# Julia function for replacing nothings with default values?

**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/julia-function-for-replacing-nothings-with-default-values/68863
**Category:** General Usage
**Created:** [September 28, 2021, 9:53am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/julia-function-for-replacing-nothings-with-default-values/68863 "2021-09-28T09:53:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![ettersi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ettersi/32/6829_2.png) [@ettersi](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ettersi)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2021, 9:53am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/julia-function-for-replacing-nothings-with-default-values/68863/1 "2021-09-28T09:53:40Z")

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Does Julia have a built-in function akin to the following?

```julia
replace_nothing(given,default) = given
replace_nothing(::Nothing, default) = default

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![kristoffer.carlsson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/kristoffer.carlsson/32/22_2.png) [@kristoffer.carlsson](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/kristoffer.carlsson)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2021, 9:56am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/julia-function-for-replacing-nothings-with-default-values/68863/2 "2021-09-28T09:56:28Z")

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`something`

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ettersi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ettersi/32/6829_2.png) [@ettersi](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ettersi)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2021, 9:57am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/julia-function-for-replacing-nothings-with-default-values/68863/3 "2021-09-28T09:57:33Z")

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Right, I remember seeing this one at some point. Thanks for the speedy reply!