Exception handling is a mechanism in programming that allows a program to respond to runtime errors, or “exceptions,” in a controlled and predictable way. Instead of causing the program to crash when an error occurs, exception handling allows developers to define custom actions to take when certain errors are detected, such as logging the error, displaying a user-friendly message, or recovering from the issue.

Definition: Exception handling is a mechanism in programming to handle runtime errors, ensuring the program doesn’t crash unexpectedly. It uses try, except, and finally blocks.

Most programming languages, including Java, Python, C++, and C#, provide keywords like try, catch, throw, and finally to manage exceptions. A try block contains code that may throw an exception, while a catch block handles the exception. A finally block, if present, executes after the try and catch blocks, regardless of whether an exception was thrown or not.

Try:
    Execute code that might raise an exception
Except ErrorType:
    Handle exception
Finally:
    Clean up (if needed)

Exception handling is crucial for improving the reliability and robustness of programs, especially in situations where unexpected events, such as invalid user input or file access errors, can occur. By properly handling exceptions, developers can ensure that their applications continue to run smoothly, even in the face of runtime issues.