GetVal

GetVal is a common naming convention used in programming to denote a function or method that returns a value associated with a key, index, or path from a data source such as a map, object, configuration, or database. It is not a single standardized library or API, but a pattern that appears across many languages and codebases.

In containers such as dictionaries or maps, GetVal typically takes a container and an identifier and returns the matching value, optionally handling absent keys by returning a default or throwing an error. In nested data structures, GetVal can accept a path or sequence of keys to retrieve a deeper element, sometimes described as path or property access.

Behavior on missing data varies by language and implementation. Some GetVal functions return a null or optional value; others throw an exception; some provide overloads or options to specify a default value. Strongly typed languages often model the result with optional types or result wrappers.

Performance characteristics of GetVal depend on the underlying container and access pattern. Hash-based maps typically provide average constant time access, while lists or trees may incur linear or logarithmic costs. Care is required to avoid unnecessary copying or repeated lookups in hot paths.

Variants and related concepts include GetValue, GetValueOrDefault, and GetValOrNull. In practice, GetVal is used as a general-purpose accessor in libraries, data-binding code, configuration loaders, and API clients.