
    BufferTooSmall,
    InvalidNameTable,
    InvalidCodeSection,
};

// src/server.zig
pub const ServerError = error{
    InvalidOpcode,
    StackOverflow,
    StackUnderflow,
    RegisterOutOfBounds,
    UndefinedFunction,
    InvalidArity,
    SpawnFailed,
};

// src/value.zig
pub const ValueError = error{
    InvalidType,
    ListTooLong,
    ContainerTooBig,
    NameTooLong,
    InvalidEncoding,
};

2. Combine Error Sets When Needed

zig

// GOOD: Explicit error set combination
pub fn loadAndExecute(self: *Server, path: []const u8) (ParseError || ServerError || std.fs.File.OpenError)!void {
    const config = try Config.parseFile(path);  // ParseError || File.OpenError
    try self.execute(config);  // ServerError
}

// ALSO GOOD: Use anyerror for complex combinations
pub fn complexOperation() anyerror!Result {
    // When combining many error sets
}

3. Add Error Context

Provide context when catching errors:

zig

// GOOD: Add context to errors
pub fn loadConfig(self: *Server, path: []const u8) !void {
    const config = Config.parseFile(path) catch |err| {
        std.log.err("Failed to load config from {s}: {}", .{ path, err });
        return err;
    };
}

// BETTER: Use std.log for debugging
pub fn execute(self: *Server) !void {
    const opcode = self.fetchOpcode() catch |err| {
        std.log.err("Fetch failed at IP={d}: {}", .{ self.ip, err });
        return err;
    };
}

// BAD: Silent error swallowing
pub fn execute(self: *Server) void {
    self.fetchOpcode() catch return;  // No context!
}

4. Use errdefer for Cleanup

Clean up partial state on errors:

zig

// GOOD: errdefer for error-path cleanup
pub fn init(allocator: Allocator) !Server {
    const stack = try allocator.alloc(Value, 1024);
    errdefer allocator.free(stack);

    const registers = try allocator.alloc(Value, 256);
    errdefer allocator.free(registers);

    const heap = try allocator.alloc(u8, 65536);
    errdefer allocator.free(heap);

    return Server{
        .allocator = allocator,
        .stack = stack,
        .registers = registers,
        .heap = heap,
    };
}

5. Document Error Conditions

zig

/// Executes the next instruction.
///
/// Returns:
/// - ServerError.InvalidOpcode if opcode is unknown
/// - ServerError.StackOverflow if stack is full
/// - ServerError.RegisterOutOfBounds if register index invalid
pub fn execute(self: *Server) ServerError!void {
    // Implementation
}

Common Anti-Patterns

1. Catching All Errors Without Handling

zig

// BAD: Losing error information
pub fn process(data: []const u8) void {
    parseData(data) catch return;  // What went wrong?
}

// GOOD: Log or propagate
pub fn process(data: []const u8) !void {
    try parseData(data);  // Propagate up
}

// ALSO GOOD: Handle specific errors
pub fn process(data: []const u8) !void {
    parseData(data) catch |err| {
        std.log.err("Parse failed: {}", .{err});
        return err;
    };
}

2. Using Generic Errors

zig

// BAD: Generic errors are unclear
pub fn validate(self: *Server) !void {
    if (self.ip >= self.code.len) return error.Invalid;
    if (self.sp >= self.stack.len) return error.Error;
}

// GOOD: Specific error names
pub fn validate(self: *Server) ServerError!void {
    if (self.ip >= self.code.len) return error.InvalidInstructionPointer;
    if (self.sp >= self.stack.len) return error.StackOverflow;
}

3. Panic Instead of Error

zig

// BAD: Panic for recoverable errors
pub fn getRegister(self: *Server, index: u8) Value {
    if (index >= self.registers.len) {
        @panic("Register out of bounds");  // Crashes program!
    }
    return self.registers[index];
}

// GOOD: Return error
pub fn getRegister(self: *Server, index: u8) ServerError!Value {
    if (index >= self.registers.len) {
        return error.RegisterOutOfBounds;
    }
    return self.registers[index];
}

When to use panic:

•Programmer errors (unreachable states, contract violations)
•Assertions in debug builds
•Truly unrecoverable situations

When to use errors:

•Invalid user input
•File I/O failures
•Network errors
•Resource exhaustion
•Malformed data

4. Not Using errdefer

zig

// BAD: Memory leak on error
pub fn init(allocator: Allocator) !Server {
    const stack = try allocator.alloc(Value, 1024);
    const registers = try allocator.alloc(Value, 256);  // If this fails, stack leaks!

    return Server{ .stack = stack, .registers = registers };
}

// GOOD: errdefer prevents leak
pub fn init(allocator: Allocator) !Server {
    const stack = try allocator.alloc(Value, 1024);
    errdefer allocator.free(stack);

    const registers = try allocator.alloc(Value, 256);
    errdefer allocator.free(registers);

    return Server{ .stack = stack, .registers = registers };
}

5. Ignoring Error Return Values

zig

// BAD: Silently ignoring errors
pub fn run(self: *Server) void {
    _ = self.execute();  // Ignoring error!
}

// GOOD: Handle or propagate
pub fn run(self: *Server) !void {
    try self.execute();  // Propagate
}

// ALSO GOOD: Explicitly handle
pub fn run(self: *Server) void {
    self.execute() catch |err| {
        std.log.err("Execution failed: {}", .{err});
        self.halt();
    };
}

Error Handling Checklist

When Writing New Code:

• Define custom error set for the module
• Use specific error names (not Error, Invalid, etc.)
• Document which errors each function can return
• Use try to propagate errors up
• Use errdefer for cleanup on error paths
• Log errors with context before returning
• Prefer errors over panics for recoverable failures

When Reviewing Code:

• Are custom error sets defined?
• Are error names descriptive and specific?
• Is error context provided (logging, messages)?
• Are errors properly propagated or handled?
• Is errdefer used for cleanup?
• Are there any silent error swallowing (catch return, catch {})?
• Are there any inappropriate panics?
• Is error documentation complete?

Testing Error Cases

Always test error paths:

zig

test "parse returns error on invalid magic" {
    const data = "INVALID_MAGIC";
    const result = parseData(data);

    try std.testing.expectError(ParseError.InvalidMagic, result);
}

test "execute returns error on stack overflow" {
    var server = try Server.init(std.testing.allocator);
    defer server.deinit();

    // Fill stack
    while (server.sp < server.stack.len) {
        try server.push(Value.makeInt(0));
    }

    // Next push should overflow
    try std.testing.expectError(ServerError.StackOverflow, server.push(Value.makeInt(1)));
}

Summary

Error handling in Zig should be:

•Explicit - Use custom error sets, not anyerror
•Specific - Use descriptive error names
•Documented - Comment possible errors
•Contextual - Log errors with useful information
•Safe - Use errdefer for cleanup
•Testable - Test error paths explicitly

Golden Rule: If an operation can fail, return an error. Never silently ignore failures.