RFC: Null-Only-On-Error / Semantically-Non-Null type (asterisk)

spec/Section 2 -- Language.md

@@ -1239,6 +1239,11 @@ NonNullType :
 - NamedType !
 - ListType !
 
+NullOnlyOnErrorType :
+
+- NamedType \*
+- ListType \*
+
 GraphQL describes the types of data expected by arguments and variables. Input
 types may be lists of another input type, or a non-null variant of any other
 input type.

spec/Section 3 -- Type System.md

@@ -1859,6 +1859,7 @@ non-null input type as invalid.
 **Type Validation**
 
 1. A Non-Null type must not wrap another Non-Null type.
+1. A Non-Null type must not wrap a Null-Only-On-Error type.
 
 ### Combining List and Non-Null
 
@@ -1892,6 +1893,83 @@ Following are examples of result coercion with various types and values:
 | `[Int!]!`     | `[1, 2, null]`  | Error: Item cannot be null          |
 | `[Int!]!`     | `[1, 2, Error]` | Error: Error occurred in item       |
 
+## Null-Only-On-Error
+
+The GraphQL Null-Only-On-Error type is an alternative to the GraphQL Non-Null
+type to disallow null unless accompanied by a field error. This type wraps an
+underlying type, and this type acts identically to that wrapped type, with the
+exception that {null} will result in a field error being raised. A trailing
+asterisk is used to denote a field that uses a Null-Only-On-Error type like
+this: `name: String*`.
+
+Null-Only-On-Error types are only valid for use as an _output type_; they must
+not be used as an _input type_.
+
+**Nullable vs. Optional**
+
+Fields that return Null-Only-On-Error types will never return the value {null}
+if queried _unless_ an error has been logged for that field.
+
+**Result Coercion**
+
+To coerce the result of a Null-Only-On-Error type, the coercion of the wrapped
+type should be performed. If that result was not {null}, then the result of
+coercing the Null-Only-On-Error type is that result. If that result was {null},
+then a _field error_ must be raised.
+
+Note: When a _field error_ is raised on a Null-Only-On-Error value, the error
+does not propagate to the parent field, instead {null} is used for the value.
+For more information on this process, see
+[Handling Field Errors](#sec-Handling-Field-Errors) within the Execution
+section.
+
+**Input Coercion**
+
+Null-Only-On-Error types are never valid inputs.
+
+**Type Validation**
+
+1. A Null-Only-On-Error type must wrap an _output type_.
+1. A Null-Only-On-Error type must not wrap another Null-Only-On-Error type.
+1. A Null-Only-On-Error type must not wrap a Non-Null type.
+
+### Combining List and Null-Only-On-Error
+
+The List and Null-Only-On-Error wrapping types can compose, representing more
+complex types. The rules for result coercion of Lists and Null-Only-On-Error
+types apply in a recursive fashion.
+
+For example if the inner item type of a List is Null-Only-On-Error (e.g.
+`[T*]`), then that List may not contain any {null} items unless associated field
+errors were raised. However if the inner type of a Null-Only-On-Error is a List
+(e.g. `[T]*`), then {null} is not accepted without an accompanying field error
+being raised, however an empty list is accepted.
+
+Following are examples of result coercion with various types and values:
+
+| Expected Type | Internal Value  | Coerced Result                              |
+| ------------- | --------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
+| `[Int]*`      | `[1, 2, 3]`     | `[1, 2, 3]`                                 |
+| `[Int]*`      | `null`          | `null` (With logged coercion error)         |
+| `[Int]*`      | `[1, 2, null]`  | `[1, 2, null]`                              |
+| `[Int]*`      | `[1, 2, Error]` | `[1, 2, null]` (With logged error)          |
+| `[Int!]*`     | `[1, 2, 3]`     | `[1, 2, 3]`                                 |
+| `[Int!]*`     | `null`          | `null` (With logged coercion error)         |
+| `[Int!]*`     | `[1, 2, null]`  | `null` (With logged coercion error)         |
+| `[Int!]*`     | `[1, 2, Error]` | `null` (With logged error)                  |
+| `[Int*]`      | `[1, 2, 3]`     | `[1, 2, 3]`                                 |
+| `[Int*]`      | `null`          | `null`                                      |
+| `[Int*]`      | `[1, 2, null]`  | `[1, 2, null]` (With logged coercion error) |
+| `[Int*]`      | `[1, 2, Error]` | `[1, 2, null]` (With logged error)          |
+| `[Int*]!`     | `[1, 2, 3]`     | `[1, 2, 3]`                                 |
+| `[Int*]!`     | `null`          | Error: Value cannot be null                 |
+| `[Int*]!`     | `[1, 2, null]`  | `[1, 2, null]` (With logged coercion error) |
+| `[Int*]!`     | `[1, 2, Error]` | `[1, 2, null]` (With logged error)          |
+| `[Int*]*`     | `[1, 2, 3]`     | `[1, 2, 3]`                                 |
+| `[Int*]*`     | `null`          | `null` (With logged coercion error)         |
+| `[Int*]*`     | `[1, 2, null]`  | `[1, 2, null]` (With logged coercion error) |
+| `[Int*]*`     | `[1, 2, Error]` | `[1, 2, null]` (With logged error)          |
+
 ## Directives
 
