# Fail-Safe Defaults

> Defaulting to safe, benign behavior when a value or handler is absent rather than failing or branching.

Record: `lex:fail-safe-defaults`
Kind: principle
Layer: [Design Patterns Core](https://banes-lab.com/records/layer/design-patterns-core.md)
Canonical: https://banes-lab.com/ontology/lexicon#lex-fail-safe-defaults

## category

- [Behavioral Patterns](https://banes-lab.com/records/lex-category/behavioral-patterns.md)

## referenced-by

- [Null Object Pattern](https://banes-lab.com/records/arch/null-object-pattern.md)