# Fail-Safe Defaults

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

Record: `lexicon: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#lexicon-fail-safe-defaults

Listed in [Lexicon terms](https://banes-lab.com/api/records/lexicon.md), after [Structure-Agnostic Iteration](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon/structure-agnostic-iteration.md) and before [Explicit State Model](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon/explicit-state-model.md).

## Category

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

## Reinforced by

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

## Linked from

- [Behavioral Patterns](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-behavioral-patterns.md)