# Runtime Error

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/runtime-error/547522>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 21, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/runtime-error/547522 "2010-07-21T23:19:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/runtime-error/547522/1 "2010-07-21T23:19:51Z")

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What is a runtime error, and (if not obvious from your reply) what are the most likely causes of a runtime error?

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**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/runtime-error/547522/2 "2010-07-21T23:23:37Z")

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“Runtime error” is just an error in a program that occurs at the time the program is run (as opposed to when it’s compiled or developed). Almost all user-visible errors are runtime errors. Without a lot more context, we can’t be any more specific than that.

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/runtime-error/547522/3 "2010-07-21T23:24:00Z")

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> [@Jinx](#):
>
> What is a runtime error, and (if not obvious from your reply) what are the most likely causes of a runtime error?

A runtime error is an error that occurs at runtime - that is, not at compile or link time.  
Anything can cause runtime errors, but usually they are the result of bad programming.  
Care to share a specific example?

ETA: TimeWinder and I seem to be on the same page about this 🙂

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/runtime-error/547522/4 "2010-07-22T00:54:53Z")

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Ah…I see. Thanks for the explanation of this general term.