Defensive Coding in Java from Pluralsight

Bugs happen, but you can certainly implement a set of practices to catch them early or even prevent them. In this course, Defensive Coding in Java, you will learn how to make your code safer and more robust.

At the core of software development is a thorough knowledge of troubleshooting and debugging, but it is hardly "fun". It is better to prevent bugs, or at least react to them as early as possible. In this course, Defensive Coding in Java, you'll learn how to write safer and more robust software. First, you'll learn the concept of failing early and how to effectively use a variety of guard clauses in both methods and constructors. Next, you'll explore a set of very popular helper libraries that will make your defensive code more concise and elegant. Then, you'll see how important it is to return predictable and understandable values from your methods and you'll learn how to choose and implement them. Finally, you'll discover a variety of defensive techniques that are often overlooked, yet they greatly contribute to the overall software quality. When you're finished with this course, you'll have the necessary skills to write code that is more reliable and easier to maintain.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Why Defensive Coding Matters

Validating Method Input

Using Frameworks for Validation

Improving Method Return Values

Using Other Defensive Practices

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Introduces defensive techniques for improving software quality and reliability

Emphasizes early detection and prevention of bugs

Provides practical examples and guidance on implementing defensive code in Java

Leverages industry standard guard clauses and helper libraries

Focuses on writing safer and more robust software that is easier to maintain

Suitable for learners with a foundational understanding of coding concepts in Java

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Defensive Coding in Java with these activities:

Review materials on software design principles

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Strengthen your foundational understanding of software design principles to improve your ability to implement defensive coding techniques effectively.

Browse courses on Software Design

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Review textbooks, online articles, or tutorials on software design concepts.
Analyze code examples and discuss design choices with peers or mentors.

Review basic programming concepts

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Refresh your understanding of fundamental programming concepts to strengthen your foundation for learning defensive coding techniques.

Browse courses on Programming Fundamentals

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Review tutorials or articles on Java syntax, data types, and control structures.
Practice writing simple Java programs to reinforce your understanding.

Follow tutorials on defensive coding techniques

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Enhance your knowledge of defensive coding techniques by following guided tutorials and practicing their implementation.

Browse courses on Defensive Coding

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Find reputable online resources or tutorials on defensive coding practices.
Work through the tutorials, implementing the techniques in your own code.
Test your code thoroughly to ensure the defensive measures are working as intended.

Four other activities

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Participate in a study group or discussion forum on defensive coding

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Engage with fellow learners in discussions and study sessions to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and reinforce your understanding of defensive coding practices.

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Find or create a study group or online discussion forum focused on defensive coding.
Actively participate in discussions, asking questions and sharing your insights.
Review and contribute to group resources, such as shared notes or code examples.

Create a cheat sheet of defensive coding best practices

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Consolidate your understanding by creating a concise cheat sheet summarizing the key defensive coding best practices for quick reference during development.

Browse courses on Coding Standards

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Identify and list the most important defensive coding techniques.
Create a visually appealing and organized cheat sheet for easy comprehension.

Practice using defensive coding techniques in coding challenges

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Apply your defensive coding knowledge in a practical setting by participating in coding challenges that require the use of these techniques.

Browse courses on Coding Challenges

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Find online coding platforms or resources that provide coding challenges.
Select challenges that involve scenarios where defensive coding is essential.
Solve the challenges while implementing defensive coding techniques.
Review solutions and discuss approaches with peers or mentors to enhance your understanding.

Contribute to an open-source project that uses defensive coding practices

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Gain hands-on experience in implementing defensive coding techniques by contributing to a real-world project.

Browse courses on Open Source

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Identify an open-source project that aligns with your interests and uses defensive coding practices.
Review the project's codebase and documentation.
Identify areas where you can contribute by implementing or improving defensive coding techniques.
Submit a pull request with your proposed changes and engage in code reviews with project maintainers.

Career center

Learners who complete Defensive Coding in Java will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Software Developer

A Software Developer is responsible for designing, developing, testing and maintaining software applications. A course on Defensive Coding in Java will teach you the fundamentals of writing safer and more robust code. This is practical knowledge for all software engineers, as it helps you write code with fewer bugs and vulnerabilities. Additionally, the principles of Defensive Coding can be applied to developing custom applications, as well as off-the-shelf software.

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Java Developer

As a Java Developer, you will write code to build and maintain software solutions for various client devices, applications, and platforms. This course in Defensive Coding can help you write code in Java that minimizes errors and edge cases. This course can be especially helpful if you use Java to develop mobile, distributed, or enterprise solutions, as these can be quite complex and are used by many users.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers apply engineering principles to the design, development, deployment, and maintenance of software systems. This course will teach you how to make your code more secure and robust. This is a useful skill for all software engineers, regardless of their specialty.

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Backend Developer

A Backend Developer is responsible for the server-side logic of web applications. This course on Defensive Coding in Java can teach you how to make your code more robust and less vulnerable to errors and edge cases. This is an especially valuable skill if you are developing large-scale or enterprise-level applications.

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Application Developer

An Application Developer designs, builds, and tests software or web applications. A course on Defensive Coding will teach you how to apply robust coding techniques to these applications. This is especially useful when building distributed or mobile applications.

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Technical Architect

A Technical Architect designs and develops the overall architecture of a software system. A course in Defensive Coding in Java will help you create a more secure and robust architecture for your systems.

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Systems Analyst

A Systems Analyst solves business problems through the use of information technology. This course in Defensive Coding can teach you how to write more efficient and more robust code, which can be applied to any software system.

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Security Engineer

A Security Engineer designs and implements security measures to protect computer systems and networks. A course on Defensive Coding in Java will teach you techniques that can help you secure your systems.

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Software Quality Assurance Analyst

A Software Quality Assurance Analyst tests and evaluates software to ensure that it meets quality standards. A course on Defensive Coding can teach you how to write code with fewer bugs and vulnerabilities, which can reduce the number of defects that need to be addressed by Quality Assurance.

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Data Engineer

A Data Engineer designs and builds systems to process and analyze data. This course on Defensive Coding can teach you how to write more reliable and robust data pipelines.

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DevOps Engineer

A DevOps Engineer automates the process of software development and deployment. This course in Defensive Coding can teach you how to write code that is more reliable and less prone to errors, which can help you streamline your deployment process.

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Mobile Developer

A Mobile Developer designs and develops software applications for mobile devices. A course on Defensive Coding can teach you how to write more efficient and more robust mobile applications.

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Web Developer

A Web Developer designs and develops websites and web applications. A course on Defensive Coding can teach you how to write more secure and more robust web applications.

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Data Scientist

A Data Scientist analyzes data to extract insights and build predictive models. A course on Defensive Coding can teach you how to write more reliable and more robust data pipelines, which can improve the quality of your models.

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Game Developer

A Game Developer designs and develops video games. A course on Defensive Coding can teach you how to write more robust and more efficient game code.

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