hanterare

Hanterare is a Swedish noun meaning a person or device that handles or manages something. The term derives from hantera, to handle or manage. In general use, hanterare refers to an actor responsible for carrying out a task or controlling a process. The definite plural is hanterarna; the indefinite plural is hanterare. Depending on context, the word can refer to an individual (for example a worker who handles goods) or a machine or software component designed to perform a function.

In information technology and computing, hanterare is commonly used to describe components that respond to events or conditions. Common compound forms include händelsehanterare (event handler), felhanterare or undantagshanterare (error or exception handler), signalhanterare (signal handler), and filhanterare (file manager). In programming, a handler is typically a function or method registered to run when a specific event occurs. The concept is central to event-driven and asynchronous programming, enabling separation between the triggering event and the response.

Outside computing, hanterare is used for people whose job is to manage or handle objects, animals, or processes. Examples include maskinhanterare (machine operator), djurhanterare (animal handler), or logistikhanterare (logistics handler). In everyday language, the term can also describe the general act of handling or processing tasks within an organization, such as data hantering (data handling) eller ärendehantering (case management).