Question

Every time I have to iterate over a collection I end up checking for null, just before the iteration of the for-each loop starts. Like this:

if( list1 != null ){
    for(Object obj : list1){

    }
}

Is there a shorter way, so that we can avoid writing the “if” block ?
Note: I am using Java 5, and will be stuck with it for sometime.

Answer 1

I guess the right answer is that: there is no way to make it shorter. There are some techniques such as the ones in the comments, but I don’t see myself using them. I think it’s better to write a “if” block than to use those techniques. and yes.. before anybody mentions it yet again 🙂 “ideally” the code should be desgined such that list should never be a null