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near-kit converts cryptic RPC JSON errors into typed JavaScript Error classes. You can catch these errors and handle them logically.

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The Error Hierarchy

All errors extend NearError. You can check for specific types using instanceof. 
import {
  FunctionCallError,
  AccountDoesNotExistError,
  NetworkError,
} from "near-kit"

try {
  await near.call("contract.near", "method", {})
} catch (e) {
  if (e instanceof FunctionCallError) {
    // The contract logic failed
    console.log("Panic:", e.panic)
    console.log("Logs:", e.logs)
  } else if (e instanceof AccountDoesNotExistError) {
    // The account isn't real
    console.log(`Account ${e.accountId} not found`)
  } else if (e instanceof NetworkError) {
    // RPC is down
    if (e.retryable) {
      // You might want to try again
    }
  }
}

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Error Types

Thrown when a smart contract call fails (panics or runs out of gas).Properties:
  • panic: The panic message from the contract
  • logs: Any logs emitted before the failure
if (e instanceof FunctionCallError) {
  console.log("Contract panicked:", e.panic)
}
Thrown when trying to interact with an account that doesn’t exist.Properties:
  • accountId: The account that wasn’t found
if (e instanceof AccountDoesNotExistError) {
  console.log(`Account ${e.accountId} not found`)
}
Thrown when there’s a network or RPC issue.Properties:
  • retryable: Whether it’s safe to retry
  • statusCode: HTTP status code (if applicable)
if (e instanceof NetworkError && e.retryable) {
  // Wait and try again
}
Thrown when an account doesn’t have enough NEAR for the operation.Properties:
  • accountId: The account with insufficient balance
  • required: Amount needed
  • available: Amount available
Thrown when a transaction’s nonce is stale (usually from concurrent transactions).
Use RotatingKeyStore to avoid nonce issues in high-concurrency scenarios.

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Panic Messages

When a contract fails, the most important info is the Panic Message. near-kit extracts this from the deep RPC response and puts it right on error.panic. Common panics include:
  • ERR_NOT_ENOUGH_FUNDS
  • ERR_INVALID_ARGUMENT
  • Smart contract panicked: ...
Use this string to debug or show user-friendly error messages in your UI.