ABT Foundations • Module 6
Error Handling Patterns
Building resilient tests that fail gracefully
Module 6 of 30
"Dear Marilyn,
When my tests fail, the error messages are useless. 'Element not found' tells me nothing. How do I make failures more informative?
— Debugging in the Dark"
Marilyn Responds:
A test that fails silently is worse than no test at all. It gives you false confidence while hiding real problems.
In ABT, error handling is not an afterthought—it's a core design principle. Every action should fail with context: what was attempted, what was expected, what actually happened.
Good error messages are an investment in your future self's sanity.
The Error Hierarchy
ABT distinguishes between error types:
- Test Failures — The application didn't behave as expected (real bugs)
- Test Errors — The test itself couldn't execute (infrastructure issues)
- Test Warnings — Something unexpected but non-fatal occurred
Each type requires different handling and different responses.
Quick Check: Module 6
Question: What's the difference between a test failure and a test error?
a) There is no difference
b) Failures indicate application bugs; errors indicate test/infrastructure issues
c) Failures are more severe than errors
d) Errors only happen in production
(Answer: b — Distinguishing failures from errors helps teams prioritize: failures need developer attention, errors need test maintenance.)