TLDR Web Dev · OPINIONS & ADVICE

API DESIGN NOTE: BEWARE OF ADDING AN "OTHER" ENUM VALUE

devblogs.microsoft.com2 min read

Summary from the TLDR Web Dev newsletter

Including an "Other" enum value can create too much ambiguity as new enum values are added later. Returning new values contradicts the meaning of "Other" as "not mentioned elsewhere." Instead, document the enum as open-ended, letting each application define its own "Other" category for unrecognized values.