JSONiq follows the W3C standard for try-catch expressions. The following explanations, provided as an informal summary for convenience, are non-normative.

Figure 52. TryCatchExpr

A try catch expression evaluates the expression inside the try block and returns its resulting value.

However, if an error is raised dynamically, the catch clause is evaluated and its result value returned.

try { 1 div 0 } catch * { "division by zero!" } 
      

Only errors raised within the lexical scope of the try block are caught.

let $x := 1 div 0
return try { $x }
       catch * { "division by zero!" } 
      

Errors that are detected statically within the try block are still reported statically.

try { x } catch * { "syntax error" }