run-time error definition programming in the execution of a
program which occurs at run time , as opposed to a compile-time
error A good programming language should, among other things,
aim to replace run-time errors by compile-time errors. Language
features such as strong typing A good program should attempt to
avoid run-time errors by, for example, checking that their input
data is sensible. Where this is not possible, the program should
attempt to detect the error and handle it gracefully rather than
just exiting via the language or operating system's default
handler. Here again, a good language will make this easy to do
(or at least possible). See also abort , core dump