Introduction:
In this blog post, we will discuss how to create custom error pages in a Flask web application, specifically focusing on handling 404 errors. When a user accesses a page or resource that does not exist, it’s important to provide a user-friendly and informative error page instead of the default Flask error message. By implementing custom error handling, you can enhance the user experience and maintain a professional look and feel for your web application.
Code Example: Below is an example code snippet demonstrating how to implement custom error pages for handling 404 errors in a Flask application.
from flask import Flask, render_template, abort
app = Flask(__name__)
# Define a custom 404 error page
@app.errorhandler(404)
def page_not_found(error):
return render_template('page_not_found.html'), 404
# Define route for the homepage
@app.route('/')
def home():
return "Welcome to the homepage!"
if __name__ == '__main__':
app.run()
Explanation:
- We create a Flask application and define a custom error handler for handling 404 errors using the
@app.errorhandler(404)decorator. - Inside the
page_not_foundfunction, we render a custom HTML templatepage_not_found.htmland return it with a 404 status code. - The custom error page informs the user that the requested page was not found and provides a link to the homepage.
- We also define a route for the homepage (
/) to demonstrate the functionality of the custom error page.
Custom Error Page Template (page_not_found.html):
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Page Not Found</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Page Not Found</h1>
<p>We couldn't find what you were looking for. Come visit our homepage. 😊</p>
<p><a href="{{ url_for('home') }}">This is home</a></p>
</body>
</html>
Conclusion:
In this blog post, we have explored how to create custom error pages in a Flask web application to handle 404 errors gracefully. By following the steps outlined above and using the provided code examples, you can implement custom error handling to improve the user experience and provide helpful information when users encounter page not found errors. Custom error pages contribute to a more professional and user-friendly web application, enhancing overall user satisfaction and engagement.