In Python, exceptions are special events that indicate something has gone wrong during the execution of a program. They serve as a mechanism to signal errors and allow developers to handle these errors gracefully instead of allowing the program to crash. When an exception is raised, the normal flow of the program is interrupted, and the interpreter looks for a way to handle the error ⁴.

Python provides a robust set of built-in exceptions that help developers identify and manage various error conditions. By using these built-in exceptions, you can write code that anticipates potential issues and responds appropriately, maintaining the program’s stability and reliability ⁴.

To handle exceptions, Python uses the try-except block. This allows you to write code that may raise an exception within the try block, and if an exception occurs, the code in the except block will execute, providing a way to manage the error without crashing the program ⁴⁵.

Understanding and effectively utilizing exceptions is crucial for writing robust, error-resilient Python code.