Java: check for null or allow exception handling

Question

I\'m wondering about the cost of using a try/exception to handle nulls compared to using an if statement to check for nulls first.

To provide more information. There

Answer 1

I'd recommend checking for null and not doing the calculation rather than throwing an exception.

An exception should be "exceptional" and rare, not a way to manage flow of control.

I'd also suggest that you establish a contract with your clients regarding input parameters. If nulls are allowed spell it out; if they're not, make it clear what should be passed, default values, and what you promise to return if a null value is passed.