docs: fix Handling Defaults example to use pointer field - #1
Merged
wayneashleyberry merged 3 commits intoJul 20, 2026
Merged
wayneashleyberry merged 3 commits into
wayneashleyberry merged 3 commits into
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Problem
The "Handling Defaults" section in the README recommended presetting a default on a non-pointer field (
Port int) before callingstrictenv.Parse. That doesn't actually work: for non-pointer fields,ParseFromalways requires the env var to be present/non-empty and returnsErrMissingValueotherwise, regardless of any value already set on the struct (seestrictenv.go:86-90). The preset default was silently discarded/never reachable.Pointer fields are the only case where a preset value is preserved when the env var is absent (
strictenv.go:69-84), which is also what the passingExampleParseFrom_defaultstest already demonstrates — the README prose just didn't match it.Fix
Updated the "Handling Defaults" example to use a pointer field, matching the actual documented/tested pointer-default behavior, and added a note clarifying that this pattern only works for optional (pointer) fields.