Debugging and testing
Distinguish an empty result from a request failure
By SI100x · Published
An empty response can be a correct result, while a failed request means the result is unknown. Mixing the two makes the interface misleading and can cause people to repeat actions unnecessarily.
Try this exercise
- Create a local list exercise with three outcomes: populated results, an empty collection and a controlled request error. Give each outcome its own visible explanation.
- Retry after the error and make the request succeed. Verify that the old failure message disappears and the actual result is displayed.
- If earlier results are retained during refresh, label the refresh state clearly. Do not silently present stale information as newly retrieved data.
Check your result
A user should understand whether there are no records or whether records could not be checked. The recovery action should repeat the request safely without creating duplicate records.
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