Can non-null fields have default values?

[Yekut]

First issue and in general new to GraphQL in its current form, so apologies if this makes no sense. This is partially a question and partially a potential bug report -

Can non-null fields have default values? From looking at the spec it seems the answer is no, but some more direct clarification in the spec would be great (from https://facebook.github.io/graphql/June2018/#sec-Type-System.Non-Null) -

Inputs (such as field arguments), are always optional by default. However a non‐null input type is required. In addition to not accepting the value null, it also does not accept omission. For the sake of simplicity nullable types are always optional and non‐null types are always required.

The above seem to imply non-null fields cannot be omitted which makes default values useless, but it also didn't explicitly forbids default values.

Additionally, if indeed default values cannot be used in a non-null field, the grammar doesn’t require a default value to be attached to a non-null field (https://facebook.github.io/graphql/June2018/#sec-Field-Arguments). Would it be helpful to put this in the grammar?

[IvanGoncharov]

Can non-null fields have default values? From looking at the spec it seems the answer is no

@Yekut Non-null arguments can have default values. See here:
https://facebook.github.io/graphql/June2018/#sec-Required-Arguments

Arguments can be required. An argument is required if the argument type is non‐null and does not have a default value. Otherwise, the argument is optional.

We probably need to clarify omission here:

In addition to not accepting the value null, it also does not accept omission.

Do you want to work on this PR?
If so, please check all other places where required is mentioned.

[Yekut]

@IvanGoncharov - sorry for taking so long to respond! Would be happy to put up a fix, although not sure about the CLA - is that still a requirement? I remember reading on the GQL foundation mailing list that they are trying to move away from it.

Also, just to clarify - and hopefully this would be useful for whoever that actually fixes it - in In addition to not accepting the value null, it also does not accept omission., omission means "not specified and does not have a default", correct?

[IvanGoncharov]

sorry for taking so long to respond! Would be happy to put up a fix, although not sure about the CLA - is that still a requirement? I remember reading on the GQL foundation mailing list that they are trying to move away from it.

@Yekut Can't comment on this since in the context of GraphQL Foundation I only have access to public info (mailing list, articles) same as the rest of GraphQL community 🤷‍♂️

Also, just to clarify - and hopefully this would be useful for whoever that actually fixes it - in In addition to not accepting the value null, it also does not accept omission., omission means "not specified and does not have a default", correct?

Yes, exactly 👍 I think we should rewrite the entire sentence since if I remember correctly it was written before default values were added.