$.fn.unbind("eventtype", null) unbinds all handlers with type "eventtype"

[kpozin@…]

jQuery.event.remove currently unbinds all handlers matching the event type and namespace if ( !handler ). This means that if null is accidentally passed in, all matching handlers will be unbound.

There should be a distinction between the handler argument being absent (using arguments.length or typeof handler === "undefined") and the handler argument not being a function. If the argument is absent, the intention is to unbind all matching events. If the handler argument is present but not a function, nothing should be done (as if nothing matched its guid).

[danheberden]

I'm confused at the use-case for this. Why would anyone "accidentally" pass in null? If nothing is to be unbound, the function should not be called, ya? Plus if i'm after a boolean option to unbind, i'd rather is be falsy instead of someVar ? undefined : null;

[dmethvin]

Why are you calling jQuery.event.remove directly anyway? It is not a public API. And if you passed in null it sounds like you have a code error, like danheberden said.

[kpozin@…]

Hmm, maybe the fix should be on unbind rather than on remove. Yes, passing in null is probably a code error. But when null is passed as a handler to .bind(), it's handled gracefully (without throwing an exception). For unbinding, I think handling that case gracefully would mean to not unbind all unrelated handlers.

[Rick Waldron]

I'm not sure why we're even debating this. Passing null as a second arg to unbind is incorrect. The second arg has accepted params: handler or false;

[dmethvin]

Given the reply, I agree this is invalid.

But when null is passed as a handler to .bind(), it's handled gracefully (without throwing an exception).

That is not documented behavior, I wouldn't depend on it to work that way forever.