Error Hiding
Diaper Pattern · Pokemon Exception Handling
In computer programming, the practice of 'catching' an error message before it can be shown to the user and either showing nothing or showing a meaningless message.
Origin
Error hiding emerged as a recognized anti-pattern in software development during the 1990s, as exception handling became widespread in languages like Java and C++. The colorful nickname "Diaper Pattern" — wrapping code in a broad catch block that absorbs everything — was popularized by Mike Pirnat in his 2015 O'Reilly book How to Make Mistakes in Python. The broader concept of naming bad practices was catalyzed by Andrew Koenig, who coined "anti-pattern" in 1995.
Everyday Use
You click a button and nothing happens — no error, no feedback, just silence. Behind the scenes, the code caught a problem and swallowed it whole. Error hiding is the software equivalent of sweeping broken glass under a rug: the mess is still there, just harder to find.