This code:
String a = null;
if (a?.startswith('0') && ('a' == 'a')) {
System.debug('t');
}
else {
System.debug('f');
}
produces:
System.NullPointerException: Attempt to de-reference a null object
STACKTRACE: AnonymousBlock: line 2, column 1
LINE: 2 COLUMN: 1
Why is that?
The issue is the expression a?.startswith('0') results in null, so the null pointer exception isn't that the safe navigation operator isn't working, it's because the if statement can't handle a null.
You can't have null in an if statement.
ie. It would result in:
String a = null;
if (null && ('a' == 'a')) {
System.debug('t');
}
else {
System.debug('f');
}
You can test this by replacing a?.startswith('0') with a?.startswith('0') == true. The following code will work as you expect it to:
String a = null;
if (a?.startswith('0') == true && ('a' == 'a')) {
System.debug('t');
}
else {
System.debug('f');
}
