AllCoderThings

Practical software development articles.
C#, .NET, JavaScript, SQL.
Multilingual content • Real-world examples

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Chaining multiple Replace() calls works.

But when you're cleaning formatted input such as phone numbers, Regex can be a cleaner and more scalable option.

Use Regex when the pattern matters.

#csharp #dotnet #regex

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Grouping just to remove duplicates?

Modern C# already has a cleaner solution.

Use DistinctBy() when selecting unique values from a collection.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Use:

if (items.Any())
{
Process(items);
}

Why?

- More expressive
- Works with IEnumerable
- Avoids unnecessary counting

#csharp #dotnet

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

In C#, Most developers write this:

if (items.Count > 0)
{
Process(items);
}

But there’s a better way ↓

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Stop using items[items.Count - 1].

Use the index-from-end operator (^).

Cleaner syntax.
Clearer intent.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Need the smallest item in a collection?

Don’t use OrderBy().First().

Use MinBy() instead.
No full sorting. Clearer intent.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Avoid building strings manually in loops.

Use string.Join when combining values from a collection.

Cleaner intent.
Less boilerplate.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Negated conditions add mental overhead.

Prefer positive conditions
that express the intent directly.

Cleaner logic.
Better readability.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

If you only need the first matching item,
don’t chain Where() before FirstOrDefault().

Pass the predicate directly instead.

Shorter query.
Clearer intent.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

First() throws if the collection is empty.

Use FirstOrDefault() and handle the null case explicitly.
Safer code and fewer runtime surprises.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Avoid ternary checks for simple null defaults.

Use the null-coalescing operator (??) instead.

It expresses intent clearly
and reduces unnecessary conditions.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Avoid comparing booleans to true or false.

A boolean is already a condition.
Comparing it adds noise.

Use it directly.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Avoid ToLower-based string comparisons.

They are culture-dependent
and can produce unexpected behavior.

Use string.Equals with StringComparison
for predictable results.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

If you already know the values,
don’t build a list with multiple Add calls.

Use a collection initializer instead.

Cleaner structure.
Less repetition.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Nested if statements increase complexity.

Handle edge cases first.
Return early.
Keep the main logic flat.

Cleaner flow.
Lower cognitive load.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Avoid manual null checks when calling methods.

Use the null-conditional operator instead.

It executes the method only if the object
is not null — cleaner and easier to read.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Avoid using exceptions for normal validation.

Instead of wrapping Parse in try-catch,
use TryParse.

It communicates intent clearly
and avoids unnecessary exception handling.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Count() > 0 works.

But Any() expresses intent better:
you only care if at least one item exists.

With IEnumerable, Any() may also avoid
enumerating the entire sequence.

Small change.
Better code.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

Keep your response body clean.

Return only the data in the body
and move pagination metadata to headers.

Simple.
Readable.
Production-ready.

#csharp #dotnet #webapi

[AllCoderThings @allcoderthings]

If you are not using the index,
you probably don’t need a for loop.

Prefer foreach when iterating over collections
without relying on position.

Cleaner intent.
Better readability.

#csharp #dotnet #cleancode