Error Overview

Error is a notification plugin that keeps you informed when you have bugs in your JavaScript. Error works together with DamnIT, which is a free email notification service, to send you emails whenever errors pop up.

Learn, API, Demo

Harden your application

Getting JavaScript to work perfectly across all browsers is extremely challenging. You'll fix the bugs that leaked through testing faster with Error's detailed error notifications.

Utilize beta testers

Error makes it simple for beta testers to provide useful feedback by prompting them after an error occurs and combining their response with error message, file, line number, and back-trace information. You'll receive detailed automated error information instead of vague bug descriptions.

Save your ass

Fix bugs when a user stumbles on them, so the next user never finds out. Without Error, you'd have no idea when your JavaScript broke unless a user was nice enough to email you.

Features

Simple set up

For IE and Mozilla, all you have to do is include a script. For other browsers, simply add try...catch blocks.

Useful error notifications

Error notification emails are packed with relevant information, so you can track the problem down quickly:

Browser
Page
HTML content
Description
Message
File/Line/Stack (depending on the browser)

Unobtrusive and customizable

Error prompts users to explain their actions preceding the error with a small popup on the bottom of the screen that disappears in several seconds. The popup stays out of the way, and it can be deactivated or customized.

User prompt

Free notification service

DamnIT is and always will be a free email notification service.

Manage and prioritize your errors

DamnIT's administration interface lets you organize your errors, view statistics, and assign each a status. It also identifies your most common errors.

Why Error Notification is Important

Emerging JavaScript Best Practices

Exception notification is an accepted best practice in most server-side frameworks. However, JavaScript lacks formal development practices in many areas, exception notification and testing being two good examples. As more application functionality shifts to the client, knowing when errors occur in your production applications is becoming crucial.

JavaScript Testing Sucks

It's nearly impossible to build an application that works perfectly across all browsers. There are simply too many browsers variations and too many features to test. To compound the problem, most JavaScript applications are UI heavy, and automating UI testing is difficult. Developers often do their best with manual test scripts, but humans often make mistakes. Error takes the human error out of JavaScript testing.

Compare the following emails, one you might receive from a beta tester, the other from the Error plugin.

Without Error

Screen flicker bug

tester@gmail.com to me

I clicked the 2nd folder on the page, the screen flickered, and then 
nothing happened.  I think it was supposed to open and show my files.

With Error

ApplicationError on: https://damnit.jupiterit.com/home/demo

accounts@jupiterit.com to me

Browser:
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.12) 
       Gecko/20080201 Firefox/2.0.0.12
Page:
    https://fit.jupiterit.com/downloads/demo.html#
subject:
    ApplicationError on: https://fit.jupiterit.com/downloads/demo.html#
Description:
   I clicked the 2nd folder on the page, the screen flickered, and then 
   nothing happened.  I think it was supposed to open and show my files.
message:
    some_variable is not defined
fileName:
    https://fit.jupiterit.com/downloads/demo.js
lineNumber:
    3
stack:
    ()@https://fit.jupiterit.com/downloads/demo.js:3
onclick([object MouseEvent])
@https://fit.jupiterit.com/downloads/demo.html#:1
@:0
HTML Content:
    <head></head><body>
       <a href="#" onclick="breakme()">Click here to cause an error</a>
       <script type="text/javascript" 
          src="https://damnit.jupiterit.com/damnit.js?
          68dee8a700d952d69350c23e67eb456648a5ceee"></script>
       <script type="text/javascript" src="demo.js"></script>
    </body>

Related Learning

API
Low level documentation on the error methods.

Learn
Instructions for getting set up, usage across different browsers, and adding your own functionality to DamnIT notifications.

Demo
See it in action. Then download the demo code and start using it yourself.