Improving User Experience with Clear Error Messages

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 96 views

Improving User Experience with Clear Error Messages

In the pursuit of creating a seamless user experience, it is essential to provide clear and concise error messages when users encounter unauthorized responses. This article delves into the importance of displaying the reason behind unauthorized responses, particularly in the context of the Ayon Backend, and explores the challenges and solutions associated with this issue.

The Current State of Unauthorized Responses

In the current implementation, when a user is logged out due to invalid license, remote logout, or deactivation, they are redirected to the login page without any additional information. This lack of transparency can lead to confusion and frustration among users, making it challenging for them to understand the reason behind the unauthorized response.

The Need for Clear Error Messages

Clear error messages are crucial in providing users with a better understanding of the issue at hand. By displaying the reason behind the unauthorized response, users can take corrective action to resolve the issue, thereby improving their overall experience. In the context of the Ayon Backend, displaying the reason for unauthorized responses can be achieved by including a detail field in the 401 response.

The Challenge of Redirecting Users

One of the primary challenges in displaying the reason for unauthorized responses is the redirect mechanism. When a user is redirected to the login page, the current implementation clears any existing toasts, making it difficult to display the error message. Additionally, retrieving the error message from GraphQL errors can be a complex task, requiring careful consideration of the implementation details.

Solution: Displaying the Reason for Unauthorized Responses

To address the challenges associated with displaying the reason for unauthorized responses, a solution can be implemented to include the detail field in the 401 response. This field can provide a clear and concise explanation of the reason behind the unauthorized response, enabling users to take corrective action.

Implementation Details

To implement this solution, the following steps can be taken:

Modify the 401 Response: Update the 401 response to include a detail field, which can provide a clear explanation of the reason behind the unauthorized response.
Display the Error Message: Use the detail field to display the error message to the user, ensuring that the message is clear and concise.
Preserve Toasts: Implement a mechanism to preserve toasts when a user is redirected to the login page, allowing the error message to be displayed alongside any existing toasts.
Retrieve Error Messages from GraphQL Errors: Develop a solution to retrieve error messages from GraphQL errors, enabling the display of error messages in a clear and concise manner.

Example Implementation

Here is an example implementation of the solution:

from rest_framework.response import Response
from rest_framework import status

class CustomAuthenticationView(APIView):
    def dispatch(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
        # Check if the user is authenticated
        if not request.user.is_authenticated:
            # If the user is not authenticated, return a 401 response with a detail field
            return Response({'detail': 'You are not authenticated'}, status=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED)
        # If the user is authenticated, proceed with the request
        return super().dispatch(request, *args, **kwargs)

Benefits of Displaying the Reason for Unauthorized Responses

Displaying the reason for unauthorized responses offers several benefits, including:

Improved User Experience: Clear error messages enable users to understand the reason behind the unauthorized response, improving their overall experience.
Reduced Support Requests: By providing users with clear error messages, the need for support requests can be reduced, saving time and resources.
Enhanced Security: Displaying the reason for unauthorized responses can help prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data, enhancing the overall security of the application.

Conclusion

Q: Why is it essential to display the reason for unauthorized responses?

A: Displaying the reason for unauthorized responses is crucial in providing users with a better understanding of the issue at hand. By including a detail field in the 401 response, users can take corrective action to resolve the issue, thereby improving their overall experience.

Q: How can I modify the 401 response to include a `detail` field?

A: To modify the 401 response, you can update the response object to include a detail field. For example, in a Django Rest Framework view, you can use the Response object to return a 401 response with a detail field.

from rest_framework.response import Response
from rest_framework import status

class CustomAuthenticationView(APIView):
    def dispatch(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
        # Check if the user is authenticated
        if not request.user.is_authenticated:
            # If the user is not authenticated, return a 401 response with a detail field
            return Response({'detail': 'You are not authenticated'}, status=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED)
        # If the user is authenticated, proceed with the request
        return super().dispatch(request, *args, **kwargs)

Q: How can I preserve toasts when a user is redirected to the login page?

A: To preserve toasts when a user is redirected to the login page, you can use a mechanism such as HTML5 local storage or a JavaScript library like Toast.js. These solutions allow you to store and retrieve toast messages, ensuring that they are preserved even when the user is redirected to the login page.

Q: How can I retrieve error messages from GraphQL errors?

A: To retrieve error messages from GraphQL errors, you can use a GraphQL client library that supports error handling. For example, in a Django application, you can use the graphql-core library to handle GraphQL errors and retrieve error messages.

Q: What are the benefits of displaying the reason for unauthorized responses?

A: Displaying the reason for unauthorized responses offers several benefits, including:

Improved User Experience: Clear error messages enable users to understand the reason behind the unauthorized response, improving their overall experience.
Reduced Support Requests: By providing users with clear error messages, the need for support requests can be reduced, saving time and resources.
Enhanced Security: Displaying the reason for unauthorized responses can help prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data, enhancing the overall security of the application.

Q: How can I implement a solution to display the reason for unauthorized responses in my application?

A: To implement a solution to display the reason for unauthorized responses, you can follow these steps:

Modify the 401 Response: Update the 401 response to include a detail field, which can provide a clear explanation of the reason behind the unauthorized response.
Display the Error Message: Use the detail field to display the error message to the user, ensuring that the message is clear and concise.
Preserve Toasts: Implement a mechanism to preserve toasts when a user is redirected to the login page, allowing the error message to be displayed alongside any existing toasts.
Retrieve Error Messages from GraphQL Errors: Develop a solution to retrieve error messages from GraphQL errors, enabling the display of error messages in a clear and concise manner.

Q: What are some best practices for displaying the reason for unauthorized responses?

A: Some best practices for displaying the reason for unauthorized responses include:

Use Clear and Concise Language: Ensure that the error message is clear and concise, avoiding technical jargon and complex terminology.
Provide Context: Provide context for the error message, helping users understand the reason behind the unauthorized response.
Use a Consistent Format: Use a consistent format for error messages, making it easier for users to understand and navigate the application.
Test Thoroughly: Test the solution thoroughly, ensuring that it works as expected and provides a seamless user experience.