How do I submit a new error to the Clojure Error Message Catalog?

Fork the GitHub repository, create a markdown file following the specified format under the correct category (clj, cljs, or lib), and send a pull request. The README provides detailed guidelines on file naming and content structure, including sections for exception, causes, and solutions.

Is the Clojure Error Message Catalog better than just Googling errors on Stack Overflow?

The catalog offers structured, community-curated explanations with specific causes and solutions, which can be more reliable and comprehensive than scattered forum posts. However, for very recent or obscure errors, Stack Overflow might have more up-to-date discussions and varied perspectives.

How can I search for a specific error in the catalog without the website?

Currently, you need to browse the GitHub repository folders manually or use GitHub's search function to find error files. The planned website will improve this, but for now, navigation requires familiarity with the repo structure.

Can I use this catalog with my IDE for automatic error suggestions?

Not directly; while the machine-readable format allows for potential integrations, no official plugins or tools are provided yet. Developers would need to build custom tooling using the structured markdown files to enable IDE features.

What's the difference between Clojure core errors and library errors in this catalog?

Clojure core errors are raised by Clojure itself, such as runtime exceptions, while library errors come from third-party libraries like Ring or Compojure. The catalog separates them into different directories (clj/ vs lib/) for easier navigation and context-specific help.

Error message catalog — Clojure Error Catalog

What is Error message catalog?

Clojure Error Message Catalog is a community-maintained repository that documents common errors in Clojure and ClojureScript ecosystems. It provides structured explanations, root causes, and solutions for errors to help developers debug more efficiently. The project aims to improve the overall developer experience by making error information more accessible and actionable.

Target Audience

Clojure and ClojureScript developers at all experience levels who encounter runtime or compilation errors and want to understand and resolve them quickly.

Value Proposition

It offers a centralized, community-curated resource for error documentation that is more comprehensive and searchable than scattered forum posts. The structured format also enables potential integration with development tools and IDEs for contextual error suggestions.

a catalog of common Clojure errors and their meaning

Use Cases

Best For

Looking up explanations for cryptic Clojure runtime exceptions
Understanding common ClojureScript compiler errors
Debugging library-specific errors in popular Clojure ecosystems
Contributing error documentation to help other developers
Learning about Clojure error patterns and best practices
Finding solutions to persistent Clojure development issues

Not Ideal For

Developers needing real-time, interactive debugging tools with automatic fixes
Projects relying on proprietary or niche Clojure libraries not covered by the community
Teams seeking fully integrated IDE plugins for error resolution without manual lookup

Pros & Cons

Pros

Community-Driven Catalog

Errors are submitted and maintained by the Clojure community through GitHub issues and pull requests, ensuring a diverse and real-world range of error scenarios.

Structured Error Format

Each error is documented in a markdown file with sections for exception, description, causes, and solutions, providing clear and consistent information for quick understanding.

Machine-Readable Potential

The consistent format enables potential tooling integration, such as IDE suggestions or contextual search, as highlighted in the README for future enhancements.

Clear Categorization

Errors are organized into Clojure core, ClojureScript core, and library-specific errors, making it easy to navigate and find relevant documentation quickly.

Cons

Reliance on Community Contributions

The catalog's completeness depends on user submissions, so errors for less popular libraries or new issues may be missing or slow to be updated, limiting immediate usefulness.

No Integrated Tooling

While the format is machine-readable, there is no built-in IDE plugin or real-time integration yet; users must manually search GitHub, which can be inefficient for rapid debugging.

Early Stage Companion Tools

The planned web interface for browsing and searching is still in development, so the primary access is through GitHub, which may not be as user-friendly as a dedicated site.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Error message catalog?

Target Audience

Clojure and ClojureScript developers at all experience levels who encounter runtime or compilation errors and want to understand and resolve them quickly.

Value Proposition

Use Cases

Best For

Looking up explanations for cryptic Clojure runtime exceptions
Understanding common ClojureScript compiler errors
Debugging library-specific errors in popular Clojure ecosystems
Contributing error documentation to help other developers
Learning about Clojure error patterns and best practices
Finding solutions to persistent Clojure development issues

Not Ideal For

Developers needing real-time, interactive debugging tools with automatic fixes
Projects relying on proprietary or niche Clojure libraries not covered by the community
Teams seeking fully integrated IDE plugins for error resolution without manual lookup

Pros & Cons

Pros

Community-Driven Catalog

Errors are submitted and maintained by the Clojure community through GitHub issues and pull requests, ensuring a diverse and real-world range of error scenarios.

Structured Error Format

Each error is documented in a markdown file with sections for exception, description, causes, and solutions, providing clear and consistent information for quick understanding.

Machine-Readable Potential

The consistent format enables potential tooling integration, such as IDE suggestions or contextual search, as highlighted in the README for future enhancements.

Clear Categorization

Errors are organized into Clojure core, ClojureScript core, and library-specific errors, making it easy to navigate and find relevant documentation quickly.

Cons

Reliance on Community Contributions

The catalog's completeness depends on user submissions, so errors for less popular libraries or new issues may be missing or slow to be updated, limiting immediate usefulness.

No Integrated Tooling

While the format is machine-readable, there is no built-in IDE plugin or real-time integration yet; users must manually search GitHub, which can be inefficient for rapid debugging.

Early Stage Companion Tools

The planned web interface for browsing and searching is still in development, so the primary access is through GitHub, which may not be as user-friendly as a dedicated site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Error message catalog

What is Error message catalog?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

Error message catalog

What is Error message catalog?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?