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The erroneous behavior is caused due to the server returning null while the client forgets to add in a check for such a value. This noncompliant example shows how the check item != null condition is missing from the if condition in class Client.
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import java.util.Arrays;
class Inventory {
  private static int[] item;
    public Inventory() {
    item = new int[20];
  }
  public static int[] getStock() {
    if(item.length == 0)
      return null;
    else
      return item;
  }
}
  public class Client {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
      Inventory iv = new Inventory();
        int[] item = Inventory.getStock();
	  if (Arrays.asList(item[1]).contains(1)) {
	    System.out.println("Almost out of stock!" + item);
	  }
    }
}
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| Wiki Markup | 
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| This compliant solution eliminates the {{null}} return and simply returns the {{item}} array as is even if it is zero-length. The client can effectively handle this situation without exhibiting erroneous behavior. Be careful that the client does not try to access individual elements of a zero-length array such as {{item\[1\]}} while following this recommendation. | 
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import java.util.Arrays;
class Inventory {
  private static int[] item;
    public Inventory() {
    item = new int[20];
    item[2] = 1;  //quantity of item 2 remaining is 1, almost out! 
  }
  public static int[] getStock() {
    return item;
  }
}
public class Client {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    Inventory iv = new Inventory();
    int[] item = Inventory.getStock();
    if (Arrays.asList(item[1]).contains(1)) {
      System.out.println("Almost out of stock!" + item);
    }
  }
}
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