API return values (null values vs. Exceptions, framing)

[lanthaler]

What should we do in API when things go wrong? Raise expections? Return null?

Consensus on the telecon was that we shoud raise exceptions in case of error and just return valid data.

What should we if your frame didn't match your input?

• return null
• return {}

Most people opted for returning {} at the telecon but there might be some implications that should be further investigated.

[lanthaler]

See also follow up on the mailing list by Dave Longley: http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-linked-json/2011Aug/0078.html

[msporny]

The API was updated to throw exceptions when things go wrong. null is returned in the framing code when a frame has no match.

[msporny]

http://json-ld.org/spec/ED/json-ld-api/20120112/#the-application-programming-interface