Error Handling with Skinsmonkey API

Why Error Handling Matters

When integrating with any external API, including Skinsmonkey API, robust error handling is crucial for building reliable applications. Even the most well-designed systems encounter errors, and how your application responds to these errors can significantly impact user experience.

In our previous articles, we covered getting started with the Skinsmonkey API, authentication methods, and optimization techniques. Now, let's focus on implementing effective error handling strategies to make your application more resilient.

Understanding Skinsmonkey API Error Types

The Skinsmonkey API returns different types of errors that require specific handling approaches:

Common Error Types

Status Code	Error Type	Description
400	Bad Request	Invalid request parameters or payload
401	Unauthorized	Missing or invalid authentication credentials
403	Forbidden	Valid credentials but insufficient permissions
404	Not Found	Requested resource doesn't exist
429	Too Many Requests	Rate limit exceeded
500-504	Server Error	Error on the Skinsmonkey API server

Error responses from the Skinsmonkey API follow a consistent structure:

{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "invalid_parameter",
    "message": "The parameter 'item_id' is invalid or missing.",
    "details": {
      "field": "item_id",
      "reason": "must be a valid UUID"
    }
  }
}

Implementing a Comprehensive Error Handling Strategy

Let's create a robust error handling approach for your Skinsmonkey API integration:

1. Create a Base API Client with Error Handling

// SkinsmonkeyApiClient.js
class SkinsmonkeyApiClient {
  constructor(apiKey, options = {}) {
    this.apiKey = apiKey;
    this.baseUrl = options.baseUrl || 'https://api.skinsmonkey.com/api/v1';
    this.timeout = options.timeout || 30000; // 30 seconds default timeout
  }
  
  async request(endpoint, options = {}) {
    const url = `${this.baseUrl}/${endpoint.replace(/^\//, '')}`;
    
    const config = {
      method: options.method || 'GET',
      headers: {
        'Authorization': `Bearer ${this.apiKey}`,
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
        'Accept': 'application/json',
        ...options.headers
      },
      timeout: this.timeout,
      ...options
    };
    
    if (options.body) {
      config.body = JSON.stringify(options.body);
    }
    
    try {
      const response = await fetch(url, config);
      const data = await response.json();
      
      if (!response.ok) {
        throw this.handleApiError(response, data);
      }
      
      return data;
    } catch (error) {
      if (error.name === 'AbortError') {
        throw new Error('Request timed out. Please try again later.');
      }
      
      if (error.name === 'TypeError' && error.message.includes('NetworkError')) {
        throw new Error('Network error. Please check your internet connection.');
      }
      
      throw error; // Re-throw the handled error
    }
  }
  
  handleApiError(response, data) {
    // Create a custom error object
    const error = new Error(data.error?.message || 'Unknown API error');
    
    // Add additional properties for better error handling
    error.status = response.status;
    error.statusText = response.statusText;
    error.errorCode = data.error?.code;
    error.errorDetails = data.error?.details;
    error.endpoint = response.url;
    error.timestamp = new Date().toISOString();
    
    // Customize error handling based on status code
    switch (response.status) {
      case 400:
        error.name = 'BadRequestError';
        break;
      case 401:
        error.name = 'UnauthorizedError';
        // Maybe trigger a re-authentication flow
        break;
      case 403:
        error.name = 'ForbiddenError';
        break;
      case 404:
        error.name = 'NotFoundError';
        break;
      case 429:
        error.name = 'RateLimitError';
        // Extract retry-after header if available
        error.retryAfter = response.headers.get('Retry-After');
        break;
      case 500:
      case 501:
      case 502:
      case 503:
      case 504:
        error.name = 'ServerError';
        break;
      default:
        error.name = 'ApiError';
    }
    
