`overrides = null` and `overrides = false` are not...

# kodein

[Marc Knaup]

overrides = null and overrides = false are not documented.

From testing, it looks like that
• true requires an override
• false disallows an override
• null disallows an override

So this doesn’t seem correct:
@param overrides Whether this bind **must**, **may** or **must not** override an existing binding.

I suggest using an enum here for clarity 🙂

[romainbsl]

Thanks for the suggestion, we are always looking for improvements.

[romainbsl]

However there is a documentation about overriding here https://kodein.org/Kodein-DI/index.html?latest/core#_overriding

[Marc Knaup]

That’s what I’m referring to. It only covers the true case.

[romainbsl]

by default overriding is disabled for safety reason. null or false behave the same, I should look into it to see there is some good reason for the double possible values. Meanwhile true will provide overriding of existing bindings. Its mostly useful when you are using modules or even mocking your dependencies for unit testing

[Marc Knaup]

According to the KDoc there’s also a “may override” option.
Maybe it’s different depending on silentOverrides?

I have a case where a Kodein instance can either be created in a “parent scope” or without one. In that case I may or may not need to override something in the parent scope’s Kodein instance that I extend.

I can’t know at this point if I will override something, so true will fail if I don’t.

Or well I could know if I explicitly request an optional instance from the Kodein instance that I extend, but that has side-effects.

Right now eventual overrides are only possible by allowing silent overrides for all bindings.

[romainbsl]

Yes, unfortunately, this the only way to use Kodein in such a case, where you won’t be able to know in advance, if you will need overriding or not.