Explicit variable initializations with null values are superfluous, since unassigned variables are implicitly initialized to null. == Noncompliant Code Example ---- SET SERVEROUTPUT ON DECLARE foo PLS_INTEGER := NULL; -- Noncompliant, the null assignation is superfluous bar VARCHAR2(100) := ''; -- Noncompliant, the null assignation is superfluous correctInitializedString VARCHAR2(100) := 'Hello world!'; BEGIN IF foo IS NULL THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('foo is NULL'); ELSE DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('foo is NOT NULL'); END IF; END; / ---- == Compliant Solution ---- SET SERVEROUTPUT ON DECLARE foo PLS_INTEGER; bar VARCHAR2(100); correctInitializedString VARCHAR2(100) := 'Hello world!'; BEGIN IF foo IS NULL THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('foo is NULL'); ELSE DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('foo is NOT NULL'); END IF; END; / ---- ifdef::env-github,rspecator-view[] ''' == Implementation Specification (visible only on this page) include::message.adoc[] endif::env-github,rspecator-view[]