compare.Default

Returns the second argument if set, else the first argument.

Syntax: compare.Default DEFAULT INPUT
Returns: any
Alias: default

The default function returns the second argument if set, else the first argument.

When the second argument is the boolean false value, the default function returns false. All other falsy values are considered unset.

The falsy values are false, 0, any nil pointer or interface value, any array, slice, map, or string of length zero, and zero time.Time values.

Everything else is truthy.

To set a default value based on truthiness, use the or operator instead.

The default function returns the second argument if set:

{{ 1             | default 42 }} → 1
{{ "foo"         | default 42 }} → foo
{{ dict "k" "v"  | default 42 }} → map[k:v]
{{ slice "a" "b" | default 42 }} → [a b]
{{ true          | default 42 }} → true

<!-- As noted above, the boolean "false" is considered set -->
{{ false         | default 42 }} → false

The default function returns the first argument if the second argument is not set:

{{ 0     | default 42 }} → 42
{{ ""    | default 42 }} → 42
{{ dict  | default 42 }} → 42
{{ slice | default 42 }} → 42
{{ nil   | default 42 }} → 42

Last updated: September 4, 2026 : content: Use piping syntax for compare.Default examples (b76fdc5aa)

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