What kind of error occurs when your program has a syntax error?

When your program has a syntax error, it is identified as a compile-time error. This type of error occurs when the code violates the grammatical rules of the programming language, preventing the code from being successfully compiled into an executable program. Syntax errors typically include issues such as misspelled keywords, missing punctuation (like semicolons or brackets), and incorrect use of symbols. Because the code cannot be compiled with these mistakes, the compiler will generate error messages indicating the specific location and type of the syntax error, which must be corrected before the program can run.

In contrast, runtime errors occur while the program is executing, logic errors involve bugs that lead to incorrect outputs despite the code running without crashing, and index errors specifically relate to accessing elements outside of acceptable ranges in data structures like lists. Understanding these distinctions helps in diagnosing and fixing issues within code effectively.