Choose distinct semantics for absent, null and empty metadata values
A filter for documents without a retention tag returns different results depending on whether the field is absent, null or an empty string.
- Focused work estimate
- 1h 30m + prerequisites
- Priority in the scenario
- Medium
- Engineering practice
- SQL semantics · API contracts
Estimated field mix
- Database engineering60%
- API design40%
Field percentages are editorial estimates of the ticket's engineering focus. They total 100%; they are not measured time, proficiency scores, or ownership evidence.
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Project context
A fictional records portal stores every property in one JSON column. Queries disagree about missing values, and malformed records make ordinary filters fail.
Setup prerequisites
- Create synthetic document metadata with malformed and legacy versions.
- Use migrations and a local query API.
Preceding work
Complete these dependencies, or supply their agreed outputs before taking this ticket.
Acceptance criteria
- Define the three states for each supported filter.
- Reject empty strings where they lack business meaning.
- Publish a truth table consumed by query tests.
Implementation constraints
- Avoid blanket coercion of all empty-like values.
Verification to include
- Query one fixture for each declared state.
- Send an unsupported empty value and verify validation behavior matches the table.
Deliverables
- Metadata null-semantics contract
Rollout and recovery
Review the truth table with API consumers; retain old filter names until compatibility is documented.
Value of the work
For the engineer: Practice relational/JSON boundaries, versioned validation and query semantics.
For the team: Review a data model that stays inspectable while allowing controlled variation.
Evidence boundaries
Outcome Evidence: Tests, patches, and runbooks are requested deliverables. They become Outcome Evidence only through a qualified Mission and immutable Evidence IDs.
Ownership Evidence: Independent adaptation must be observed under a declared verification policy and cite immutable Evidence IDs. Completing a planning ticket establishes no Ownership Evidence.