Bug: repository data source returns null instead of error when not found

[kbolino]

Terraform Version

Terraform v1.4.2
on linux_arm64
+ provider registry.terraform.io/integrations/github v5.18.3

Affected Resource(s)

• Data source github_repository

Terraform Configuration Files

terraform {
  required_version = "~> 1.4"
  required_providers {
    github = {
      source  = "integrations/github"
      version = "~> 5.18"
    }
  }
}

data "github_repository" "this" {
  name = "nonexistent-repo"
}

output "github_repository_id" {
  value = data.github_repository.this.repo_id
}

Debug Output

https://gist.github.com/kbolino/cf42fd736ff5a2befcde4c2fb751300e

Panic Output

N/A

Expected Behavior

An error, since the repository does not exist.

While this behavior may not be strictly required by Terraform, it is how other providers (e.g. aws) implement singular data sources. There's also nothing in the docs for the data source that would imply it will silently succeed with null results when the repository doesn't exist.

Actual Behavior

The apply succeeds but no output is produced.

Steps to Reproduce

Please list the steps required to reproduce the issue, for example:

1. TF_LOG=DEBUG terraform apply
2. TF_LOG=DEBUG terraform output github_repository_id

An example session:

vscode ➜ /workspaces/infrastructure/github-demo (main) $ TF_LOG=DEBUG terraform apply
data.github_repository.this: Reading...
data.github_repository.this: Read complete after 1s

No changes. Your infrastructure matches the configuration.

Terraform has compared your real infrastructure against your configuration and found no differences, so no changes are needed.

Apply complete! Resources: 0 added, 0 changed, 0 destroyed.
vscode ➜ /workspaces/infrastructure/github-demo (main) $ TF_LOG=DEBUG terraform output github_repository_id
╷
│ Warning: No outputs found
│ 
│ The state file either has no outputs defined, or all the defined outputs are empty. Please define an output in your configuration with the `output` keyword and run `terraform refresh` for
│ it to become available. If you are using interpolation, please verify the interpolated value is not empty. You can use the `terraform console` command to assist.
╵

Important Factoids

N/A

References

N/A

[JSNortal]

I think this is intended at least according to this PR #1031

I'm trying to code something against this behaviour. Is this something that will be patched out?

[github-actions]

👋 Hey Friends, this issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has no recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Please add the Status: Pinned label if you feel that this issue needs to remain open/active. Thank you for your contributions and help in keeping things tidy!