What are the best practices for null checks in programming?

What are the best practices for null checks in programming?

Best practices for null checks include using optional types, null coalescing operators, and thorough input validation.

Can you explain how optional types work?

Optional types allow variables to hold either a value or null, making it clear when a value may be absent.

What is a null coalescing operator?

A null coalescing operator returns the left-hand operand if it's not null; otherwise, it returns the right-hand operand.

How can I validate inputs to avoid null values?

You can validate inputs by checking for null before processing, using assertions, or employing validation libraries.