Java Best Practices

Type-First Development

Types define the contract before implementation. Follow this workflow:

1. Define data models - records, sealed classes, and interfaces first
2. Define method signatures - parameter types, return types, and exceptions
3. Implement to satisfy types - let the compiler guide completeness
4. Validate at boundaries - runtime checks where data enters the system

Make Illegal States Unrepresentable

Use Java's type system to prevent invalid states at compile time.

Records for immutable data: