optionals
Things not required
Optionals are things that aren't required—features, courses, or components you can choose to include or skip.
In programming, an optional is a variable type that may contain a value or be empty (null), forcing developers to handle both possibilities explicitly: The function returns an optional that you need to unwrap.
In education, optionals are elective courses outside the required curriculum.
Done by choice
- discretionarySubject to personal judgment
- electiveChosen, not mandated
- nonessentialNot required or needed
- supplementaryServing to complete
ancillary · peripheral · incidental · secondary · unrequired · nonobligatory · skippable · waivable
Academic subjects or meal stages
- modulesSelf-contained system components
- seminarsStructured educational discussions
- workshopsGroup learning sessions
- tutorialsInstructional guides for beginners
labs · electives · minors · concentrations · specializations · tracks · requirements · prerequisites
Optional extra features
- upgradesImproved replacement versions
- accessoriesSupplementary items or adornments
- enhancementsAdditions that improve something
- perksAdditional job advantages
amenities · frills · luxuries · bonuses · supplements · additions · features · customizations
May lack value
- unwrappingRemoving a covering
- nilNothing whatsoever
- noneNot a single one
- defaultPreset standard option
Swift · Kotlin · parameters · arguments · chaining · binding · guards · coalescing
Replacements for originals
- replacementsItems taking others' places
- fallbacksSecondary options if preferred fails
- backupsDuplicate files or substitutes
- alternatesBackup people or rotates
plan Bs · contingencies · workarounds · reserves · secondaries · defaults · overrides · variants
voluntary
Done by choice
- discretionarySubject to personal judgment
- electiveChosen, not mandated
- nonessentialNot required or needed
supplementary · ancillary · peripheral · incidental · secondary · unrequired · nonobligatory · skippable · waivable · negotiable
courses
Academic subjects or meal stages
- modulesSelf-contained system components
- seminarsStructured educational discussions
- workshopsGroup learning sessions
tutorials · labs · electives · minors · concentrations · specializations · tracks · requirements · prerequisites · credits
add-ons
Optional extra features
- upgradesImproved replacement versions
- accessoriesSupplementary items or adornments
- enhancementsAdditions that improve something
perks · amenities · frills · luxuries · bonuses · supplements · additions · features · customizations · packages
nullable
May lack value
- unwrappingRemoving a covering
- nilNothing whatsoever
- noneNot a single one
default · Swift · Kotlin · parameters · arguments · chaining · binding · guards · coalescing · types
substitutes
Replacements for originals
- replacementsItems taking others' places
- fallbacksSecondary options if preferred fails
- backupsDuplicate files or substitutes
alternates · plan Bs · contingencies · workarounds · reserves · secondaries · defaults · overrides · variants · equivalents
optionalsrequirements
Necessary conditions for something
mandatories · necessities · compulsories · essentials · prerequisites
optionalsstandards
Accepted levels of quality
inclusions · built-ins · defaults · staples
optionalsessentials
Indispensable items or elements
fundamentals · basics · necessaries · indispensables · staples
- clothing optionalAttire not mandatory
- test optionalNon-compulsory examination choice
- optional bossNon-mandatory powerful adversary