karatelabs/karate · error · RuntimeException

context.getGlobal() requires a name argument

Error message

context.getGlobal() requires a name argument

What it means

context.getGlobal(name, defaultValue) reads a server-global variable and requires a non-null name argument; otherwise this RuntimeException is thrown. An optional second argument supplies a default when the key is absent, but the key itself must always be present.

Solutions

1. Pass the key explicitly: context.getGlobal('key').
2. Supply a default as the second argument instead of omitting the key: getGlobal('key', fallback).
3. Guard the key variable before the call.
4. If you need all globals, there is no such API — track keys separately in a global object.

Example fix

// before
var v = context.getGlobal(key); // key undefined
// after
var v = context.getGlobal(key || 'defaultKey', null);

// JS in markup
if (typeof key !== 'string' || !key) key = 'defaultKey';

When it happens

Trigger: Calling context.getGlobal() with zero arguments or null first argument in server markup JavaScript — usually an undefined key variable, or assuming getGlobal() with no args returns all globals.

Common situations: Reading cross-request state in mock-server handlers; retrieving a key whose name is computed from request parameters that are missing; confusing getGlobal() with a bulk getter.

Understand the failure class

Background: "missing required argument" and "the following required arguments were not provided": what required-argument errors mean and how to fix them — this error's family across 20 libraries.

Related errors

• context.setGlobal() requires a name argument
• redirect() requires a URL argument
• switch() requires a template argument
• doc() requires 'read' key with template path
• doc() needs at least one argument

AI-assisted analysis of karatelabs/karate@a22eb90246 (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ea1137a04b542088. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at karate-core/src/main/java/io/karatelabs/http/ServerMarkupContext.java:382

                return null;
            };
            case "switch" -> (JavaInvokable) args -> {
                if (args.length == 0) throw new RuntimeException("switch() requires a template argument");
                switchTemplate(args[0].toString());
                return null;
            };
            case "setGlobal" -> (JavaInvokable) args -> {
                if (args.length == 0 || args[0] == null) {
                    throw new RuntimeException("context.setGlobal() requires a name argument");
                }
                String name = args[0].toString();
                Object value = args.length > 1 ? args[1] : null;
                setGlobal(name, value);
                return null;
            };
            case "getGlobal" -> (JavaInvokable) args -> {
                if (args.length == 0 || args[0] == null) {
                    throw new RuntimeException("context.getGlobal() requires a name argument");
                }
                String name = args[0].toString();
                Object defaultValue = args.length > 1 ? args[1] : null;
                return getGlobal(name, defaultValue);
            };

            // Properties
            case "ajax" -> isAjax();
            case "sessionId" -> session != null ? session.getId() : null;
            case "closed" -> isClosed();
            case "switched" -> switched;
            case "flash" -> flash;
            case "actions" -> actionsView();
            case "request" -> request;
            case "response" -> response;
            case "session" -> session;
            case "csrf" -> getCsrfToken();

View on GitHub (pinned to a22eb90246)