returning a null value

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "returning a null value" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in programming and computer science contexts to describe a function or method that outputs a null value, indicating the absence of a value or object. Example: "The function is designed to handle errors gracefully by returning a null value when the input is invalid."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

In Algorithm 1, line 3 the result of the GM algorithm (cf. Section 2.3.4) is checked for completeness (cf. (ii)), i.e. gimmeMatch returns a null value if there is a source edge for which GM could not return a candidate list.

European Transport Research Review

Some buffer-based landscape attributes exhibited a "threshold effect": if the environmental feature of interest was present within the buffer the sites scored non-null values with a given distribution but, in some cases, a significant number of sites returned a null value as the feature did not exist within the buffer (see Figure 2).

BMC Ecology

If there is available data, it is returned, otherwise a null value is returned.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

want repeated separators to indicate a null value, sometimes not.

Harvard University

Removes work-around for CALDB treating "0" as a NULL value.

Harvard University

the following queries attempt to reliably determine the maximum known value of the attribute a in the table R. NULL (in the context of a table or result) refer to a table with one row holding a NULL value.

Stanford University

>>> description="The APP Properties File" override= false" >>> however, I'm not able to get the environment, I just get a null value.

Cornell University

These cases were assigned a null value for the analysis.

BMC Pediatrics

The implementation in this base class returns a null pointer.

Stanford University

This base class implementation returns a null pointer.

Stanford University

If multiple DataRep objects are selected, return a null pointer.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When designing APIs, clearly document when and why a function might return a null value to avoid unexpected behavior in calling code.

Common error

Failing to check for and handle null values returned by functions can lead to null pointer exceptions or other runtime errors. Always validate return values before using them.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "returning a null value" functions primarily as a technical term in computer science and programming. It describes the action of a function or method providing a null value as its output, typically to indicate the absence of a valid result. The Ludwig AI confirms that this usage is correct.

Expression frequency: Missing

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "returning a null value" is a technical phrase used predominantly in computer science and programming to indicate that a function or method does not produce a valid result. As Ludwig highlights, the phrase is grammatically correct and used to signal either an error or the absence of a meaningful value. While absent from many general contexts, its use is crucial in technical discourse, emphasizing the importance of handling these values to prevent errors. Alternatives like "yielding a null result" or "providing a null value" can be used, but the core concept remains consistent: signaling the lack of a valid result.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

yielding a null result

Replaces 'value' with 'result', keeping the meaning identical but using slightly different terminology.

providing a null value

Substitutes 'returning' with 'providing', focusing on the act of supplying the null value.

giving a null value

Uses 'giving' instead of 'returning', which is a more common synonym in some contexts.

producing a null value

Replaces 'returning' with 'producing', highlighting the generation of the null value as an output.

outputting a null value

Uses 'outputting' to specifically refer to the action of sending a null value as output.

returning a null object

Replaces 'value' with 'object', specifying the type of null being returned.

returning an empty value

Replaces 'null' with 'empty', implying a lack of content rather than a specific null state.

returning no value

Simplifies the phrase to indicate the absence of any value.

returning a default null

Specifies that the null value being returned is a default or predetermined one.

returning nothing

More informal way of saying the function returns nothing.

FAQs

How can I handle a function that might return "returning a null value"?

Always check the return value for null before using it. Use conditional statements or exception handling to gracefully manage cases where a null value is returned.

What does it mean when a function is "returning a null value"?

It typically indicates that the function could not produce a valid result based on the input or current state. The null value signifies the absence of a meaningful value.

Is it better to return an empty object or "returning a null value"?

It depends on the context. An empty object might be preferable if you need to call methods on the object without causing an error. "Returning a null value" is often used when the absence of a value needs to be explicitly signaled.

What are some alternatives to "returning a null value" in programming?

Alternatives include "returning an empty object", throwing an exception, or "returning a default value" depending on the error handling strategy.