What are assertions in programming languages?

Can you explain what assertions are in programming languages?

Assertions are statements that check if a condition is true at a specific point in a program. If the condition is false, the program typically throws an error.

How do assertions differ in languages like Python and Java?

In Python, assertions are done using the assert keyword, while in Java, you use the assert statement. Python's assertions can be disabled with optimization flags, whereas Java's are always checked unless disabled at runtime.

Can you give me an example of an assertion in Python?

Sure! In Python, you might write: assert x > 0, 'x must be positive'. This checks if x is greater than 0 and raises an error with the message if it's not.

Are assertions used in production code?

Generally, assertions are used for debugging and testing purposes. They can be disabled in production to improve performance, so they shouldn't replace proper error handling.