--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The primary duty of an exception handler…" description: "\"The primary duty of an exception handler is to get the error out of the lap of the programmer and into the surprised face of the user. Provided you kee..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/verity-stob-69579_cardinal-rules_the-primary-duty-of-an-exception-handler_345510.jpg" --- # The primary duty of an exception handler is to get the… ![“The primary duty of an exception handler is to get the error out of the lap of the programmer and into the surprised face of the user. Provided you keep this cardinal rule in mind, you can't go far wrong.” quote by Verity Stob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/verity-stob-69579_cardinal-rules_the-primary-duty-of-an-exception-handler_345510.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/verity-stob-69579_cardinal-rules_the-primary-duty-of-an-exception-handler_345510.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/verity-stob-69579_cardinal-rules_the-primary-duty-of-an-exception-handler_345510.jpg) > “The primary duty of an exception handler is to get the error out of the lap of the programmer and into the surprised face of the user. Provided you keep this cardinal rule in mind, you can't go far wrong.” Verity Stob ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An exception handler should hide technical errors from developers and present them to users as unexpected events. **In simple terms:** Hide errors from programmers, show them to users. Key Takeaway Design error handling that protects users. Themes software development error handling user experience Mood practical concerned Type advice technical When to use this quote - debugging - production deployment - user support Key Concepts exception handling software robustness Questions to Reflect On - How can we inform users without alarming them? - What balance between transparency and simplicity? A Different Perspective If users are surprised by errors, they may lose trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cardinal rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cardinal-rules/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Programmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programmers/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-the-casino-the-cardinal-rule-is-to-keep-them-playing-and-to-keep/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [Pick the assumptions to pieces till the stuff they are made of is exposed to plain view - this is the cardinal rule for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-temple-bell/pick-the-assumptions-to-pieces-till-the-stuff-they-are-made-of-is/) [Eric Temple Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-temple-bell/) > [One cardinal rule in behavioral medicine is that unless it is interfered with, your body knows exactly what it is doing and always does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-johnson/one-cardinal-rule-in-behavioral-medicine-is-that-unless-it-is/) Jill Johnson > [Attention must be paid’ is the cardinal rule of design discipline, for the designer is above all someone who pays attention to the situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/attention-must-be-paid-is-the-cardinal-rule-of-design-discipline-for/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [The very first as a cardinal rule for a person to build trust is to do must only that what is humanly just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj/the-very-first-as-a-cardinal-rule-for-a-person-to-build-trust-is-to/) [Anuj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj/) > [There are three cardinal rules - don't take somebody else's boyfriend unless you've been specifically invited to do so, don't take a drink without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/there-are-three-cardinal-rules-don-t-take-somebody-else-s-boyfriend/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [To me, the "tape" is the final arbiter of any investment decision. I have a cardinal rule: Never fight the tape!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-zweig/to-me-the-tape-is-the-final-arbiter-of-any-investment-decision-i-have/) [Martin Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-zweig/) > [There is only one cardinal rule: One must always listen to the patient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/there-is-only-one-cardinal-rule-one-must-always-listen-to-the-patient/) [Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/) > [A cardinal rule of bureaucracy is that it is better to extend an error than to admit a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/a-cardinal-rule-of-bureaucracy-is-that-it-is-better-to-extend-an/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [There's a cardinal rule that you don't talk about sharks. If you don't see it, it's not there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-warkentin/there-s-a-cardinal-rule-that-you-don-t-talk-about-sharks-if-you-don-t/) [Mark Warkentin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-warkentin/) > [Fortunately, I knew the cardinal rule of getting on with one's fellow cooks. It applies in any kitchen and can be summed up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/fortunately-i-knew-the-cardinal-rule-of-getting-on-with-one-s-fellow-2/) [Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/) > [It is no coincidence that one cardinal rule in brainwashing is to remove from the victim all photographs of himself and people he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-coleman/it-is-no-coincidence-that-one-cardinal-rule-in-brainwashing-is-to/) [A. D. