Rename 'runtime error' to 'execution error'

benjie · benjie · commit fdc2b81474de · 2025-03-27T11:34:31.000Z
diff --git a/spec/Section 3 -- Type System.md b/spec/Section 3 -- Type System.md
@@ -329,8 +329,8 @@ A GraphQL schema may describe that a field represents a list of another type;
 the `List` type is provided for this reason, and wraps another type.
 
 Similarly, the `Non-Null` type wraps another type, and denotes that the
-resulting value will never be {null} (and that a _runtime error_ cannot result
-in a {null} value).
+resulting value will never be {null} (and that an _execution error_ cannot
+result in a {null} value).
 
 These two types are referred to as "wrapping types"; non-wrapping types are
 referred to as "named types". A wrapping type has an underlying named type,
@@ -461,14 +461,14 @@ more guidance.
 
 A GraphQL service, when preparing a field of a given scalar type, must uphold
 the contract the scalar type describes, either by coercing the value or
-producing a _runtime error_ if a value cannot be coerced or if coercion may
+producing an _execution error_ if a value cannot be coerced or if coercion may
 result in data loss.
 
 A GraphQL service may decide to allow coercing different internal types to the
 expected return type. For example when coercing a field of type {Int} a boolean
 {true} value may produce {1} or a string value {"123"} may be parsed as base-10
 {123}. However if internal type coercion cannot be reasonably performed without
-losing information, then it must raise a _runtime error_.
+losing information, then it must raise an _execution error_.
 
 Since this coercion behavior is not observable to clients of the GraphQL
 service, the precise rules of coercion are left to the implementation. The only
@@ -513,15 +513,15 @@ Fields returning the type {Int} expect to encounter 32-bit integer internal
 values.
 
 GraphQL services may coerce non-integer internal values to integers when
-reasonable without losing information, otherwise they must raise a _runtime
+reasonable without losing information, otherwise they must raise an _execution
 error_. Examples of this may include returning `1` for the floating-point number
 `1.0`, or returning `123` for the string `"123"`. In scenarios where coercion
-may lose data, raising a runtime error is more appropriate. For example, a
-floating-point number `1.2` should raise a runtime error instead of being
+may lose data, raising an execution error is more appropriate. For example, a
+floating-point number `1.2` should raise an execution error instead of being
 truncated to `1`.
 
 If the integer internal value represents a value less than -2<sup>31</sup> or
-greater than or equal to 2<sup>31</sup>, a _runtime error_ should be raised.
+greater than or equal to 2<sup>31</sup>, an _execution error_ should be raised.
 
 **Input Coercion**
 
@@ -548,12 +548,12 @@ Fields returning the type {Float} expect to encounter double-precision
 floating-point internal values.
 
 GraphQL services may coerce non-floating-point internal values to {Float} when
-reasonable without losing information, otherwise they must raise a _runtime
+reasonable without losing information, otherwise they must raise an _execution
 error_. Examples of this may include returning `1.0` for the integer number `1`,
 or `123.0` for the string `"123"`.
 
 Non-finite floating-point internal values ({NaN} and {Infinity}) cannot be
-coerced to {Float} and must raise a _runtime error_.
+coerced to {Float} and must raise an _execution error_.
 
 **Input Coercion**
 
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ that representation must be used to serialize this type.
 Fields returning the type {String} expect to encounter Unicode string values.
 
 GraphQL services may coerce non-string raw values to {String} when reasonable
-without losing information, otherwise they must raise a _runtime error_.
+without losing information, otherwise they must raise an _execution error_.
 Examples of this may include returning the string `"true"` for a boolean true
 value, or the string `"1"` for the integer `1`.
 
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ representation of the integers `1` and `0`.
 Fields returning the type {Boolean} expect to encounter boolean internal values.
 
 GraphQL services may coerce non-boolean raw values to {Boolean} when reasonable
-without losing information, otherwise they must raise a _runtime error_.
+without losing information, otherwise they must raise an _execution error_.
 Examples of this may include returning `true` for non-zero numbers.
 
 **Input Coercion**
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ large 128-bit random numbers, to base64 encoded values, or string values of a
 format like [GUID](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globally_unique_identifier).
 
 GraphQL services should coerce as appropriate given the ID formats they expect.
-When coercion is not possible they must raise a _runtime error_.
+When coercion is not possible they must raise an _execution error_.
 