    // Log the error (could be sent to a monitoring service)
    console.error(`API Error (${error.name})`, {
      status: error.status,
      code: error.errorCode,
      message: error.message,
      details: error.errorDetails,
      timestamp: error.timestamp
    });
    
    return error;
  }
  
  // Convenience methods for different HTTP methods
  async get(endpoint, options = {}) {
    return this.request(endpoint, { ...options, method: 'GET' });
  }
  
  async post(endpoint, data, options = {}) {
    return this.request(endpoint, { ...options, method: 'POST', body: data });
  }
  
  async put(endpoint, data, options = {}) {
    return this.request(endpoint, { ...options, method: 'PUT', body: data });
  }
  
  async delete(endpoint, options = {}) {
    return this.request(endpoint, { ...options, method: 'DELETE' });
  }
}

2. Create a Higher-Level API Interface with Business Logic

// SkinsmonkeyService.js
class SkinsmonkeyService {
  constructor(apiKey, options = {}) {
    this.client = new SkinsmonkeyApiClient(apiKey, options);
  }
  
  // Implement specific API operations with error handling
  async getItem(itemId) {
    try {
      return await this.client.get(`items/${itemId}`);
    } catch (error) {
      if (error.name === 'NotFoundError') {
        // Handle item not found gracefully
        console.warn(`Item ${itemId} not found`);
        return null;
      }
      
      // Re-throw other errors
      throw error;
    }
  }
  
  async createTrade(tradeData) {
    try {
      return await this.client.post('trades', tradeData);
    } catch (error) {
      if (error.name === 'BadRequestError' && error.errorCode === 'insufficient_balance') {
        // Handle specific business error
        throw new Error('Insufficient balance to complete this trade. Please add funds to your account.');
      }
      
      throw error;
    }
  }
  
  async getUserInventory(userId, options = {}) {
    try {
      return await this.client.get(`users/${userId}/inventory`, {
        query: options
      });
    } catch (error) {
      if (error.name === 'RateLimitError') {
        // Implement retry with backoff
        const retryDelay = error.retryAfter ? parseInt(error.retryAfter, 10) * 1000 : 5000;
        console.log(`Rate limited. Retrying after ${retryDelay}ms`);
        
        await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, retryDelay));
        return this.getUserInventory(userId, options);
      }
      
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

3. Implement UI Error Handling

// Example React component with error handling
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { SkinsmonkeyService } from './SkinsmonkeyService';

const apiService = new SkinsmonkeyService('your-api-key');

function ItemDetails({ itemId }) {
  const [item, setItem] = useState(null);
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
  const [error, setError] = useState(null);
  
  useEffect(() => {
    async function fetchItem() {
      try {
        setLoading(true);
        setError(null);
        
        const itemData = await apiService.getItem(itemId);
        setItem(itemData);
      } catch (error) {
        // Map API errors to user-friendly messages
        let userMessage = 'An error occurred while fetching the item. Please try again later.';
        
        if (error.name === 'UnauthorizedError') {
          userMessage = 'Your session has expired. Please log in again.';
          // Trigger auth flow
        } else if (error.name === 'ForbiddenError') {
          userMessage = 'You don\'t have permission to view this item.';
        } else if (error.name === 'ServerError') {
          userMessage = 'The server is currently experiencing issues. Please try again later.';
        }
        
        setError({
          message: userMessage,
          originalError: error
        });
      } finally {
        setLoading(false);
      }
    }
    
    fetchItem();
  }, [itemId]);
  
  if (loading) {
    return Loading...;
  }
  
  if (error) {
    return (
      
        Oops! Something went wrong
        {error.message}
        
      
    );
  }
  
  if (!item) {
    return Item not found;
  }
  
  return (
    
      {item.name}
      
      Price: ${item.price}
      {/* More item details */}
    
  );
}

Best Practices for Error Handling

To make your Skinsmonkey API integration more robust, follow these best practices:

1. Use Consistent Error Structure

Standardize how you handle and pass errors throughout your application:

class AppError extends Error {
  constructor(message, options = {}) {
    super(message);
    this.name = options.name || 'AppError';
    this.code = options.code;
    this.statusCode = options.statusCode;
    this.isOperational = options.isOperational || true; // Indicates if this is an expected error
    this.context = options.context || {};
    
    Error.captureStackTrace(this, this.constructor);
  }
}

2. Categorize Errors

Differentiate between different types of errors to handle them appropriately:

Operational Errors: Expected errors that can be handled gracefully (invalid input, network issues, etc.)
Programming Errors: Bugs in your code that should be fixed (TypeError, ReferenceError, etc.)
Business Logic Errors: Violations of business rules (insufficient funds, item not available, etc.)

