What are the best practices for using asserts in programming?

What are the best practices for using asserts in programming?

Best practices for using asserts include ensuring they are used for conditions that should never happen, keeping them simple, and using them for debugging rather than error handling.

Can you give me an example of a good assert?

Sure! A good assert might look like this: assert x > 0, 'x must be positive'. This checks that x is positive during development.

When should I avoid using asserts?

Avoid using asserts for user input validation or in production code, as they can be disabled and may not handle errors gracefully.

Are there any performance concerns with using asserts?

Yes, asserts can impact performance if used excessively, especially in performance-critical sections of code. It's best to use them judiciously.

How do asserts differ from exceptions?

Asserts are used to catch programming errors during development, while exceptions are used to handle runtime errors that can occur in production.