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Error Handling and Logging

Robust error handling and logging mechanisms are crucial for maintaining the stability, reliability, and security of Ayushma.

Exception Handling​

  • Django REST Framework: Leverages Django REST Framework's exception handling capabilities to capture and process errors that occur during API requests.
  • Custom Exception Handler: Ayushma may implement a custom exception handler (utils/exceptions.py) to provide more specific error messages and responses tailored to the application's logic. This allows for better control over error presentation and user experience.
  • Error Serialization: Error objects are serialized into JSON format, providing details about the error type, message, and potentially additional context to aid in debugging.
  • HTTP Status Codes: Appropriate HTTP status codes are returned along with error responses, indicating the nature of the error (e.g., 400 Bad Request, 401 Unauthorized, 500 Internal Server Error).

Logging​

  • Django Logging: Utilizes Django's built-in logging system to record events and errors occurring within the application.
  • Log Levels: Different log levels, such as DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR, and CRITICAL, are used to categorize the severity and importance of log messages.
  • Log Handlers: Various log handlers can be configured to direct log messages to different destinations, such as the console, files, or external logging services.
  • Log Formatting: Log messages are formatted to provide relevant information, including timestamps, log levels, module names, and error details.

Code Snippets​

Custom Exception Handler (utils/exceptions.py)

def exception_handler(exc, context):
    if isinstance(exc, DjangoValidationError):
        exc = DRFValidationError(detail={"detail": get_error_detail(exc)[0]})

    return drf_exception_handler(exc, context)

Logging Configuration (settings.py)

LOGGING = {
    'version': 1,
    'disable_existing_loggers': False,
    'formatters': {
        'verbose': {
            'format': '%(levelname)s %(asctime)s %(module)s %(process)d %(thread)d %(message)s'
        }
    },
    'handlers': {
        'console': {
            'level': 'DEBUG',
            'class': 'logging.StreamHandler',
            'formatter': 'verbose',
        }
    },
    'root': {'level': 'INFO', 'handlers': ['console']},
    # ... additional loggers and handlers
}

Design Considerations​

  • Error Granularity: Providing specific and informative error messages helps users and developers understand and resolve issues more effectively.
  • User Experience: Error messages presented to users should be clear, concise, and avoid technical jargon.
  • Security: Sensitive information, such as API keys or database credentials, should not be exposed in error logs or responses.
  • Log Aggregation and Analysis: Centralized logging and analysis tools can be employed to monitor system health, identify recurring errors, and track down the root causes of issues.
  • Error Monitoring and Alerting: Setting up alerts for critical errors allows for prompt response and mitigation of potential problems.

Tools and Techniques​

  • Sentry: A popular error monitoring and reporting platform that can be integrated with Ayushma to track and manage errors effectively.
  • Log Aggregation Services: Services like Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana (ELK Stack) can be used for centralized logging, indexing, and analysis.
  • Error Tracking Libraries: Libraries like sentry-sdk provide convenient integration with error tracking platforms.