00:00:02 Before we dive into implementing error handlers within our code base, I want to take a second to tell you why we need to focus on error handling in the

00:00:10 first place.

00:00:11 For that reason, I prepared this quick piece of text that we can go over together.

00:00:15 In any full stack application, from small projects to enterprise level systems, robust error handling and logging are essential.

00:00:25 Do you need it on the super, super small project where you just build a to-do list?

00:00:30 No.

00:00:30 But as the app grows, the more and more important logging and error handling becomes.

00:00:36 They ensure that applications run smoothly, allowing you to quickly identify issues, and overall you have a better developer experience.

00:00:45 Neglecting these two practices can lead to undetected bugs, poor performance, and frustrated users.

00:00:52 But does it really matter?

00:00:54 Well, of course.

00:00:55 Imagine a user is browsing your app and encounters a blank screen.

00:01:01 No error message, not even a hint of what went wrong, they're left confused and possibly annoyed.

00:01:07 This scenario highlights why error handling is so critical.

00:01:11 because proper error handling allows you to improve the user experience by displaying helpful error message, giving users context,

00:01:19 and lets them know that you're working on a solution.

00:01:22 It protects data integrity because without proper error handling, unexpected issues could lead to data corruption or loss affecting both the users and

00:01:31 the system, and it also reduces the downtime.

00:01:34 because properly handling errors prevents the entire application from crashing due to one unexpected issue, making the system more resilient.

00:01:43 And of course, if the user gets a proper error message, and then many users start getting it, you immediately know what's wrong.

00:01:50 Whereas if you had no error handling in the first place, you would not know where to start looking.

00:01:56 And also, talking about logging, logging matters too.

00:02:01 And we're not only talking about console logs.

00:02:03 It's more than that.

00:02:05 Logging complements error handling by capturing crucial information about what happened right before, during, or after an error occurs.

00:02:15 And here's why it's important.

00:02:17 First of all, debugging and troubleshooting.

00:02:20 Logs give developers insights into the application's internal state at any given time, making it easier to trace back and resolve issues.

00:02:30 It also helps with performance monitoring because those logs can show performance bottlenecks, enabling optimization efforts and improving user experience.

00:02:39 It also helps with security because you can notice when there are many failed attempts or unusual API calls, allowing you to detect and respond to potential

00:02:50 security threats.

00:02:51 Finally, you get more insights into how users interact with your app, helping you improve the UX and find optimization opportunities.

00:03:00 And as I said, it's not needed for super small applications where you can just write console logs, throw a catch and an error,

00:03:07 and then handle them whatever necessary and move on.

00:03:10 But for larger applications, maintaining separate error handlers and logging mechanisms in each component quickly becomes unmanageable.

00:03:19 There is simply no consistency between what you can expect.

00:03:22 And this is where centralized error handling and logging come in.

00:03:26 They offer better consistency through uniform error messages and logging formats across the entire application, making logs easier to parse and understand.

00:03:36 They simplify the maintenance, allowing developers to update logging or error handling once without needing to make redundant changes.

00:03:44 And finally, they make the entire application that much more scalable.

00:03:48 So given those advantages, and as it's commonly implemented in the industry, I'll teach you how to create a centralized error handling and logging mechanism

00:03:58 to manage all types of API routes and server actions in our Next.js application.

00:04:03 So let's dive right into the code.