 DirectiveDefinition : Description? directive @ Name ArgumentsDefinition?

spec/Section 4 -- Introspection.md

@@ -162,13 +162,14 @@ enum __TypeKind {
   INPUT_OBJECT
   LIST
   NON_NULL
+  NULL_ONLY_ON_ERROR
 }
 
 type __Field {
   name: String!
   description: String
   args(includeDeprecated: Boolean = false): [__InputValue!]!
-  type: __Type!
+  type(includeNullOnlyOnError: Boolean! = false): __Type!
   isDeprecated: Boolean!
   deprecationReason: String
 }
@@ -263,6 +264,7 @@ possible value of the `__TypeKind` enum:
 - {"INPUT_OBJECT"}
 - {"LIST"}
 - {"NON_NULL"}
+- {"NULL_ONLY_ON_ERROR"}
 
 **Scalar**
 
@@ -400,12 +402,35 @@ required inputs for arguments and input object fields.
 
 The modified type in the `ofType` field may itself be a modified List type,
 allowing the representation of Non-Null of Lists. However it must not be a
-modified Non-Null type to avoid a redundant Non-Null of Non-Null.
+modified Non-Null type to avoid a redundant Non-Null of Non-Null; nor may it be
+a modified Null-Only-On-Error type since these types are mutually exclusive.
 
 Fields\:
 
 - `kind` must return `__TypeKind.NON_NULL`.
-- `ofType` must return a type of any kind except Non-Null.
+- `ofType` must return a type of any kind except Non-Null and
+  Null-Only-On-Error.
+- All other fields must return {null}.
+
+**Null-Only-On-Error**
+
+GraphQL types are nullable. The value {null} is a valid response for field type.
+
+A Null-Only-On-Error type is a type modifier: it wraps another _output type_
+instance in the `ofType` field. Null-Only-On-Error types do not allow {null} as
+a response _unless_ an associated _field error_ has been raised.
+
+The modified type in the `ofType` field may itself be a modified List type,
+allowing the representation of Null-Only-On-Error of Lists. However it must not
+be a modified Null-Only-On-Error type to avoid a redundant Null-Only-On-Error of
+Null-Only-On-Error; nor may it be a modified Non-Null type since these types are
+mutually exclusive.
+
+Fields\:
+
+- `kind` must return `__TypeKind.NULL_ONLY_ON_ERROR`.
+- `ofType` must return a type of any kind except Non-Null and
+  Null-Only-On-Error.
 - All other fields must return {null}.
 
 ### The \_\_Field Type
@@ -422,10 +447,25 @@ Fields\:
     {true}, deprecated arguments are also returned.
 - `type` must return a `__Type` that represents the type of value returned by
   this field.
+  - Accepts the argument `includeNullOnlyOnError` which defaults to {false}. If
+    {false}, let {fieldType} be the type of value returned by this field and
+    instead return a `__Type` that represents
+    {RecursivelyStripNullOnlyOnErrorTypes(fieldType)}.
 - `isDeprecated` returns {true} if this field should no longer be used,
   otherwise {false}.
 - `deprecationReason` optionally provides a reason why this field is deprecated.
 
+RecursivelyStripNullOnlyOnErrorTypes(type):
+
+- If {type} is a Null-Only-On-Error type:
+  - Let {innerType} be the inner type of {type}.
+  - Return {RecursivelyStripNullOnlyOnErrorTypes(innerType)}.
+- Otherwise, return {type}.
+
+Note: This algorithm recursively removes all Null-Only-On-Error type wrappers
+(e.g. `[[Int*]!]*` would become `[[Int]!]`). This is to support legacy clients:
+they can safely treat a Null-Only-On-Error type as the underlying nullable type.
+
 ### The \_\_InputValue Type
 
 The `__InputValue` type represents field and directive arguments as well as the

spec/Section 6 -- Execution.md

@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ field execution process continues recursively.
 
 CompleteValue(fieldType, fields, result, variableValues):
 
-- If the {fieldType} is a Non-Null type:
+- If the {fieldType} is a Non-Null or a Null-Only-On-Error type:
   - Let {innerType} be the inner type of {fieldType}.
   - Let {completedResult} be the result of calling {CompleteValue(innerType,
     fields, result, variableValues)}.
@@ -805,3 +805,6 @@ upwards.
 If all fields from the root of the request to the source of the field error
 return `Non-Null` types, then the {"data"} entry in the response should be
 {null}.
+
+Note: By the above, field errors that happen in `Null-Only-On-Error` types do
+not propagate.