Bumps in the Code: Error Handling During Software Development

Problems come up during software development all the time. When developers hit these bumps, situations can be surprising and new, and they must figure out what — if anything — has gone wrong. Error handling often resolves small, immediate concerns, however, findings from three ethnographically-informed studies suggest that the way developers experience errors has implications for professional growth and development. Through these experiences, developers refine ideas, strengthen collective practice, and learn.