Empty vs nil distinction

Always distinguish between nil and empty values when handling nullable types, as they carry different semantic meanings and can affect program behavior. Nil represents the absence of a value, while empty represents a zero-length but initialized value.

This distinction is particularly critical in data serialization/deserialization, where maintaining compatibility with standard library behavior is essential. For slices, maps, and other reference types, ensure your code handles both states appropriately.

Example:

// Good: Properly distinguish between nil and empty slice
if slice == nil {
    // Handle nil case - no slice allocated
    return handleNilSlice()
} else if len(slice) == 0 {
    // Handle empty case - slice allocated but no elements
    return handleEmptySlice()
}

// Good: Use appropriate zero values
// For empty slice, use zerobase pointer (not nil) to match standard library
self.Emit("MOVQ", jit.Imm(_Zero_Base), jit.Ptr(_VP, 0))

This practice prevents subtle bugs, maintains type information, and ensures consistent behavior across different execution paths.