Errors & debugging
Handle failures gracefully, raise helpful errors, and debug with confidence.
Catch ValueError and print friendly message in Python
Wrap an int() call in a try/except block and print a friendly message when ValueError is raised.
try:
number = int("not_a_number")
except ValueError:
print("That's not a valid number. Please enter digits only.")How to Catch ValueError in Python (try except)
Handle invalid numeric input by catching ValueError in a try/except block and returning a friendly error message.
def parse_number(text):
try:
number = int(text)
return f"Parsed number: {number}"
except ValueError as error:
return f"Error: '{text}' is not a valid number ({error})"
if __name__ == "__main__":
examples = ["42", "hello", "3.14", "100"]
for item in examples:
print(pars…How to Debug Print Behind a DEBUG Environment Flag in Python
Create a debug_print function that only outputs when the DEBUG environment variable is set to a truthy value like 1, true, yes, or on.
import os
def debug_print(*args, **kwargs):
"""Print only when DEBUG environment variable is set to a truthy value."""
if os.environ.get("DEBUG", "").lower() in ("1", "true", "yes", "on"):
print(*args, **kwargs)
if __name__ == "__main__":
# Example usage: run as `DEBUG=1 python script.py` to se…How to Handle ValueError with try-except in Python
Build a beginner-friendly division calculator that catches ValueError and ZeroDivisionError with try-except blocks.
def get_number(prompt="Enter a number: "):
while True:
try:
value = float(input(prompt))
return value
except ValueError:
print("That's not a valid number. Please try again.")
def divide_numbers(a, b):
try:
result = a / b
return result
ex…How to Validate Input and Raise TypeError in Python
Define a function that checks its argument type and raises a TypeError early with a clear message when given a non-number.
def validate_number(value):
if not isinstance(value, (int, float)):
raise TypeError(f"Expected a number, got {type(value).__name__}")
return value * 2
if __name__ == "__main__":
try:
print(validate_number(5))
print(validate_number("hello"))
except TypeError as e:
print(…How to catch ValueError in Python and print a friendly message
This code defines a function that safely converts text to an integer, catches ValueError, and prints a friendly message instead of crashing.
def parse_number(text):
try:
return int(text)
except ValueError:
print("Oops! That's not a valid number.")
return None
if __name__ == "__main__":
result = parse_number("abc")
if result is None:
print("Parsing failed.")
else:
print(f"Parsed value: {result}")Use pprint for Nested Structure Debug Output in Python
Pretty-print nested dictionaries and lists with pprint for readable, organized debug output.
from pprint import pprint
def build_nested_structure():
"""Create a sample nested data structure for demonstration."""
return {
"project": "DataPipeline",
"config": {
"inputs": ["raw_1.json", "raw_2.json"],
"processing": {
"steps": ["clean", "transform",…Validate try except ValueError handler for beginners — errors debugging
Learn how to validate user input and handle division errors safely using try/except with ValueError and ZeroDivisionError in Python.
def divide_numbers(a, b):
"""Divide two numbers, catching division by zero and value errors."""
try:
result = a / b
except ZeroDivisionError:
print("Error: Cannot divide by zero!")
return None
except TypeError:
print("Error: Both arguments must be numbers!")
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Errors & debugging — Python code examples
What you will find here
This page collects errors & debugging snippets — short, copy-ready Python you can paste into our free online IDE and run without installing anything. Each sample includes a plain-English explanation and the full source code.
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Samples are quick reference — one concept per page. For step-by-step teaching, use our Python tutorials. To test yourself, try quizzes or coding challenges. Clean up style with the Python formatter.