Profile.js : Refactoring: Enhance Error Handling

[ksibisamir]

The current codebase has basic error handling, which is a good start. However, there are areas where it could be improved to provide more meaningful error messages, help with debugging, and improve the robustness of the application.

Current Code:

exports.account = async (req, res) => {
  try {
    if (req.user) {
      let { password, secureCode, secret, newEmail, fireBaseAccessToken, ...user } = req.user.toObject();
      return makeResponseData(res, 200, 'success', user);
    } else {
      return makeResponseError(res, 204, 'user not found');
    }
  } catch (err) {
    return makeResponseError(res, 500, err.message ? err.message : err.error);
  }
};

In the current code, if an error occurs, the only information we get is either err.message or err.error. It's not always clear what caused the error or where it originated.

Refactored Code:

exports.account = async (req, res) => {
  try {
    if (req.user) {
      let { password, secureCode, secret, newEmail, fireBaseAccessToken, ...user } = req.user.toObject();
      return makeResponseData(res, 200, 'success', user);
    } else {
      throw new Error('User not found');
    }
  } catch (err) {
    console.error(`Error in account function: ${err.stack}`);
    return makeResponseError(res, 500, err.message ? err.message : err.error);
  }
};

In the refactored code, we use console.error to log the full error stack trace in case of an error. This will help with debugging by showing not just the error message, but also where the error occurred.

Additionally, when a user is not found, instead of directly returning an error response, we throw an Error with a custom message. This allows the error handling logic to be centralized in the catch block, which can be beneficial for several reasons:

• Consistency: It ensures that all errors are handled in the same way, making the code more predictable.
• Flexibility: It allows for more flexible error handling. For example, you could add more sophisticated logging, send an alert, or even attempt to recover from certain errors.
• Clarity: It makes it clear that an error condition is an exceptional circumstance, not just another code path.

Please note that this is a simple example, and actual error handling strategy should be tailored to the needs of your application. Depending on your application's requirements, you might want to consider other strategies, such as:

• Specific error classes: Create custom error classes for different types of errors. This allows you to handle different error conditions in different ways.
• Error handling middleware: In Express, you can use error handling middleware to handle all errors in one place.
• Error tracking services: Consider using an error tracking service, which can capture errors automatically, provide detailed reports, and alert you when errors occur.