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Stop Using != null: Clean Code Practices Every Senior Developer Knows
Learn why seasoned developers rarely rely on != null checks — and how cleaner code habits can make you a better engineer.
As a Java developer, you’ve probably written things like:
if (product != null &&
product.getManufacturer() != null &&
product.getManufacturer().getName() != null) {
System.out.println(product.getManufacturer().getName());
}This kind of null checking is everywhere — but it’s not the cleanest or safest way to code.
Let’s see why relying on != null is a code smell and how experienced developers handle nulls more elegantly.
Why != null is a Beginner Move
1. It hides your main logic: You end up focusing on checks instead of what the code is supposed to do.
2. It’s fragile: Miss one check, and you’ll meet the classic NullPointerException.
3. It hides real problems: Instead of failing fast, it allows bad data to move silently through your code.
4. It’s often unnecessary: Many null checks exist simply because “that’s how we’ve always done it.”
