PHP: Exceptions vs. Errors: What\'s the Difference and How Do You Handle Them?

PHP Distinction: Exceptions vs. Errors

In programming, exceptions and errors can often be confusing concepts. While both involve unexpected situations during execution, they differ significantly in nature and handling.

What is an Exception?

An exception is thrown by code when an unexpected condition occurs. This may be an invalid argument, a resource issue, or any other situation the programmer anticipated and provided a way to handle. Exceptions are intended to be caught and handled within the code itself.

What is an Error?

An error, on the other hand, is an unrecoverable situation that typically results from an external issue or a serious internal flaw. Errors often require immediate intervention or a complete restart of the program. They are not intended to be caught and can interrupt program execution abruptly.

Causes of Exceptions and Errors

Exceptions are typically caused by programmer-induced issues, such as accessing nonexistent variables, providing invalid input, or encountering resource limits. These errors are usually recoverable and can be anticipated and handled in the code.

Errors, however, are usually caused by unforseen or external factors, such as database connectivity issues, server outages, or hardware malfunctions. They are often unrecoverable and may require manual intervention to resolve.

Handling Exceptions and Errors

Exceptions can be handled using the try-catch block. When an exception is thrown, it can be caught by the catch block and handled appropriately. This allows the program to continue executing after an exceptional situation.

Errors, on the other hand, are not typically caught and result in the termination of the program. In some cases, errors can be converted to exceptions using the set_error_handler() function, but this is not recommended for unrecoverable errors.

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