include::../description.adoc[]

== Noncompliant Code Example

[source,java]
----
public String toString () {
  if (this.collection.isEmpty()) {
    return null; // Noncompliant
  } else {
    // ...
----

== Compliant Solution

[source,java]
----
public String toString () {
  if (this.collection.isEmpty()) {
    return "";
  } else {
    // ...
----

== See

* https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/476[MITRE, CWE-476] - NULL Pointer Dereference
* https://wiki.sei.cmu.edu/confluence/x/aDdGBQ[CERT, EXP01-J.] - Do not use a null in a case where an object is required

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== Implementation Specification
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== Comments And Links
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