What are best practices for exception handling?

Q: What should you avoid in exception handling?

Avoid empty catch blocks to ensure exceptions are handled or logged.

💡 Concept: Exception Handling Best Practices

Effective exception handling in C# ensures your application remains robust, maintainable, and user-friendly.

📘 Quick Intro

Good practices include catching specific exceptions, avoiding empty catches, and logging errors properly.

🧠 Analogy

Think of exception handling like safety nets in a circus: catching errors before they cause harm but letting non-harmful actions proceed.

🔧 Technical Explanation

🎯 Catch specific exceptions instead of general ones.
📝 Always log exception details for troubleshooting.
🚫 Avoid swallowing exceptions silently.
♻️ Use finally blocks for cleanup.
🛠 Consider using custom exceptions for clearer error contexts.

🎯 Use Cases

✅ Handling database connection errors gracefully.
✅ Managing file I/O exceptions securely.
✅ Ensuring UI responsiveness despite errors.
✅ Centralized logging for monitoring application health.

💻 Code Example


try {
    // Code that may throw exceptions
    using (var reader = new StreamReader(""file.txt"")) {
        string content = reader.ReadToEnd();
    }
}
catch (FileNotFoundException ex) {
    Console.WriteLine(""File not found: "" + ex.Message);
    // Log error
}
catch (IOException ex) {
    Console.WriteLine(""IO error: "" + ex.Message);
    // Log error
}
finally {
    Console.WriteLine(""Execution completed."");
}

❓ Interview Q&A

Q1: Why catch specific exceptions?
A: To handle errors precisely and avoid masking other issues.

Q2: What should you avoid in exception handling?
A: Avoid empty catch blocks.

Q3: Why log exceptions?
A: To facilitate debugging and monitoring.

Q4: What is the purpose of finally?
A: To run cleanup code regardless of success or failure.

Q5: When to use custom exceptions?
A: For clearer error context and handling.

Q6: Can exceptions be rethrown?
A: Yes, using throw; to preserve stack trace.

Q7: Is it good to catch all exceptions?
A: Generally no, catch specific ones.

Q8: What is exception swallowing?
A: Catching exceptions without handling or logging.

Q9: How to ensure application stability?
A: Proper exception handling and fallback logic.

Q10: Can finally block be skipped?
A: Only in catastrophic failures.

📝 MCQs

Q1. Why catch specific exceptions?

Handle errors precisely
Catch all exceptions
Ignore errors
Log nothing

Q2. What to avoid in exception handling?

Empty catch blocks
Logging errors
Throwing exceptions
Using try-finally

Q3. Why log exceptions?

Hide errors
Facilitate debugging
Ignore errors
Crash app

Q4. Purpose of finally block?

Run cleanup code
Catch errors
Throw exceptions
Ignore finally

Q5. When to use custom exceptions?

Never
Clearer error context
Always
Randomly

Q6. Can exceptions be rethrown?

No
Yes, preserving stack trace
Sometimes
Never

Q7. Is catching all exceptions good?

Yes
No
Sometimes
Always

Q8. What is exception swallowing?

Handling exceptions
Ignoring exceptions
Logging exceptions
Throwing exceptions

Q9. How to ensure stability?

Ignore errors
Proper handling and fallback
Crash app
Log only

Q10. Can finally be skipped?

Always
Only catastrophic failures
Never
Sometimes

💡 Bonus Insight

Well-structured exception handling is key to building reliable and maintainable software.

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