Custom Error Handling Framework in APIGEE

In this blog, we will learn how to handle the custom error Framework in Apigee.

A robust error logging framework is a critical asset for operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and long-term cost savings. By capturing detailed diagnostic information—including request and response metadata, backend interactions, and contextual error traces—in a secure and structured manner, businesses can significantly reduce the time and resources required to identify, analyze, and resolve issues.

Leveraging its built-in policies and frameworks, Apigee enables the creation of a customizable error logging system with the desired functionality, tailored to specific business requirements.

Error Handling

We utilize Apigee’s built-in error handling in combination with custom JavaScript and Java callout policies to generate concise client responses and store detailed error information in a database. The framework is flexible, supporting both single and multiple table structures for organizing different categories of logs.

Purpose of Custom Error Handling Framework:

• External users (clients, API consumers) should get brief, safe error messages (avoiding sensitive data leaks).
• Developers / Ops teams need rich debugging context (headers, request/response payloads, backend details, etc.) stored securely for troubleshooting.
• Performance & Efficiency: No need to reproduce the error scenario — all required info is already logged.

Advantages of Custom Error Handling Framework:

• Time Savings: No need to reproduce client request — all context is preserved.
• Security: External message hides sensitive backend details.
• Traceability: Unique IDs allow exact matching between client responses and DB information
• Analytics Ready: Structured format makes it easy to find patterns in recurring errors.

Framework Design:

1. Error Flow

• Error Triggered
  • Possible causes include validation errors, backend failures, timeouts, or transformation issues.

• Two Paths:
  • External Path → Compact, standardized error payload with a tracking ID
  • Internal Path → Fully detailed diagnostic report In the database.

2. Data captured in the Database:

• • Request Metadata – contains the request headers, query parameters, payload, request id and many
  • Backend Call Details – Backend URL, request payload, backend request headers, backend query parameters
  • Backend Response – Status code, headers, response body
  • Application Context – Internal method names, error stack trace, environment info (dev/test/prod)
  • Final Response – Exact response sent back to the client
  • Timestamps – Request received, backend call start/end times, total latency
  • User Context – Authenticated user ID, session data (if applicable)

3. External Error Format

• • Short, standardized, and safe.
  • Always include a correlation ID or error reference ID so support teams can find the detailed logs.