Programming skills are like many other skills in life and require constant improvement: If we are not going forward, we are going backward. Standing still is not an option. In this third installation of the 4 Techniques for Writing Better Java series, we cover four important topics: (1) Validating arguments using methods provided by the standard Java library, (2) understanding the important Object class, (3) experimenting and learning by playing with jshell, and (4) finding and reading the most well-written code we can, in both books and in the source code of Java itself.
Some of these techniques are purely programming techniques that can help in a specific pinch while others focus on the tools and environment surrounding the Java ecosystem. Regardless of the individual nature of each technique, when applied with diligence and sound judgment, each can help improve the Java code written by developers, both novice and expert.