3. Implement Retry Logic for Transient Errors

Some errors are temporary and can be resolved by retrying the request:

async function executeWithRetry(operation, options = {}) {
  const maxRetries = options.maxRetries || 3;
  const retryDelay = options.retryDelay || 1000;
  const retryMultiplier = options.retryMultiplier || 2;
  
  let lastError;
  
  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < maxRetries; attempt++) {
    try {
      return await operation();
    } catch (error) {
      lastError = error;
      
      const isRetryable = 
        error.name === 'RateLimitError' || 
        error.name === 'ServerError' || 
        (error.name === 'NetworkError' && error.message.includes('timeout'));
      
      if (!isRetryable) {
        throw error; // Don't retry non-retryable errors
      }
      
      if (attempt < maxRetries - 1) {
        const delay = retryDelay * Math.pow(retryMultiplier, attempt);
        
        console.log(`Attempt ${attempt + 1} failed, retrying in ${delay}ms...`);
        await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, delay));
      }
    }
  }
  
  throw lastError; // All retries failed
}

4. Graceful Degradation

Design your application to function (perhaps with limited features) even when some API calls fail:

async function loadDashboard() {
  const results = await Promise.allSettled([
    apiService.getUserProfile(),
    apiService.getInventory(),
    apiService.getRecentTrades(),
    apiService.getMarketPrices()
  ]);
  
  // Process results even if some failed
  const [profileResult, inventoryResult, tradesResult, pricesResult] = results;
  
  const dashboard = {};
  
  if (profileResult.status === 'fulfilled') {
    dashboard.profile = profileResult.value;
  } else {
    dashboard.profile = { error: true };
    console.error('Failed to load profile:', profileResult.reason);
  }
  
  if (inventoryResult.status === 'fulfilled') {
    dashboard.inventory = inventoryResult.value;
  } else {
    dashboard.inventory = { items: [], error: true };
    console.error('Failed to load inventory:', inventoryResult.reason);
  }
  
  // Continue for other components
  
  return dashboard;
}

5. Comprehensive Logging

Implement detailed logging to help with debugging and monitoring:

class Logger {
  static log(level, message, context = {}) {
    const timestamp = new Date().toISOString();
    const logEntry = {
      timestamp,
      level,
      message,
      ...context
    };
    
    // In a real application, you might send this to a logging service
    console[level](`[${timestamp}] ${level.toUpperCase()}: ${message}`, context);
    
    // For severe errors, you might want to notify your team
    if (level === 'error' || level === 'fatal') {
      // Send to error monitoring service like Sentry
      // errorMonitoringService.capture(logEntry);
    }
  }
  
  static debug(message, context) {
    this.log('debug', message, context);
  }
  
  static info(message, context) {
    this.log('info', message, context);
  }
  
  static warn(message, context) {
    this.log('warn', message, context);
  }
  
  static error(message, context) {
    this.log('error', message, context);
  }
  
  static fatal(message, context) {
    this.log('fatal', message, context);
  }
}

Handling Specific Skinsmonkey API Error Scenarios

Let's look at how to handle some common error scenarios with the Skinsmonkey API:

Scenario 1: Authentication Failures

// Handle authentication errors and token refresh
async function makeAuthenticatedRequest(endpoint, options = {}) {
  try {
    return await apiService.client.request(endpoint, options);
  } catch (error) {
    if (error.name === 'UnauthorizedError') {
      // Try to refresh the token
      try {
        await refreshToken();
        
