What is the expected return of the readMap arguments when the source map doesn't exist? #82

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1. prantlf commented on Nov 9, 2025

   

   prantlf

   on Nov 9, 2025

   Last edited by prantlf

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   It'll depend on what you want. Usually you'd want to throw an error:

   function readMap(fileName) {
     if (file does not exist) {
       throw an error
     }
     read the file content and return it
   }

   Of you could fall back to empty or other source map:

   function readMap(fileName) {
     if (file does not exist) {
       return an empty or other source map
     }
     read the file content and return it
   }

   For example, if you just call the built-in Node.js function, you'll get an error thrown with the message from Node.js by default:

   import { readFile } from 'node:fs/promises'
   
   function readMap(fileName) {
     return readFile(fileName, 'utf8')
   }

   If you return null, you'll be sorry :-) It'll crash somewhere.