| Elektra 0.11.0

Null

# Problem

Null keys do not have a semantic and make API more difficult.

# Constraints

# Assumptions

# Considered Alternatives

- remove null keys, i.e. keyValue always returns a string (e.g. empty string on new keys)

# Decision

Null keys get clear semantics: they are for representing keys that do not have a value, i.e., only represent structure in configuration files.

For example, an INI `section` is a null key:

[section]
key = value

For example, in other config formats there might be keys without any value. Here `key1` would be a null-key and thus is different to the value of `key2`, i.e., an empty string:

key1
key2 = ""

# Rationale

# Implications

# Related Decisions

- Key Name

# Notes