 **Input Coercion**
 
@@ -1492,7 +1492,7 @@ enum Direction {
 **Result Coercion**
 
 GraphQL services must return one of the defined set of possible values. If a
-reasonable coercion is not possible they must raise a _runtime error_.
+reasonable coercion is not possible they must raise an _execution error_.
 
 **Input Coercion**
 
@@ -1654,9 +1654,9 @@ is constructed with the following rules:
 
 - If a variable is provided for an input object field, the runtime value of that
   variable must be used. If the runtime value is {null} and the field type is
-  non-null, a _runtime error_ must be raised. If no runtime value is provided,
-  the variable definition's default value should be used. If the variable
-  definition does not provide a default value, the input object field
+  non-null, an _execution error_ must be raised. If no runtime value is
+  provided, the variable definition's default value should be used. If the
+  variable definition does not provide a default value, the input object field
   definition's default value should be used.
 
 Following are examples of input coercion for an input object type with a
@@ -1742,16 +1742,16 @@ brackets like this: `pets: [Pet]`. Nesting lists is allowed: `matrix: [[Int]]`.
 
 GraphQL services must return an ordered list as the result of a list type. Each
 item in the list must be the result of a result coercion of the item type. If a
-reasonable coercion is not possible it must raise a _runtime error_. In
+reasonable coercion is not possible it must raise an _execution error_. In
 particular, if a non-list is returned, the coercion should fail, as this
 indicates a mismatch in expectations between the type system and the
 implementation.
 
 If a list's item type is nullable, then errors occurring during preparation or
 coercion of an individual item in the list must result in a the value {null} at
-that position in the list along with a _runtime error_ added to the response. If
-a list's item type is non-null, a runtime error occurring at an individual item
-in the list must result in a runtime error for the entire list.
+that position in the list along with an _execution error_ added to the response.
+If a list's item type is non-null, an execution error occurring at an individual
+item in the list must result in an execution error for the entire list.
 
 Note: See [Handling Runtime Errors](#sec-Handling-Runtime-Errors) for more about
 this behavior.
@@ -1812,10 +1812,10 @@ always optional and non-null types are always required.
 In all of the above result coercions, {null} was considered a valid value. To
 coerce the result of a Non-Null type, the coercion of the wrapped type should be
 performed. If that result was not {null}, then the result of coercing the
-Non-Null type is that result. If that result was {null}, then a _runtime error_
-must be raised.
+Non-Null type is that result. If that result was {null}, then an _execution
+error_ must be raised.
 
