Backend>Questions

Java equals() selection

sona11

sona11

Java equals() selection

In Java, if I try to do.equals() on a null string, a null pointer error is issued. I’m wondering whether I can perform the following if I’m attempting to compare if a string is equal to a constant string:
MY CONSTANT STRING.equals(aStringVariable)
I’m sure it’ll work, but is this simply extremely bad code?
This is a common Java idiom known colloquially as a Yoda condition. Personally, I prefer to handle the null situation directly, but the Yoda method is widely used, and any competent Java programmer should quickly grasp what is going on. How should I proceed?

3 comments
/java
4 1150 3

Most Liked

faust

faust

I think that it is important to discuss with your team how the majority feels about this kind of situation and create a guideline for the project.

Anyway, I personally prefer to use Enums instead of this kind of constant.

1
Post #3
finner

finner

Hi @sona11,
If you are using Java8 (or ablove) you can use Optional - for example:

boolean eq = Optional.ofNullable(aStringVariable)
            .map(s -> s.equals(MY_CONSTANT_STRING))
            .orElse(false);

And when the aStringValue is null there will no NullPointerException

I hope I understood the question correctly, does that help?

1
Post #4
sona11

sona11

Thanks you and yes it does help.

1
Post #5

Where Next?

View thread on forum
java
Home Backend>Questions
/java
4 1150 3
Last post

Popular Backend topics Top

Kurisu
Backend>Questions

I'm curious if I can have a feature like Elixir/Phoenix umbrella project when using Ruby On Rails
Following on an old discussion I started on Elixir Forum here, I finally made my mind to learn Ruby on Rails in addition to Elixir/Phoen...
/elixir/ruby/rails/phoenix
20 1995 9
New
Jsdr3398
Backend>Questions

No-setup databases for elixir?
Are there any databases that require no setup (can be shipped in a small zip together with the project)?
/elixir#database
6 1378 5
New
joshi
Backend>Questions

Export data from Oracle export files (expdp) to PostgreSQL
Hey everybody! I’m working on the project that includes import of Oracle data to PostgreSQL. That data comes as Oracle export (expdp) fi...
#postgres#oracle
2 1891 1
New
TwistingTwists
Backend>Questions

Novice developer hoping to learn Elixir - any tips?
Hello Folks, I am a novice developer from India. Intending to learn Elixir and web apps (phoenix framework). What are things that I MUS...
/elixir#beginner#suggestion
53 1792 14
New
Fl4m3Ph03n1x
Backend>Questions

Is there a way to have Elixir Records without default values?
Background I am trying to find a cheap and easy way to create New Types in Elixir, and Records seem to be just what I would need. Probl...
/elixir
10 1230 2
New
MarkIden
Backend>Questions

What is better to start study GO ? Book or course?
Hi, Recommend pls your favorite learning resources in Go, with best books, podcasts etc.
/go
6 1476 5
New
Fl4m3Ph03n1x
Backend>Questions

How to get the top X results of a given category using Ecto?
Background I have to queries that return a colossal amount of data on their own. I cannot use Repo.all as doing so would materialize thes...
/elixir#ecto
4 1072 3
New
Fl4m3Ph03n1x
Backend>Questions

Cannot compile ssl_verify_fun in Windows 11 for Elixir
Background I have a phoenix application in Windows 11. Unfortunately for me, I cannot compile the application because of a dependency err...
/elixir/phoenix
4 1486 2
New
ogoldberg
Backend>Questions

Learning Elixir Phoenix and Ash
Any recommendations on good resources for learning Elixir, Phoenix, and Ash?
/elixir#learning/ash
29 1624 11
New
Fl4m3Ph03n1x
Backend>Questions

Dialyzer cannot recognize types from dependencies
Background I have an umbrella app where I use a dependecy called ETS. This dependency has a type called set_options that I use in some of...
/elixir#dialyzer
2 858 1
New

Other popular topics Top

dasdom
General Dev>Dev Chat

Standing Desks
No chair. I have a standing desk. This post was split into a dedicated thread from our thread about chairs :slight_smile:
#workspace#opinions
177 9886 77
New
brentjanderson
General Dev>Hardware

Moonlander Keyboard (Mechanical) (Ergonomic) (Split) (Ortholinear)
Bought the Moonlander mechanical keyboard. Cherry Brown MX switches. Arms and wrists have been hurting enough that it’s time I did someth...
#hardware/keyboards#moonlander#mechanical-keyboards#ortholinear#ergonomic
212 17779 90
New
PragmaticBookshelf
Frontend>Learning Resources

