What is the role of exception handling in programming?

The role of exception handling in programming is to manage errors and exceptional conditions that may arise during the execution of a program. When a program encounters an unexpected situation—such as division by zero, file not found, or invalid input—exception handling allows the developer to define how the program should respond. This is crucial because it enables the program to continue running or to terminate gracefully without crashing.

By capturing exceptions, programmers can provide meaningful error messages, perform alternative actions, and ensure that resources are properly released. This improves the robustness and user experience of the software. Consequently, exception handling is fundamental in writing reliable code that anticipates and responds to potential issues effectively.