-Note: When a _runtime error_ is raised on a non-null _response position_, the
+Note: When an _execution error_ is raised on a non-null _response position_, the
 error propagates to the parent _response position_. For more information on this
 process, see
 [Errors and Non-Null Types](#sec-Executing-Selection-Sets.Errors-and-Non-Null-Types)
diff --git a/spec/Section 5 -- Validation.md b/spec/Section 5 -- Validation.md
@@ -2010,4 +2010,4 @@ query booleanArgQueryWithDefault($booleanArg: Boolean = true) {
 ```
 
 Note: The value {null} could still be provided to such a variable at runtime. A
-non-null argument must raise a _runtime error_ if provided a {null} value.
+non-null argument must raise an _execution error_ if provided a {null} value.
diff --git a/spec/Section 6 -- Execution.md b/spec/Section 6 -- Execution.md
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ ExecuteQuery(query, schema, variableValues, initialValue):
 - Let {data} be the result of running {ExecuteSelectionSet(selectionSet,
   queryType, initialValue, variableValues)} _normally_ (allowing
   parallelization).
-- Let {errors} be the list of all _runtime error_ raised while executing the
+- Let {errors} be the list of all _execution error_ raised while executing the
   selection set.
 - Return an unordered map containing {data} and {errors}.
 
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ ExecuteMutation(mutation, schema, variableValues, initialValue):
 - Let {selectionSet} be the top level selection set in {mutation}.
 - Let {data} be the result of running {ExecuteSelectionSet(selectionSet,
   mutationType, initialValue, variableValues)} _serially_.
-- Let {errors} be the list of all _runtime error_ raised while executing the
+- Let {errors} be the list of all _execution error_ raised while executing the
   selection set.
 - Return an unordered map containing {data} and {errors}.
 
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ MapSourceToResponseEvent(sourceStream, subscription, schema, variableValues):
   - Complete {responseStream} normally.
 - Return {responseStream}.
 
-Note: Since {ExecuteSubscriptionEvent()} handles all _runtime error_, and
+Note: Since {ExecuteSubscriptionEvent()} handles all _execution error_, and
 _request error_ only occur during {CreateSourceEventStream()}, the only
 remaining error condition handled from {ExecuteSubscriptionEvent()} are internal
 exceptional errors not described by this specification.
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ ExecuteSubscriptionEvent(subscription, schema, variableValues, initialValue):
 - Let {data} be the result of running {ExecuteSelectionSet(selectionSet,
   subscriptionType, initialValue, variableValues)} _normally_ (allowing
   parallelization).
-- Let {errors} be the list of all _runtime error_ raised while executing the
+- Let {errors} be the list of all _execution error_ raised while executing the
   selection set.
 - Return an unordered map containing {data} and {errors}.
 
@@ -384,10 +384,10 @@ is explained in greater detail in the Field Collection section below.
 **Errors and Non-Null Types**
 
 If during {ExecuteSelectionSet()} a _response position_ with a non-null type
-raises a _runtime error_ then that error must propagate to the parent response
-position (the entire selection set in the case of a field, or the entire list in
-the case of a list position), either resolving to {null} if allowed or being
-further propagated to a parent response position.
+raises an _execution error_ then that error must propagate to the parent
+response position (the entire selection set in the case of a field, or the
+entire list in the case of a list position), either resolving to {null} if
+allowed or being further propagated to a parent response position.
 
 If this occurs, any sibling response positions which have not yet executed or
 have not yet yielded a value may be cancelled to avoid unnecessary work.
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ At each argument position in an operation may be a literal {Value}, or a
 {Variable} to be provided at runtime.
 
 Any _request error_ raised during {CoerceArgumentValues()} should be treated
-instead as a _runtime error_.
+instead as an _execution error_.
 
 CoerceArgumentValues(objectType, field, variableValues):
 
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ CoerceArgumentValues(objectType, field, variableValues):
     - Add an entry to {coercedValues} named {argumentName} with the value
       {defaultValue}.
   - Otherwise if {argumentType} is a Non-Nullable type, and either {hasValue} is
-    not {true} or {value} is {null}, raise a _runtime error_.
+    not {true} or {value} is {null}, raise an _execution error_.
   - Otherwise if {hasValue} is {true}:
     - If {value} is {null}:
       - Add an entry to {coercedValues} named {argumentName} with the value
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ CoerceArgumentValues(objectType, field, variableValues):
         {value}.
     - Otherwise:
       - If {value} cannot be coerced according to the input coercion rules of
-        {argumentType}, raise a _runtime error_.
+        {argumentType}, raise an _execution error_.
       - Let {coercedValue} be the result of coercing {value} according to the
         input coercion rules of {argumentType}.
       - Add an entry to {coercedValues} named {argumentName} with the value
@@ -713,12 +713,12 @@ CompleteValue(fieldType, fields, result, variableValues):
   - Let {innerType} be the inner type of {fieldType}.
   - Let {completedResult} be the result of calling {CompleteValue(innerType,
     fields, result, variableValues)}.
-  - If {completedResult} is {null}, raise a _runtime error_.
+  - If {completedResult} is {null}, raise an _execution error_.
   - Return {completedResult}.
 - If {result} is {null} (or another internal value similar to {null} such as
   {undefined}), return {null}.
 - If {fieldType} is a List type:
-  - If {result} is not a collection of values, raise a _runtime error_.
+  - If {result} is not a collection of values, raise an _execution error_.
   - Let {innerType} be the inner type of {fieldType}.
   - Return a list where each list item is the result of calling
     {CompleteValue(innerType, fields, resultItem, variableValues)}, where
