# Go Error Handling
# Detects empty `if err != nil` handlers
id: go-empty-if-err
name: Empty Error Handler
severity: warning
category: error-handling
defect_class: silent-error
inline_tier: blocking
language: go

message: "Empty error handler — handle err or return it"

description: |
  An `if err != nil {}` block silently ignores failures.

  ✅ FIX: return, wrap, or log the error with context.

query: |
  (if_statement
    condition: (binary_expression
      left: (identifier) @ERR
      right: (nil))
    consequence: (block) @BODY
    (#eq? @ERR "err"))

metavars:
  - ERR
  - BODY

post_filter: empty_body

has_fix: false

tags:
  - go
  - error-handling
  - reliability

examples:
  bad: |
    if err != nil {
    }

  good: |
    if err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("load config: %w", err)
    }