---
title: graphql/error
---

{/* title can be removed in Nextra 4, since sidebar title will take from first h1 */}

# `graphql/error`

The `graphql/error` module is responsible for creating and formatting
GraphQL errors. You can import either from the `graphql/error` module, or from the root `graphql` module. For example:

```js
import { GraphQLError } from "graphql" // ES6
var { GraphQLError } = require("graphql") // CommonJS
```

## Overview

<ul className="apiIndex">
  <li>
    <a href="#graphqlerror">
      `class GraphQLError` A representation of an error that occurred within GraphQL.
    </a>
  </li>
  <li>
    <a href="#syntaxerror">
      `function syntaxError` Produces a GraphQLError representing a syntax error.
    </a>
  </li>
  <li>
    <a href="#locatedError">
      `function locatedError` Produces a new GraphQLError aware of the location responsible for the error.
    </a>
  </li>
  <li>
    <a href="#formaterror">
      `function formatError` Format an error according to the rules described by the Response Format.
    </a>
  </li>
</ul>

## Errors

### `GraphQLError`

```ts
class GraphQLError extends Error {
 constructor(
   message: string,
   nodes?: any[],
   stack?: string,
   source?: Source,
   positions?: number[],
   originalError?: Error,
   extensions?: { [key: string]: mixed }
 )
}
```

A representation of an error that occurred within GraphQL. Contains
information about where in the query the error occurred for debugging. Most
commonly constructed with `locatedError` below.

### `syntaxError`

```ts
function syntaxError(
  source: Source,
  position: number,
  description: string
): GraphQLError
```

Produces a GraphQLError representing a syntax error, containing useful
descriptive information about the syntax error's position in the source.

### `locatedError`

```ts
function locatedError(error: Error, nodes: any[]): GraphQLError
```

Given an arbitrary Error, presumably thrown while attempting to execute a
GraphQL operation, produce a new GraphQLError aware of the location in the
document responsible for the original Error.

### `formatError`

```ts
function formatError(error: GraphQLError): GraphQLFormattedError

type GraphQLFormattedError = {
  message: string,
  locations: GraphQLErrorLocation[]
};

type GraphQLErrorLocation = {
  line: number,
  column: number
};
```

Given a GraphQLError, format it according to the rules described by the
Response Format, Errors section of the GraphQL Specification.