Modern CSS with Tailwind
Tailwind CSS is an exciting new CSS framework that allows you to design your site by composing simple utility classes to create complex e...
pragprog.com
#pragprog/tailwind#published-book/book-modern-css-with-tailwind
12 5813 4
New
PragmaticBookshelf
Backend>Learning Resources

Programming Phoenix LiveView
Build highly interactive applications without ever leaving Elixir, the way the experts do. Let LiveView take care of performance, scalabi...
pragprog.com
#pragprog/elixir/phoenix#published-book/book-programming-phoenix-liveview
79 10732 24
New
DevotionGeo
General Dev>Dev Chat

The V Programming Language
The V Programming Language Simple language for building maintainable programs V is already mentioned couple of times in the forum, but I...
#programminguages/v
21 13874 7
New
AstonJ
Science/Tech>Health & Diet

David Sinclair's new Lifespan podcast
We’ve talked about his book briefly here but it is quickly becoming obsolete - so he’s decided to create a series of 7 podcasts, the firs...
#health#podcasts#bio-hackers#david-sinclair
87 6790 49
New
PragmaticBookshelf
Community>In The Spotlight

Spotlight: Rebecca Skinner (Author) Interview and AMA!
Author Spotlight Rebecca Skinner @RebeccaSkinner Welcome to our latest author spotlight, where we sit down with Rebecca Skinner, auth...
#author-spotlight/haskell/book-effective-haskell
106 11719 28
New
CommunityNews
General Dev>In The News

Review of Linux on Minisforum V3 AMD Ryzen Tablet
A Brief Review of the Minisforum V3 AMD Tablet. Update: I have created an awesome-minisforum-v3 GitHub repository to list information fo...
mudkip.me
#linux#review#amd
0 4635 0
New
PragmaticBookshelf
Backend>Learning Resources

Ash Framework
Explore the power of Ash Framework by modeling and building the domain for a real-world web application. Rebecca Le @sevenseacat and ...
pragprog.com
#pragprog/elixir#published-book/ash/book-ash-framework
15 7555 9
New
PragmaticBookshelf
Backend>Learning Resources

Simplicity
Fight complexity and reclaim the original spirit of agility by learning to simplify how you develop software. The result: a more humane a...
pragprog.com
#pragprog#published-book/book-simplicity
10 6553 8
New
Back to top

Sponsor Spotlight

Pragmatic Bookshelf

Practical resources that improve the lives of professional developers.

Latest in Java

Java Portal ❯

Backend>Questions

Backend Questions ❯

Latest on Devtalk

Devtalk ❯

We ❤️ helpful members!

We reward our most helpful members via our MOTM scheme - by giving away a whopping 25 books per year!

Member of the Month

Devtalk Sponsors

Pragmatic Bookshelf

Practical resources that improve the lives of professional developers.

Erlang Solutions

We build trusted fault-tolerant systems that scale to billions of users.

Honeybadger

Real-time error tracking, performance insights, and observability for devs.

EEF

Supporting innovation across the BEAM ecosystem.

coders51

We build reliable cloud platforms for business-critical systems.

Manning Publications

Develop your skills with books, videos, and courses.

AppSignal

Catch errors, track performance, monitor hosts and more.

WyeWorks

Enabling companies to succeed by building software people love.

Pragmatic Studio

Courses that move you from confusion to "Aha, now I get it!"

Linux New Media

Publishing Linux Magazine, ADMIN, and MakerSpace for 25+ years.

View all our sponsors ❯

Categories:

Sub Categories:

Popular Portals

Devtalk Sponsors

Pragmatic Bookshelf

Practical resources that improve the lives of professional developers.

Erlang Solutions

We build trusted fault-tolerant systems that scale to billions of users.

Honeybadger

Real-time error tracking, performance insights, and observability for devs.

EEF

Supporting innovation across the BEAM ecosystem.

coders51

We build reliable cloud platforms for business-critical systems.

Manning Publications

Develop your skills with books, videos, and courses.

AppSignal

Catch errors, track performance, monitor hosts and more.

WyeWorks

Enabling companies to succeed by building software people love.

Pragmatic Studio

Courses that move you from confusion to "Aha, now I get it!"

Linux New Media

Publishing Linux Magazine, ADMIN, and MakerSpace for 25+ years.

View all our sponsors ❯

We're in Beta

About us Mission Statement See our Roadmap