[v10.0.x] Docs: Backport of 69864 - Plugins reorganization (#71100)

* Docs: Plugins doc reorganization, part 1 (#69864) * Initial commit * Prettier fixes * Doc-validator fixes part 1 * Doc-validator fixes part 2 * More doc-validator fixes * More doc-validator fixes * Test * link test * Linnk test * Link test * More fixes * More fixes * Doc-validator fixes * Doc-validator fixes * fix broken link * Fix * Testing * Doc fixes * Link fixes * Fix links * Update docs/sources/developers/plugins/create-a-grafana-plugin/_index.md Co-authored-by: David Harris <david.harris@grafana.com> * Testing * Testing * Testing * Testing * Doc-validator fixes * Doc-validator fixes * Doc-validator fixes * Fix broken links for plugins reorganization project * Prettier fixes * Prettier fixes * Incorporate reviewer feedback * Link fixes * Link fixes * Link fixes * Link fix * Deleted space * Codeowners fix * Change grafana.com links to absolute URLs for Hugo --------- Co-authored-by: David Harris <david.harris@grafana.com> (cherry picked from commit f9df1f3051) * Prettier fix
2023-07-05 13:42:56 -07:00
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+---
+title: Work with error handling
+aliases:
+  - ../../plugins/error-handling/
+description: How to handle errors in plugins.
+keywords:
+  - grafana
+  - plugins
+  - plugin
+  - errors
+  - error handling
+---
+
+# Work with error handling
+
+This guide explains how to handle errors in plugins and provides suggestions for common scenarios.
+
+## Provide usable defaults
+
+Allow the user to learn your plugin in small steps. Provide a useful default configuration so that:
+
+- The user can get started right away.
+- You can avoid unnecessary error messages.
+
+For example, by selecting the first field of an expected type, the panel can display a visualization without any user configuration. If a user explicitly selects a field, then use that one. Otherwise, default to the first field of type `string`:
+
+```ts
+const numberField = frame.fields.find((field) =>
+  options.numberFieldName ? field.name === options.numberFieldName : field.type === FieldType.number
+);
+```
+
+## Display error messages
+
+To display an error message to the user, `throw` an `Error` with the message you want to display:
+
+```ts
+throw new Error('An error occurred');
+```
+
+Grafana displays the error message in the top-left corner of the panel.
+
+{{< figure src="/static/img/docs/panel_error.png" class="docs-image--no-shadow" max-width="850px" >}}
+
+We recommend that you avoid displaying overly technical error messages to the user. If you want to let technical users report an error, consider logging it to the console instead.
+
+```ts
+try {
+  failingFunction();
+} catch (err) {
+  console.error(err);
+  throw new Error('Something went wrong');
+}
+```
+
+> **Note:** Grafana displays the exception message in the UI as written, so use grammatically correct sentences. For more information, refer to the [Documentation style guide](/docs/writers-toolkit/).
+
+## Common error scenarios
+
+Here are some examples of situations where you might want to display an error to the user.
+
+### Invalid query response
+
+Users have full freedom when they create data source queries for panels. If your panel plugin requires a specific format for the query response, then use the panel canvas to guide the user.
+
+```ts
+if (!numberField) {
+  throw new Error('Query result is missing a number field');
+}
+
+if (frame.length === 0) {
+  throw new Error('Query returned an empty result');
+}
+```