Error Handling with ?

Image by Excalidraw

Today we’ll be talking about error handling, specifically the `?` operator, in a way that feels practical and grounded in real-world scenarios.

If you missed yesterday’s piece on Generics, you can check it out below.

Generics

Rust’s approach to errors is one of its standout features, it’s designed to make your code safer and more predictable without bogging you down in boilerplate.

The `?` operator is a key part of this, acting like a helpful assistant that simplifies error propagation while keeping your code clean.

I’ll walk you through what `?` does, how it fits into Rust’s error-handling philosophy, and how you’d use it in situations you’re likely to encounter in actual projects.

Along the way, I’ll include examples that mirror real-world tasks, like reading files, making network requests, or parsing data, so you can see how `?` shines in practice.

Let’s start with a practical example, reading and processing a configuration file.