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-coleman/) > [I made up my mind long ago to follow one cardinal rule in all my writing — to be clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/i-made-up-my-mind-long-ago-to-follow-one-cardinal-rule-in-all-my/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [The cardinal rule for hosting the Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty pageants is to expect the unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barker/the-cardinal-rule-for-hosting-the-miss-usa-and-miss-universe-beauty/) [Bob Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barker/) > [A cardinal rule of writing is never interrupt yourself to explain something. If you must bring up an obscure topic, drop informative hints about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/a-cardinal-rule-of-writing-is-never-interrupt-yourself-to-explain/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) ## More by Verity Stob > [Lisp is still #1 for key algorithmic techniques such as recursion and condescension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verity-stob/lisp-is-still-1-for-key-algorithmic-techniques-such-as-recursion-and/) Verity Stob > [This does not mean that I fail to recognise that Lisp is still #1 for key algorithmic techniques such as recursion and condescension. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verity-stob/this-does-not-mean-that-i-fail-to-recognise-that-lisp-is-still-1-for/) Verity Stob > [Whereas smaller computer languages have features designed into them, C++ is unusual in having a whole swathe of functionality discovered, like a tract of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verity-stob/whereas-smaller-computer-languages-have-features-designed-into-them-c/) Verity Stob Explore all 4 Verity Stob quotes ## More Cardinal rules quotes > [In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-the-casino-the-cardinal-rule-is-to-keep-them-playing-and-to-keep/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [The cardinal rule for hosting the Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty pageants is to expect the unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barker/the-cardinal-rule-for-hosting-the-miss-usa-and-miss-universe-beauty/) [Bob Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barker/) > [I made up my mind long ago to follow one cardinal rule in all my writing — to be clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/i-made-up-my-mind-long-ago-to-follow-one-cardinal-rule-in-all-my/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [It is no coincidence that one cardinal rule in brainwashing is to remove from the victim all photographs of himself and people he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-coleman/it-is-no-coincidence-that-one-cardinal-rule-in-brainwashing-is-to/) [A. D. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-coleman/) > [Fortunately, I knew the cardinal rule of getting on with one's fellow cooks. It applies in any kitchen and can be summed up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/fortunately-i-knew-the-cardinal-rule-of-getting-on-with-one-s-fellow-2/) [Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/) > [There's a cardinal rule that you don't talk about sharks. If you don't see it, it's not there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-warkentin/there-s-a-cardinal-rule-that-you-don-t-talk-about-sharks-if-you-don-t/) [Mark Warkentin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-warkentin/) > [A cardinal rule of bureaucracy is that it is better to extend an error than to admit a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/a-cardinal-rule-of-bureaucracy-is-that-it-is-better-to-extend-an/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [Don't compare yourself to others you have no idea what their journey is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-abraham/don-t-compare-yourself-to-others-you-have-no-idea-what-their-journey/) Dawn Abraham > [There is only one cardinal rule: One must always listen to the patient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/there-is-only-one-cardinal-rule-one-must-always-listen-to-the-patient/) [Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/) > [To me, the "tape" is the final arbiter of any investment decision. I have a cardinal rule: Never fight the tape!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-zweig/to-me-the-tape-is-the-final-arbiter-of-any-investment-decision-i-have/) [Martin Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-zweig/) > [There are three cardinal rules - don't take somebody else's boyfriend unless you've been specifically invited to do so, don't take a drink without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/there-are-three-cardinal-rules-don-t-take-somebody-else-s-boyfriend/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The very first as a cardinal rule for a person to build trust is to do must only that what is humanly just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj/the-very-first-as-a-cardinal-rule-for-a-person-to-build-trust-is-to/) [Anuj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj/) > [Attention must be paid’ is the cardinal rule of design discipline, for the designer is above all someone who pays attention to the situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/attention-must-be-paid-is-the-cardinal-rule-of-design-discipline-for/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [One cardinal rule in behavioral medicine is that unless it is interfered with, your body knows exactly what it is doing and always does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-johnson/one-cardinal-rule-in-behavioral-medicine-is-that-unless-it-is/) Jill Johnson > [Pick the assumptions to pieces till the stuff they are made of is exposed to plain view - this is the cardinal rule for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-temple-bell/pick-the-assumptions-to-pieces-till-the-stuff-they-are-made-of-is/) [Eric Temple Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-temple-bell/) [Browse all 28 Cardinal rules quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cardinal-rules/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The primary duty of an exception handler is to get the error out of the lap of the programmer and into the surprised face of the user. 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