INTRODUCTION TO SYNTAX
AND RUNTIME ERRORS
THIS PRESENTATION WILL DELIVER INTO THE WORLD OF
PROGRAMMING ERRORS, FOCUSING ON THE TWO MAJOR TYPES:
SYNTAX ERRORS AND RUNTIME ERRORS. UNDERSTANDING THESE
ERRORS IS CRUCIAL FOR EFFICIENT CODING, AS THEY CAN CAUSE
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES DURING DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT.
WHAT ARE SYNTAX ERRORS?
DEFINITION EXAMPLES
Syntax errors occur when the code Missing semicolons, unclosed
violates the grammar rules of the parentheses, or misspelled keywords
programming language. They are like are common syntax errors.
grammatical mistakes in human
language
WHAT ARE RUNTIME ERRORS?
• Runtime errors occur during the execution of the program, usually
when an unexpected event happens. These are often
unpredictable and harder to debug.
• Division by zero, attempting to access a non-existent file, or
accessing an array element out of bounds are examples of
runtime errors.
• They occur when the program encounters a condition that it wasn’t
designed to handle, like invalid user input or unexpected network
errors.
COMPARING SYNTAX AND RUNTIME ERRORS
SYNTAX ERRORS RUNTIME ERRORS
• Structural issue • Unexpected events during execution
• Compiler or interpreter detects them • Occur during program execution
• Program won’t run until fixed • May require debugging
STRATEGIES FOR IDENTIFYING
AND FIXING SYNTAX ERRORS
Use syntax highlighting to Employ linters to Utilize IDEs that provide
identify potential errors automatically detect real-time error feedback
syntax errors and and suggestions
enforce coding style
STRATEGIES FOR IDENTIFYING AND FIXING
RUNTIME ERRORS
Debugging Tools Anticipate Potential Errors Error Handling Constructs
Use print statements or Consider handling edge cases and Utilize error handling mechanisms
debuggers to track program unexpected inputs to prevent like try-catch blocks to gracefully
flow and identify the source runtime errors. handle runtime errors.
of the error
EXAMPLES OF COMMON
RUNTIME ERRORS IN REAL-
WORLD APPLICATIONS
• Division by zero: Occurs when a program attempts to
divide a number by zero, which is mathematically
undefined.
• Out-of-range or type mismatch errors: Happen when a
program tries to access an element outside the bounds
of an array or tries to use a value of the wrong type.
• Handling unexpected user inputs: Program should
handle invalid user input gracefully to avoid
unexpected behaviour or crashes
CONCLUSION AND BEST PRACTICES
1 2 3
Understanding the differences Employ strategies for preventing By mastering error handling, you
between syntax and runtime errors and fixing both types of errors to can create robust and reliable
is essential for efficient coding improve software reliability software that is more resilient to
unexpected situations.