Mastering TypeScript Error Messages: Crafting Custom Error Types for Robust Applications

            
function processData(data: any) {
  if (!data || typeof data !== 'object') {
    throw new Error('Invalid data provided. Expected an object.');
  }
  // ... process data
}

try {
  processData(null);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error.message);
}

            

              
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class ValidationError extends Error {
  constructor(message: string) {
    super(message); // Call the parent constructor (Error)
    this.name = 'ValidationError'; // Set the name of the error

    // Maintains proper stack trace for where our error was thrown (only available on V8)
    if (Error.captureStackTrace) {
      Error.captureStackTrace(this, ValidationError);
    }
  }
}

            

              
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function validateEmail(email: string): void {
  if (!email || !email.includes('@')) {
    throw new ValidationError('Invalid email format. Email must contain an "@" symbol.');
  }
  console.log('Email is valid.');
}

try {
  validateEmail('test@example.com');
  validateEmail('invalid-email');
} catch (error) {
  if (error instanceof ValidationError) {
    console.error(`Validation Error: ${error.message}`);
    // You can perform specific actions for validation errors here
  } else {
    // Handle other unexpected errors
    console.error(`An unexpected error occurred: ${error.message}`);
  }
}

            

              
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interface Product {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  stock: number;
}

class InsufficientStockError extends Error {
  public readonly productId: string;
  public readonly requestedQuantity: number;
  public readonly availableStock: number;

  constructor(product: Product, requestedQuantity: number) {
    const message = `Insufficient stock for product "${product.name}" (ID: ${product.id}). Requested: ${requestedQuantity}, Available: ${product.stock}.`;
    super(message);
    this.name = 'InsufficientStockError';

    this.productId = product.id;
    this.requestedQuantity = requestedQuantity;
    this.availableStock = product.stock;

    if (Error.captureStackTrace) {
      Error.captureStackTrace(this, InsufficientStockError);
    }
  }
}

// --- Usage Example ---

const productInStock: Product = {
  id: 'p123',
  name: 'Wireless Mouse',
  stock: 5
};

function placeOrder(product: Product, quantity: number): void {
  if (quantity > product.stock) {
    throw new InsufficientStockError(product, quantity);
  }
  console.log(`Order placed successfully for ${quantity} of ${product.name}.`);
  // ... update stock, process payment etc.
}

try {
  placeOrder(productInStock, 3);
  placeOrder(productInStock, 7); // This will throw InsufficientStockError
} catch (error) {
  if (error instanceof InsufficientStockError) {
    console.error(`Order failed: ${error.message}`);
    console.error(`Details - Product ID: ${error.productId}, Requested: ${error.requestedQuantity}, Available: ${error.availableStock}`);
    // Possible actions: Suggest alternative products, notify user, log for inventory management.
  } else {
    console.error(`An unexpected error occurred during order placement: ${error.message}`);
  }
}

            

              
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// Base API Error
class ApiError extends Error {
  constructor(message: string) {
    super(message);
    this.name = 'ApiError';
    if (Error.captureStackTrace) {
      Error.captureStackTrace(this, ApiError);
    }
  }
}

// Specific API Errors inheriting from ApiError
class NetworkError extends ApiError {
  public readonly statusCode?: number;

  constructor(message: string, statusCode?: number) {
    super(message);
    this.name = 'NetworkError';
    this.statusCode = statusCode;
    if (Error.captureStackTrace) {
      Error.captureStackTrace(this, NetworkError);
    }
  }
}

class AuthenticationError extends ApiError {
  constructor(message: string = 'Authentication failed. Please check your credentials.') {
    super(message);
    this.name = 'AuthenticationError';
    if (Error.captureStackTrace) {
      Error.captureStackTrace(this, AuthenticationError);
    }
  }
}

class ResourceNotFoundError extends ApiError {
  public readonly resourceId: string;

  constructor(resourceId: string, message: string = `Resource with ID "${resourceId}" not found.`) {
    super(message);
    this.name = 'ResourceNotFoundError';
    this.resourceId = resourceId;
    if (Error.captureStackTrace) {
      Error.captureStackTrace(this, ResourceNotFoundError);
    }
  }
}

// --- Usage Example ---

async function fetchUserData(userId: string): Promise<any> {
  const response = await fetch(`/api/users/${userId}`);

  if (!response.ok) {
    if (response.status === 401) {
      throw new AuthenticationError();
    } else if (response.status === 404) {
      throw new ResourceNotFoundError(userId);
    } else {
      throw new NetworkError(`API request failed with status ${response.status}`, response.status);
    }
  }
  return response.json();
}

try {
  const user = await fetchUserData('user123');
  console.log('User data:', user);
} catch (error) {
  if (error instanceof AuthenticationError) {
    console.error('Authentication Error:', error.message);
    // Redirect to login page globally.
  } else if (error instanceof ResourceNotFoundError) {
    console.error('Resource Not Found:', error.message);
    // Inform user that the requested resource is unavailable.
  } else if (error instanceof NetworkError) {
    console.error(`Network Error: ${error.message} (Status: ${error.statusCode})`);
    // Potentially retry the request or inform the user about connection issues.
  } else {
    console.error('An unknown API error occurred:', error.message);
  }
}

            

              
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class UserNotFoundError extends Error {
  public readonly userId: string;
  public readonly errorCode: string = 'ERR_USER_NOT_FOUND'; // For localization/lookup

  constructor(userId: string, message: string = 'User not found.') {
    super(message); // Default message, can be overridden or looked up.
    this.name = 'UserNotFoundError';
    this.userId = userId;
    if (Error.captureStackTrace) {
      Error.captureStackTrace(this, UserNotFoundError);
    }
  }
}

// In a localization service:
function getLocalizedErrorMessage(error: Error & { errorCode?: string }, locale: string): string {
  if (!error.errorCode) {
    return error.message;
  }

  const messages: { [key: string]: { [key: string]: string } } = {
    'en-US': {
      'ERR_USER_NOT_FOUND': `User with ID ${ (error as any).userId } could not be found.`
    },
    'es-ES': {
      'ERR_USER_NOT_FOUND': `No se encontró al usuario con ID ${ (error as any).userId }.`
    }
    // ... other locales
  };

  return messages[locale]?.[error.errorCode] || error.message;
}

// Usage:
try {
  // ... attempt to find user
  throw new UserNotFoundError('abc-123');
} catch (error) {
  if (error instanceof UserNotFoundError) {
    const userMessage = getLocalizedErrorMessage(error, 'es-ES');
    console.error(`Error: ${userMessage}`); // Displays Spanish message
  } else {
    console.error(`Generic error: ${error.message}`);
  }
}

            

              
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