Easy methods to use guard clauses in C#

• You should utilize guard clauses in your strategies to forestall runtime exceptions by dealing with null reference exceptions.
• You should utilize guard clauses to validate enter information and implement information integrity by solely processing legitimate inputs.
• You should utilize guard clauses to outline preconditions in your strategies and properties, enhancing the readability and maintainability of your code.

We’ll look at every of those features of guard clauses utilizing code examples within the sections that observe.

Use a guard clause to keep away from null reference exceptions in C#

Null reference exceptions are sometimes encountered in functions once you use an object reference that has not been initialized. On this part, we are going to look at how we will use a guard clause to forestall such exceptions from being thrown at runtime. The next code snippet reveals how one can verify if the parameter of a way is null and throw an ArgumentNullException, stopping a null reference exception from being thrown at runtime and permitting the strategy to finish gracefully.

public void CheckIfNull(object obj)
{
    if (obj is null)
    {
        throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(obj), "Methodology parameter can't be null.");
    }
    //Different code
}

Use a guard clause to implement enter validation guidelines in C#

Enter validation allows you to preserve information integrity by imposing validation guidelines and constraints in your software. You may implement guard clauses in your software’s supply code to permit solely legitimate information to be processed by your software.

The next code instance reveals how you need to use a guard clause in C# to forestall invalid enter. Word how an exception is thrown if the enter string is null or empty.

public void CheckIfNullOrEmpty(string str)
{
    if(!string.IsNullOrEmpty(str))
    {
        throw new ArgumentException("Invalid information: The string handed within the technique argument can't be empty or null");
    }
    //Different code
}

Use a guard clause to reinforce code readability and maintainability in C#

Guard clauses enable you write maintainable and readable code by centralizing your software’s validation guidelines. They supply a sublime option to forestall surprising conduct in your software’s code, making it constant, organized, and straightforward to take care of.

Allow us to perceive this with a code instance. Within the console software undertaking we created earlier, create a brand new class named Writer and enter the next code.

class Writer
{
    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }
    public string Handle { get; set; }
    public string Electronic mail { get; set; }
}

The next code snippet illustrates how one can reap the benefits of the constructor of the Writer class to validate enter.

 public Writer(string firstName, string lastName, string deal with, string electronic mail)
 {
     if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(firstName))
     {
         throw new ArgumentException("First title can't be null or empty", nameof(firstName));
     }
     if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(lastName))
     {
         throw new ArgumentException("Final title can't be null or empty", nameof(lastName));
     }
     if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(deal with))
     {
         throw new ArgumentException("Handle can't be null or empty", nameof(deal with));
     }
     if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(electronic mail))
     {
         throw new ArgumentException("Electronic mail can't be null or empty", nameof(electronic mail));
     }
 }

As you may see, the previous code snippet is kind of verbose. We are able to make it way more concise and readable through the use of guard clauses. Word that the next code can substitute all the if statements used within the constructor of the Writer class above.