        // Retry the request with the new token
        return await apiService.client.request(endpoint, options);
      } catch (refreshError) {
        // If refresh fails, redirect to login
        redirectToLogin();
        throw new Error('Your session has expired. Please log in again.');
      }
    }
    
    throw error;
  }
}

Scenario 2: Handling Rate Limits

// Implement a rate limiter that respects API limits
class RateLimiter {
  constructor(maxRequests, timeWindow) {
    this.maxRequests = maxRequests;
    this.timeWindow = timeWindow;
    this.tokens = maxRequests;
    this.lastRefill = Date.now();
  }
  
  async acquire() {
    // Refill tokens based on elapsed time
    const now = Date.now();
    const timePassed = now - this.lastRefill;
    const refillAmount = Math.floor((timePassed / this.timeWindow) * this.maxRequests);
    
    if (refillAmount > 0) {
      this.tokens = Math.min(this.maxRequests, this.tokens + refillAmount);
      this.lastRefill = now;
    }
    
    if (this.tokens < 1) {
      // Calculate time until next token is available
      const waitTime = Math.ceil(this.timeWindow / this.maxRequests);
      console.log(`Rate limit reached. Waiting ${waitTime}ms`);
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, waitTime));
      return this.acquire(); // Try again after waiting
    }
    
    this.tokens -= 1;
    return true;
  }
}

// Usage
const rateLimiter = new RateLimiter(100, 60000); // 100 requests per minute

async function makeRateLimitedRequest(endpoint, options) {
  await rateLimiter.acquire();
  return apiService.client.request(endpoint, options);
}

Scenario 3: Handling Network Failures

// Offline detection and recovery
class OfflineManager {
  constructor() {
    this.isOnline = navigator.onLine;
    this.pendingRequests = [];
    
    // Listen for online/offline events
    window.addEventListener('online', this.handleOnline.bind(this));
    window.addEventListener('offline', this.handleOffline.bind(this));
  }
  
  handleOnline() {
    this.isOnline = true;
    console.log('Back online! Processing pending requests...');
    this.processPendingRequests();
  }
  
  handleOffline() {
    this.isOnline = false;
    console.log('Device is offline. Requests will be queued.');
  }
  
  async processPendingRequests() {
    if (!this.isOnline || this.pendingRequests.length === 0) {
      return;
    }
    
    const requests = [...this.pendingRequests];
    this.pendingRequests = [];
    
    for (const { operation, resolve, reject } of requests) {
      try {
        const result = await operation();
        resolve(result);
      } catch (error) {
        reject(error);
      }
    }
  }
  
  async executeOrQueue(operation) {
    if (this.isOnline) {
      return operation();
    }
    
    // Queue the request for when we're back online
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      this.pendingRequests.push({ operation, resolve, reject });
      console.log('Request queued for when device is back online');
    });
  }
}

// Usage
const offlineManager = new OfflineManager();

async function fetchData(endpoint) {
  return offlineManager.executeOrQueue(() => {
    return apiService.client.get(endpoint);
  });
}

User-Friendly Error Messages

Always translate technical errors into user-friendly messages. Here's a mapping table you can use:

Error Type	Technical Message	User-Friendly Message
Network Error	Network request failed	We're having trouble connecting to our servers. Please check your internet connection and try again.
Authentication	Invalid API key	Your session has expired. Please log in again to continue.
Rate Limit	Too many requests	You've made too many requests in a short time. Please wait a moment before trying again.
Server Error	Internal server error	We're experiencing some technical difficulties. Our team has been notified, and we're working to fix the issue.
Validation Error	Invalid parameter: price	Please enter a valid price for this item.

Error Monitoring and Analysis

To continuously improve your error handling, implement monitoring:

Use an error tracking service like Sentry, Rollbar, or LogRocket
Track error rates and identify patterns
Set up alerts for critical errors
Periodically review errors to identify areas for improvement

Conclusion

Implementing robust error handling for your Skinsmonkey API integration is essential for building reliable applications. By following the strategies outlined in this article, you can create a better user experience, simplify debugging, and ensure your application gracefully handles various error scenarios.

Remember that error handling is not just about catching and logging errors—it's about providing a seamless experience for your users even when things go wrong.

In our next article, we'll explore how to build a real-time trading system using the Skinsmonkey API's WebSocket capabilities. Stay tuned!

Tags: API Error Handling Debugging Reliability