This is... OK. Ideally, you would have separate exceptions for each reasonably distinct situation (e.g. one exception for all "the config file is malformed" errors, reuse FileNotFoundError in 3.x for "the config file doesn't exist", etc.). But this is one of the more innocuous forms of technical debt.

The downside is that if you ever do introduce those separate exceptions, they may need to subclass from RuntimeError for reasons of backwards compatibility. That's kind of ugly, but mostly harmless.

Answer from Kevin on Stack Overflow
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YouTube
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What is Runtime Error And How to handle Runtime Error in python #Runtimeerror #error #errorhandling - YouTube
Welcome to today’s DataMillennials's coding session! 🚀 In this video, we dive into Runtime Error, breaking down each concept with practical examples and cle...
Published: February 12, 2025
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Python
docs.python.org › 3 › builtins › exceptions.html
Built-in Exceptions — Python 3.14.7 documentation
Changed in version 3.5: Introduced the RuntimeError transformation via from __future__ import generator_stop, see PEP 479. Changed in version 3.7: Enable PEP 479 for all code by default: a StopIteration error raised in a generator is transformed into a RuntimeError.
Discussions

exception - Python: is RuntimeError acceptable for general use? - Stack Overflow
Is it acceptable to use the RuntimeError exception for general application use? raise RuntimeError('config file is missing host address') I've got some code with a couple of one-off situations lik... More on stackoverflow.com
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Meaning of RuntimeError
What does the name RuntimeError really mean: is it an error with/from Python runtime, or is it an error that happened at run time something else to do with runtime or run time… The quip in the docs is that it’s “any other error”, while some specific RuntimeErrors are pretty low level, ... More on discuss.python.org
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June 20, 2024
What is runtime error and how to solve it?
A runtime error is an error that occurs while your program is running. These are generally the more difficult errors to resolve. Some common ones you might run into when solving these types of problems: time limit exceeded - algorithm for the problem is too slow / stuck in an infinite loop Index out of bounds - issue when using arrays Null reference exceptions - trying to access a variable that is not set There are many more but hopefully this gives you some idea. More on reddit.com
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July 22, 2023
Runtime warnings in Python
Hi, I’m new to Python and I have some questions about how to handle runtime warnings/errors. I have two examples originating in the same function. RuntimeWarning: overflow encountered in power return d+(a-d)/(1+(x/c)**b)**g RuntimeWarning: invalid value encountered in power return ... More on discuss.python.org
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April 29, 2024
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Real Python
realpython.com › ref › builtin-exceptions › runtimeerror
RuntimeError | Python’s Built-in Exceptions – Real Python
RuntimeError is a built-in exception that Python raises when an error has occurred that doesn’t fall into any other error category.
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Python.org
discuss.python.org › python help
Meaning of RuntimeError - Python Help - Discussions on Python.org
June 20, 2024 - What does the name RuntimeError really mean: is it an error with/from Python runtime, or is it an error that happened at run time something else to do with runtime or run time… The quip in the docs is that it’s “any other error”, while some specific RuntimeErrors are pretty low level, like recursion limit exceeded or stop iteration conversion.
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Runestone Academy
runestone.academy › ns › books › published › fopp › Debugging › RuntimeErrors.html
3.6. Runtime Errors — Foundations of Python Programming
The second type of error is a runtime error. A program with a runtime error is one that passed the interpreter’s syntax checks, and started to execute. However, during the execution of one of the statements in the program, an error occurred that caused the interpreter to stop executing the program and display an error message.
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GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › dsa › runtime-errors
Runtime Errors - GeeksforGeeks
5 days ago - DSA Python · Last Updated : 13 Sep, 2026 · A runtime error in a program is an error that occurs while the program is running after being successfully compiled. Runtime errors are commonly called referred to as "bugs" and are often found during ...
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Rollbar
rollbar.com › home › what are the different types of python errors? – and how to handle them
What are the Different Types of Python Errors? – and How to Handle Them
The key to handling runtime errors is understanding their specific types and implementing appropriate error handling strategies. A NameError in Python is raised when the interpreter encounters a variable or function name that it cannot find in the current scope.
Published: August 10, 2026
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Honeybadger
honeybadger.io › blog › errors-in-python
Errors in Python: Types, Causes, and Examples - Honeybadger Developer Blog
April 27, 2026 - These errors are detected before the program is executed, while the Python interpreter parses the code. Runtime errors: In Python, runtime errors occur during execution when the program encounters an invalid operation.
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W3Schools
w3schools.com › python › python_ref_exceptions.asp
Python Built-in Exceptions
The table below shows built-in exceptions that are usually raised in Python.
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CodeChef
codechef.com › learn › course › python › DEBUGPYBEG › problems › DEBUGPYL6
Runtime error in Python Programming
Runtime error occurs when your syntax is correct but the compiler (or interpreter in case of Python), is still not able to run the code due to an error.
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Initial Commit
initialcommit.com › blog › python-runtimeerror
Python RuntimeError (Examples & Use Cases) | Initial Commit
How you handle a run-time error in python depends on the specific error that was thrown. Once way to generally handle run-time errors is by using a try/except block. You include the code that may cause a runtime error in the try clause. You can then specify how you want to handle the code in the case of an error in the except clause.
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TutorialsPoint
tutorialspoint.com › article › what-are-runtimeerrors-in-python
What are RuntimeErrors in Python?
March 24, 2026 - RuntimeErrors in Python are a type of built-in exception that occurs during the execution of a program. They usually indicate a problem that arises during runtime and is not necessarily syntax-related or caused by external factors.
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Rollbar
rollbar.com › home › how to fix runtime errors in python
How to Fix Runtime Errors in Python | Rollbar
A runtime error is a type of error that occurs during program execution. The Python interpreter executes a script if it is syntactically correct.
Published: June 30, 2026
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My Docs
codebay.ai › welcome to codebay › glossaries › miscellaneous › runtime error
Runtime Error | Codebay
April 7, 2024 - In this program, if a user enters 0 for num2, a ZeroDivisionError, a type of runtime error, will occur. Python includes built-in error handling functionality that allows you to respond to, or “catch”, runtime errors. It uses try and except blocks to encapsulate and handle errors without forcing the program to exit abruptly.
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LabEx
labex.io › tutorials › python-how-to-troubleshoot-python-runtime-errors-418966
How to troubleshoot Python runtime errors | LabEx
Runtime errors are programming issues that occur during the execution of a Python script, causing the program to unexpectedly terminate or behave incorrectly.
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Invent with Python
inventwithpython.com › blog › 16-common-python-runtime-errors.html
16 Common Python Runtime Errors That Beginners Find - Invent with Python
July 9, 2012 - If you come from a different programming language like C++, Java, or PHP, you may try to increment or decrement a variable with ++ or --. There are no such operators in Python. ... 17) Update: As Luciano points out in the comments, it is also common to forget adding self as the first parameter for a method. (Causes “TypeError: myMethod() takes no arguments (1 given)”) ... A short explanation of various error messages appears in Appendix D of the "Invent with Python" book.
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Python.org
discuss.python.org › python help
Runtime warnings in Python - Python Help - Discussions on Python.org
April 29, 2024 - Hi, I’m new to Python and I have some questions about how to handle runtime warnings/errors. I have two examples originating in the same function. RuntimeWarning: overflow encountered in power return d+(a-d)/(1+(x/c)**b)**g RuntimeWarning: invalid value encountered in power return ...