@@ -753,7 +753,7 @@ CoerceResult(leafType, value):
 - Return the result of calling the internal method provided by the type system
   for determining the "result coercion" of {leafType} given the value {value}.
   This internal method must return a valid value for the type and not {null}.
-  Otherwise raise a _runtime error_.
+  Otherwise raise an _execution error_.
 
 Note: If a field resolver returns {null} then it is handled within
 {CompleteValue()} before {CoerceResult()} is called. Therefore both the input
@@ -814,39 +814,39 @@ MergeSelectionSets(fields):
 
 ### Handling Runtime Errors
 
-A _runtime error_ is an error raised from a particular field during value
+An _execution error_ is an error raised from a particular field during value
 resolution or coercion. While these errors should be reported in the response,
 they are "handled" by producing a partial response.
 
 Note: This is distinct from a _request error_ which results in a response with
 no data.
 
-If a runtime error is raised while resolving a field (either directly or nested
-inside any lists), it is handled as though the position at which the error
-occurred resulted in {null}, and the error must be added to the {"errors"} list
-in the response.
+If an execution error is raised while resolving a field (either directly or
+nested inside any lists), it is handled as though the position at which the
+error occurred resulted in {null}, and the error must be added to the {"errors"}
+list in the response.
 
 If the result of resolving a _response position_ is {null} (either due to the
-result of {ResolveFieldValue()} or because a runtime error was raised), and that
-position is of a `Non-Null` type, then a runtime error is raised at that
+result of {ResolveFieldValue()} or because an execution error was raised), and
+that position is of a `Non-Null` type, then an execution error is raised at that
 position. The error must be added to the {"errors"} list in the response.
 
-If a _response position_ returns {null} because of a runtime error which has
+If a _response position_ returns {null} because of an execution error which has
 already been added to the {"errors"} list in the response, the {"errors"} list
 must not be further affected. That is, only one error should be added to the
 errors list per _response position_.
 
-Since `Non-Null` response positions cannot be {null}, runtime errors are
+Since `Non-Null` response positions cannot be {null}, execution errors are
 propagated to be handled by the parent _response position_. If the parent
 response position may be {null} then it resolves to {null}, otherwise if it is a
-`Non-Null` type, the runtime error is further propagated to its parent _response
-position_.
+`Non-Null` type, the execution error is further propagated to its parent
+_response position_.
 
 If a `List` type wraps a `Non-Null` type, and one of the elements of that list
 resolves to {null}, then the entire list must resolve to {null}. If the `List`
-type is also wrapped in a `Non-Null`, the runtime error continues to propagate
+type is also wrapped in a `Non-Null`, the execution error continues to propagate
 upwards.
 
 If all response positions from the root of the request to the source of the
-runtime error return `Non-Null` types, then the {"data"} entry in the response
+execution error return `Non-Null` types, then the {"data"} entry in the response
 should be {null}.
diff --git a/spec/Section 7 -- Response.md b/spec/Section 7 -- Response.md
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ response. The service's response describes the result of executing the requested
 operation if successful, and describes any errors raised during the request.
 
 A response may contain both a partial response as well as a list of errors in
-the case that any _runtime error_ was raised and replaced with {null}.
+the case that any _execution error_ was raised and replaced with {null}.
 
 ## Response Format
 
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ present. It must contain at least one _request error_ indicating why no data was
 able to be returned.
 
 If the `data` entry in the response is present (including if it is the value
-{null}), the `errors` entry must be present if and only if one or more _runtime
-error_ was raised during execution.
+{null}), the `errors` entry must be present if and only if one or more
+_execution error_ was raised during execution.
 
 **Request Errors**
 
@@ -92,29 +92,29 @@ be halted.
   <!-- This link exists for legacy hyperlink support -->
 </a>
 
-**Runtime Errors**
+**Execution Errors**
 
-:: A _runtime error_ is an error raised during the execution of a particular
+:: An _execution error_ is an error raised during the execution of a particular
 field which results in partial response data. This may occur due to failure to
 coerce the arguments for the field, an internal error during value resolution,
-or failure to coerce the resulting value. A _runtime error_ may occur in any
+or failure to coerce the resulting value. An _execution error_ may occur in any
 _response position_.
 
-Note: In previous versions of this specification _runtime error_ was called
+Note: In previous versions of this specification _execution error_ was called
 _field error_.
 
 :: A _response position_ is an identifiable position in the response: either a
 _field_, or a (potentially nested) list position within a field if the field has
-a `List` type. A _runtime error_ may only occur within a _response position_.
+a `List` type. An _execution error_ may only occur within a _response position_.
 The _response position_ is indicated in the _response_ via the error's _path
 entry_.
 
-A runtime error is typically the fault of a GraphQL service.
+An execution error is typically the fault of a GraphQL service.
 
-If a runtime error is raised, execution attempts to continue and a partial
+If an execution error is raised, execution attempts to continue and a partial
 result is produced (see
-[Handling Runtime Errors](#sec-Handling-Runtime-Errors)). The `data` entry in
-the response must be present. The `errors` entry must include this error.
+[Handling Execution Errors](#sec-Handling-Execution-Errors)). The `data` entry
+in the response must be present. The `errors` entry must include this error.
 
 **Error Result Format**
 
