The reality is that errors are a part of the development process. As computer scientist Edsger W. Dijkstra famously observed, “if debugging is the process of removing software bugs, then programming must be the process of putting them in.”

Being comfortable finding errors and quickly fixing them is critical for developers and their teams. While this is a task that primarily falls on the development team, the truth is that it’s helpful for product teams and others that work more closely on the business side of things to understand some common programming errors. A general familiarity with programming errors will enable all team members to help prevent bugs, leading to a system where errors are efficiently caught and resolved.

Syntax Errors

While syntax errors are some of the most common programming errors, the good news is that they’re also some of the easiest to find and fix, as the compiler usually will identify the location of any of these errors.

Syntax errors are the coding equivalent of grammatical errors. The key difference is that while people can still communicate even if grammatical errors are made, computers cannot communicate with syntax errors. This means that even a small error in coding will keep a program from running.

Some of the most Common Syntax Errors are:

• omitting a parenthesis
• leaving out a semicolon at the end of a line
• leaving out a bracket at the end of a function
• misplaced capitals
• misspelled instructions

More proficient coders mean fewer mistakes leading to syntax errors. In addition to having a skilled development team experienced in the code they’re writing, it’s a good idea to take advantage of the tools that text editors or IDEs offer to warn programmers of syntax errors as they write.

Runtime Errors

Unlike syntax errors, runtime errors occur when an end-user is working with your program. With this type of error, the program works correctly for developers but for some reason, it doesn’t work for users.

This is often because the web server they’re using has some sort of different configuration but it can also be caused by the user interacting with the program in an unforeseen way.

Basically, something confuses the program and causes it to crash -  perhaps instructions are in the wrong order or the program is being asked to do something impossible (for example divide by zero).

Lots of user testing is a good way to identify these errors. Additionally, good technical support and an effective bug reporting system will make it easier to identify and fix these problems.

When it comes to runtime errors, teams should focus on learning from them and developing an effective reporting system. These types of errors have a way of repeating themselves, so the more developers can learn from them, the fewer there will be in the future.

Logic Errors

Logic errors are often the most difficult problems to identify. Unlike a syntax error that keeps the program from working, with a logic error, the program still works, it just doesn’t work the way you want it to. The basic idea here is that all the coding is done correctly, but the program just does the wrong thing.

A good example of this type of error occurred in 1999 when NASA lost a $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter because of a failure to convert from English units of measurement to the metric system. The program seemingly ran correctly and engineers did not realize they had an error until it was too late to fix it.

The best way to avoid this type of error is to ensure communication across all team members, especially those that work more closely with products and customers. Developers should make a habit of writing tests and sharing them with other teams to identify issues or problems.

Resource Errors

When a program causes the computer to use more resources than it has, it results in a resource error. This type of error can cause the program to be bugged or it can cause the system to crash. As you might imagine, these errors are particularly hard to identify because they don’t cause issues for the developer’s computer.

To avoid these errors, it’s important to be aware of the resources programs use while gathering data on resource usage, including load testing apps and services. This will help developers to timely identify code that is using too many resources, enabling developers to address the issue before users experience the error.

Arithmetic Errors

Arithmetic errors are exactly what you would expect - a programming issue that involves a mathematical error. The most common is a division equation that involves dividing by zero. For example, if the parameters in your system allow for the range of numbers to go down to zero, it can result in the program being asked to do something impossible, such as divide by zero.

Arithmetic errors can lead to both logic and run-time errors, frustrating for both users and developers. Functional tests, including testing edge cases, are the best ways to avoid arithmetic errors in your programs.

Build Your Development Team

The best thing you can do to minimize programming errors and the impact they have on your business is to build an experienced development team. If you need additional developers or are looking to build your team from the ground up, we’ve got all of the talents you need.

Start using Upstack today and spend less time worrying about program errors.

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