What is exception handling in a web API?

What is exception handling in a web API?

Exception handling in a web API refers to the process of managing errors that occur during API requests, ensuring that the API responds gracefully.

Why is it important to handle exceptions in APIs?

Handling exceptions is crucial because it helps maintain the stability of the API, provides meaningful error messages to users, and prevents the application from crashing.

Can you give me an example of how to implement exception handling?

Sure! In a Node.js Express API, you can use middleware to catch errors and send a standardized response. For example:

app.use((err, req, res, next) => {
  console.error(err.stack);
  res.status(500).send({ error: 'Something went wrong!' });
});