Sad path / unhappy path
The parts of a flow where something goes wrong, including errors, invalid input, missing data, timeouts, and other exceptions.
What it is
The sad path covers what happens when a process does not go smoothly. It is where teams learn whether the product recovers gracefully, gives clear messages, and avoids losing user work.
When you would use it
You use sad path when you are thinking about everything that can break, not just the ideal success route.
Common operations
- Testing invalid inputs
- Designing error messages
- Handling retries and recovery
Related terms
Where this is taught
No learning path uses this term yet. Browse the Learning Atlas for guided sequences through related ideas.