diff --git a/src/components/islands/word-editor.jsx b/src/components/islands/word-editor.jsx
index eab0cde..7971d49 100644
--- a/src/components/islands/word-editor.jsx
+++ b/src/components/islands/word-editor.jsx
@@ -83,16 +83,16 @@ export function TogglePreview() {
   const togglePreview = useStore($togglePreview);
 
   return (
-    <label class="inline-flex lg:hidden items-center cursor-pointer border-r pr-2.5 mr-2.5">
-      <span class="me-3 text-sm font-medium text-gray-900 dark:text-gray-300">
+    <label className="inline-flex lg:hidden items-center cursor-pointer border-r pr-2.5 mr-2.5">
+      <span className="me-3 text-sm font-medium text-gray-900 dark:text-gray-300">
         Preview
       </span>
       <input
         type="checkbox"
-        class="sr-only peer"
+        className="sr-only peer"
         onChange={() => $togglePreview.set(!togglePreview)}
       />
-      <div class="relative w-8 h-5 bg-gray-400 peer-focus:outline-none rounded-full peer peer-checked:after:translate-x-[75%] rtl:peer-checked:after:-translate-x-[75%] peer-checked:after:border-white after:content-[''] after:absolute after:top-[2px] after:start-[2px] after:bg-white after:border-gray-300 after:border after:rounded-full after:h-4 after:w-4 after:transition-all dark:border-gray-600 peer-checked:bg-black"></div>
+      <div className="relative w-8 h-5 bg-gray-400 peer-focus:outline-none rounded-full peer peer-checked:after:translate-x-[75%] rtl:peer-checked:after:-translate-x-[75%] peer-checked:after:border-white after:content-[''] after:absolute after:top-[2px] after:start-[2px] after:bg-white after:border-gray-300 after:border after:rounded-full after:h-4 after:w-4 after:transition-all dark:border-gray-600 peer-checked:bg-black"></div>
     </label>
   );
 }
@@ -136,7 +136,10 @@ function Editor({ eTitle, eContent, eMetadata, className, action, ...props }) {
        */
       const data = await response.json();
       $isWordSubmitLoading.set(false);
-      if (data.message === "Reference already exists") {
+      if (
+        response.status === 422 &&
+        data.message.includes("Reference already exists")
+      ) {
         if (
           confirm(
             "It appears you have an existing reference for the current word, do you wish to clear that reference?",
diff --git a/src/lib/branch.js b/src/lib/branch.js
index 563899b..9996dbb 100644
--- a/src/lib/branch.js
+++ b/src/lib/branch.js
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ export async function createBranch(userOctokit, repoDetails, newBranchName) {
 
     return response.data;
   } catch (error) {
-    throw error;
+    throw new Error("Error occurred while creating new branch", {
+      cause: error,
+    });
   }
 }
 
@@ -45,16 +47,22 @@ export async function getBranch(userOctokit, repoFullname, ref) {
   const formattedRef =
     ref.split("/")[0] === "refs" ? ref.split("/").slice(1).join("/") : ref;
 
-  const response = await userOctokit.request(
-    "GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/git/ref/{ref}",
-    {
-      owner: repoOwner,
-      repo: repoName,
-      ref: formattedRef,
-    },
-  );
+  try {
+    const response = await userOctokit.request(
+      "GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/git/ref/{ref}",
+      {
+        owner: repoOwner,
+        repo: repoName,
+        ref: formattedRef,
+      },
+    );
 
-  return response.data;
+    return response.data;
+  } catch (error) {
+    throw new Error(`Error occurred while getting branch ${ref}`, {
+      cause: error,
+    });
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -79,6 +87,8 @@ export async function deleteBranch(userOctokit, repoFullname, branchName) {
 
     return response.status;
   } catch (error) {
-    throw error;
+    throw new Error("Error occurred while deleting branch", {
+      cause: error,
+    });
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/fork.js b/src/lib/fork.js
index fbba58d..82d8172 100644
--- a/src/lib/fork.js
+++ b/src/lib/fork.js
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ export async function forkRepository(userOctokit, projectRepoDetails) {
 
     return response.data.full_name;
   } catch (error) {
-    console.log("Error occurred while forking repository:", error);
+    throw new Error("Error occurred while forking repository", {
+      cause: error,
+    });
   }
 }
 
@@ -101,23 +103,29 @@ async function isRepositoryForkUpdated(
 ) {
   const { repoFullname, repoMainBranchRef } = projectRepoDetails;
 
-  // `repoMainBranchRef` because the forked repo's main should be compared again project's same main repo
-  const forkedRepoMainBranch = await getBranch(
-    userOctokit,
-    forkedRepoFullname,
-    repoMainBranchRef,
-  );
-  const projectRepoMainBranch = await getBranch(
-    userOctokit,
-    repoFullname,
-    repoMainBranchRef,
-  );
-
-  return {
-    isUpdated:
-      forkedRepoMainBranch.object.sha === projectRepoMainBranch.object.sha,
-    updateSHA: projectRepoMainBranch.object.sha,
-  };
+  try {
+    // `repoMainBranchRef` because the forked repo's main should be compared again project's same main repo
+    const forkedRepoMainBranch = await getBranch(
+      userOctokit,
+      forkedRepoFullname,
+      repoMainBranchRef,
+    );
+    const projectRepoMainBranch = await getBranch(
+      userOctokit,
+      repoFullname,
+      repoMainBranchRef,
+    );
+
+    return {
+      isUpdated:
+        forkedRepoMainBranch.object.sha === projectRepoMainBranch.object.sha,
+      updateSHA: projectRepoMainBranch.object.sha,
+    };
+  } catch (error) {
+    throw new Error("Error occurred while checking fork update status", {
+      cause: error,
+    });
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -171,6 +179,8 @@ async function isRepositoryForked(userOctokit, repoFullname, userLogin) {
       ? matchingFork.owner.login + "/" + matchingFork.name
       : null;
   } catch (error) {
-    console.log("Error occurred while checking repo fork: ", error);
+    throw new Error("Error occurred while checking repo fork", {
+      cause: error,
+    });
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/submit-word.js b/src/lib/submit-word.js
index a8d8e77..38e38b6 100644
--- a/src/lib/submit-word.js
+++ b/src/lib/submit-word.js
@@ -47,32 +47,38 @@ export async function submitWord(
           .replace("$word_title", word.title)
           .replace("$word_content", word.content);
 
