How would you handle exceptions in REST APIs?

Short answer: Use try-catch blocks in code to catch exceptions. Implement global exception handling middleware in ASP.NET Core: app.UseExceptionHandler(appError => { appError.Run(async context => {

Example code

context.Response.StatusCode = 500;
context.Response.ContentType = "application/json";
await context.Response.WriteAsync(new { message = "Internal Server Error" }.ToString()); }); }); Log exceptions for debugging and monitoring.

Real-world example (ShopNest)

Creating an order is POST /api/orders → 201 with Location header. Fetching is GET /api/orders/{id} → 200 or 404.

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.