Effective Java: 15 Best Practices for Writing Clean and Efficient Code

Writing clean, efficient, and maintainable Java code is crucial for building scalable and high-performance applications. Whether you’re developing enterprise software, microservices, or cloud-based applications, following Java best practices will help you avoid common pitfalls, reduce technical debt, and improve overall application performance.

In this guide, we will explore 15 essential best practices from Effective Java that every Java developer should follow to write robust, clean, and optimized code.

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1️⃣ Use Java 21 and Stay Updated with the Latest Features

Why?

Java is constantly evolving, and newer versions introduce performance optimizations, security fixes, and better syntax improvements.

Best Practices

✔ Use Java 21 (LTS) for Virtual Threads, Pattern Matching, and Records.
✔ Upgrade dependencies to leverage new APIs and performance improvements.

Example: Using Virtual Threads in Java 21

ExecutorService executor = Executors.newVirtualThreadPerTaskExecutor();
executor.submit(() -> System.out.println("Hello from Virtual Thread!"));