-  const response = await userOctokit.request(
-    "POST /repos/{owner}/{repo}/pulls",
-    {
-      owner: repoOwner,
-      repo: repoName,
-      head: `${forkedRepoOwner}:${headBranch}`,
-      base: baseBranch,
-      title,
-      body,
-      maintainers_can_modify: true,
-    },
-  );
+  try {
+    const response = await userOctokit.request(
+      "POST /repos/{owner}/{repo}/pulls",
+      {
+        owner: repoOwner,
+        repo: repoName,
+        head: `${forkedRepoOwner}:${headBranch}`,
+        base: baseBranch,
+        title,
+        body,
+        maintainers_can_modify: true,
+      },
+    );
 
-  // jargons-dev (bot) App adds related labels to PR
-  await jargonsdevOctokit.request(
-    "POST /repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{issue_number}/labels",
-    {
-      owner: repoOwner,
-      repo: repoName,
-      issue_number: response.data.number,
-      labels: [
-        action === "new" ? LABELS.NEW_WORD : LABELS.EDIT_WORD,
-        LABELS.VIA_EDITOR,
-      ],
-    },
-  );
+    // jargons-dev (bot) App adds related labels to PR
+    await jargonsdevOctokit.request(
+      "POST /repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{issue_number}/labels",
+      {
+        owner: repoOwner,
+        repo: repoName,
+        issue_number: response.data.number,
+        labels: [
+          action === "new" ? LABELS.NEW_WORD : LABELS.EDIT_WORD,
+          LABELS.VIA_EDITOR,
+        ],
+      },
+    );
 
-  return response.data;
+    return response.data;
+  } catch (error) {
+    throw new Error(`Error occurred while submitting word "${word.title}"`, {
+      cause: error,
+    });
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/word-editor.js b/src/lib/word-editor.js
index da722d6..ebf13be 100644
--- a/src/lib/word-editor.js
+++ b/src/lib/word-editor.js
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ export async function writeNewWord(
 
     return response.data;
   } catch (error) {
-    throw new Error(`error committing new word ${title} to dictionary`, {
-      cause: error.message,
+    throw new Error(`Error committing new word ${title} to dictionary`, {
+      cause: error,
     });
   }
 }
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ export async function updateExistingWord(
 
     return response.data;
   } catch (error) {
-    throw new Error(`error committing edit to "${title}"`, {
-      cause: error.message,
+    throw new Error(`Error committing edit to "${title}"`, {
+      cause: error,
     });
   }
 }
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ export async function getExistingWord(userOctokit, repoDetails, wordTitle) {
       ...responseData,
     };
   } catch (error) {
-    throw new Error(`error getting "${wordTitle}" from dictionary`, {
-      cause: error.message,
+    throw new Error(`Error getting "${wordTitle}" from dictionary`, {
+      cause: error,
     });
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/pages/api/dictionary.js b/src/pages/api/dictionary.js
index 98f9c58..3b6dda1 100644
--- a/src/pages/api/dictionary.js
+++ b/src/pages/api/dictionary.js
@@ -117,16 +117,15 @@ export async function POST({ request, cookies }) {
       },
     });
   } catch (error) {
-    console.log(error);
-    return new Response(
-      JSON.stringify({ message: error.response.data.message }),
-      {
-        status: error.response.status,
-        headers: {
-          "Content-type": "application/json",
-        },
+    console.log(error.cause);
+    const message = error.cause?.message ?? "An unexpected error occurred";
+    const status = error.cause?.status ?? 500;
+    return new Response(JSON.stringify({ message }), {
+      status,
+      headers: {
+        "Content-type": "application/json",
       },
-    );
+    });
   }
 }
 
@@ -136,7 +135,7 @@ export async function POST({ request, cookies }) {
  */
 export async function DELETE({ request, cookies }) {
   const data = await request.formData();
-  const accessToken = cookies.get("jargons.dev:token", {
+  const accessToken = cookies.get("jargonsdevToken", {
     decode: (value) => decrypt(value),
   });
 
@@ -171,24 +170,21 @@ export async function DELETE({ request, cookies }) {
   try {
     await deleteBranch(userOctokit, fork, generateBranchName(action, title));
 
-    return new Response(
-      JSON.stringify({ message: "reference deleted successfully" }),
-      {
-        status: 204,
-        headers: {
-          "Content-type": "application/json",
-        },
+    return new Response(null, {
+      status: 204,
+      headers: {
+        "Content-type": "application/json",
       },
-    );
+    });
   } catch (error) {
-    return new Response(
-      JSON.stringify({ message: error.response.data.message }),
-      {
-        status: error.response.status,
-        headers: {
-          "Content-type": "application/json",
-        },
+    const message =
+      error.cause?.message ?? error.message ?? "An error occurred";
+    const status = error.cause?.status ?? 500;
+    return new Response(JSON.stringify({ message }), {
+      status,
+      headers: {
+        "Content-type": "application/json",
       },
-    );
+    });
   }
 }