Is it possible to change the unused thrift field and change its type?

Question

Recently, we have update the thrift file as shown below and deployed the service code, where this thrift file is used.

 -- 8: optional string testType;
 ++ 8: optional TestType testType;


enum TestType {
  INVALID = 1,
  REGULAR,
}

We have not made any change apart from the thrift file, thus these values are not used anywhere. Does it safe to land this change and deploy it. First we are planning to deploy the server, then all the clients with this new thrift defintion, and then started making the change in server to populate it.

Is it safe to do it?

Answer 1

Since you did not use it, no problem at all.

If you had used it, then the remote site will not be able to read the data by the other end. Since the type is different compared to what is expected, the contents would be simply be skipped and ignored.