AP Computer Science Principles: Code Errors

Vocabulary flashcards covering the three main types of programming errors and related concepts for the AP CSP exam.

Syntax Error

An error that breaks the rules of a programming language so badly that the code never runs and crashes before it ever starts.

Runtime Error

An error that occurs when a program starts executing successfully, but crashes partway through execution.

Logical Error

An error where the program runs completely without crashing, but produces an incorrect or unexpected result at the end.

Name Error

A specific runtime error in Python caused by typo-ing a variable name or attempting to use a variable before it has been set.

Index Error

A specific runtime error in Python that occurs when trying to access an index position outside the valid bounds of a list.

Type Error

A specific runtime error in Python that occurs when attempting an invalid operation between incompatible data types, such as concatenating an integer with a string.

Rounding Error

An unexpected result caused by floating-point representation limits in Python (such as $0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1$ not equaling $0.3$), which functions as a logical error.

Scratch

A block-based programming language that has no syntax errors because its block structure prevents syntax rule violations, and automatically initializes variables to 0.