Strictly speaking, that line is incorrect. The method will always return a JSON object (barring certain server failures).

But the items array will be empty or missing.

On success, the default object looks like:

{
    items: [],
    has_more: false,
    quota_max: 10000,
    quota_remaining: 9998
}

And on (normal) failure, it looks like:

{
    error_id: 407,
    error_message: "Answer not found",
    error_name: "write_failed"
}

or

{
    error_id: 403,
    error_message: "Applications must have a registered Stack Apps post to write",
    error_name: "access_denied"
}

etc.

Strictly speaking, that line is incorrect. The method will always return a JSON object (barring certain server failures).

But the items array will be empty or missing.

On success, the default object looks like:

{
    items: [],
    has_more: false,
    quota_max: 10000,
    quota_remaining: 9998
}

And on (normal) failure, it looks like:

{
    error_id: 407,
    error_message: "Answer not found",
    error_name: "write_failed"
}
//or
{
    error_id: 407,
    error_message: "Only answer owners can delete their answers with this method",
    error_name: "write_failed"
}
//or
{
    error_id: 403,
    error_message: "Applications must have a registered Stack Apps post to write",
    error_name: "access_denied"
}
// etc., etc.

Strictly speaking, that line is incorrect

Strictly speaking, that line is incorrect. The method will always return a JSON object (barring certain server failures).

But the items array will be empty or missing.

On success, the default object looks like:

{
    items: [],
    has_more: false,
    quota_max: 10000,
    quota_remaining: 9998
}

And on (normal) failure, it looks like:

{
    error_id: 407,
    error_message: "Answer not found",
    error_name: "write_failed"
}

or

{
    error_id: 403,
    error_message: "Applications must have a registered Stack Apps post to write",
    error_name: "access_denied"
}

etc.