One way to remove null checks in methods is to encapsulate their functionality elsewhere. One way to do this is through getters and setters. For instance, instead of doing this:
class Person : IPerson
{
public IContact contact { get; set; }
}
Do this:
class Person : IPerson
{
public IContact contact
{
get
{
// This initializes the property if it is null.
// That way, anytime you access the property "contact" in your code,
// it will check to see if it is null and initialize if needed.
if(_contact == null)
{
_contact = new Contact();
}
return _contact;
}
set
{
_contact = value;
}
}
private IContact _contact;
}
Then, whenever you call "person.contact", the code in the "get" method will run, thus initializing the value if it is null.
You could apply this exact same methodology to all of the properties that could be null across all of your types. The benefits to this approach are that it 1) prevents you from having to do null checks in-line and it 2) makes your code more readable and less prone to copy-paste errors.
It should be noted, however, that if you find yourself in a situation where you need to perform some action if one of the properties is null (i.e. does a Person with a null Contact actually mean something in your domain?), then this approach will be a hindrance rather than a help. However, if the properties in question should never be null, then this approach will give you a very clean way of representing that fact.
--jtlovetteiii
