diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..934b4e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+use std::fmt;
+use std::path::Path;
+
+/// A concrete next step for the user, attached to an error with [`HintExt::hint`].
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct Hint(pub String);
+
+impl fmt::Display for Hint {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        f.write_str(&self.0)
+    }
+}
+
+/// The user cancelled the capture. Not a failure; maps to exit code 3.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct Cancelled;
+
+impl fmt::Display for Cancelled {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        f.write_str("cancelled")
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::error::Error for Cancelled {}
+
+pub trait HintExt<T> {
+    fn hint(self, hint: impl Into<String>) -> anyhow::Result<T>;
+}
+
+impl<T, E> HintExt<T> for Result<T, E>
+where
+    E: Into<anyhow::Error>,
+{
+    fn hint(self, hint: impl Into<String>) -> anyhow::Result<T> {
+        self.map_err(|e| e.into().context(Hint(hint.into())))
+    }
+}
+
+/// Renders an error as `error:` / `cause:` / `hint:` / `log:` lines.
+pub fn render(err: &anyhow::Error, log: Option<&Path>) -> String {
+    let hint = err.downcast_ref::<Hint>().map(|h| h.0.as_str());
+    // Hints live in the context chain too; skip them so they print once.
+    let mut messages = err
+        .chain()
+        .map(|e| e.to_string())
+        .filter(|m| Some(m.as_str()) != hint);
+
+    let mut out = format!("error: {}\n", messages.next().unwrap_or_default());
+    for cause in messages {
+        out.push_str(&format!("  cause: {cause}\n"));
+    }
+    if let Some(hint) = hint {
+        out.push_str(&format!("  hint:  {hint}\n"));
+    }
+    if let Some(log) = log {
+        out.push_str(&format!("  log:   {}\n", log.display()));
+    }
+    out
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use anyhow::{Context, anyhow};
+    use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn renders_all_parts() {
+        let err = Err::<(), _>(anyhow!("compositor offered only XBGR2101010"))
+            .context("could not convert the frame")
+            .hint("run `valw doctor` and include its output in a bug report")
+            .context("could not capture output HDMI-A-1")
+            .unwrap_err();
+        let log = PathBuf::from("/tmp/valw.log");
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            render(&err, Some(&log)),
+            "error: could not capture output HDMI-A-1\n\
+             \x20 cause: could not convert the frame\n\
+             \x20 cause: compositor offered only XBGR2101010\n\
+             \x20 hint:  run `valw doctor` and include its output in a bug report\n\
+             \x20 log:   /tmp/valw.log\n"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn renders_without_hint_or_log() {
+        let err = anyhow!("disk full");
+        assert_eq!(render(&err, None), "error: disk full\n");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn hint_as_outermost_layer_is_not_the_headline() {
+        let err = Err::<(), _>(anyhow!("valw is already running"))
+            .hint("wait for the other capture to finish")
+            .unwrap_err();
+        assert_eq!(
+            render(&err, None),
+            "error: valw is already running\n\
+             \x20 hint:  wait for the other capture to finish\n"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn cancelled_is_detectable() {
+        let err = anyhow::Error::new(Cancelled).context("region selection");
+        assert!(err.downcast_ref::<Cancelled>().is_some());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 4e0e973..9a484cd 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 // Modules land before the CLI uses them; Task 11 removes this.
 #![allow(dead_code)]
 
+mod error;
+
 use clap::Parser;
 
 #[derive(Parser)]