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Comments have an edit_count field, why is this field not included with Question and Answer responses?

Further, the edit_count field has limited utility on a comment where, lacking revisions and a very short editable window, really would be better represented by a boolean value.

On the other hand, an integer edit_count field on a question or answer (revision count) would provide an interesting metric on the post without the need to query for revisions, which as anyone who has done so knows, is an excruciatingly slow process and I am sure that the servers don't like it much either.

It seems that comments, questions and answers are all 'post' objects and as such are likely derived from the same table which contains an edit_count field.

I suggest that edit_count should be included on all posts.

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  • Ya, probably this would have been nice. How would it be useful though? You mention "...would provide an interesting metric..." but can you elaborate further?
    – Nathan Osman
    Commented Jul 21, 2010 at 3:45
  • @geo- one example: if edit_count == 0, post has not been edited - obviates the need to make a request to /revisions
    – Sky Sanders
    Commented Jul 21, 2010 at 3:47
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    Very good example. +1 for the question.
    – Nathan Osman
    Commented Jul 21, 2010 at 3:55
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    +1 for this feature-request (inherently useful as outlined, and API symmetry is a good thing anyway where applicable) - why don't just make it one?
    – Steffen Opel
    Commented Jul 29, 2010 at 21:11

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This field will be revisited in a subsequent API version. It is... less than ideal in v1.

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