run2-scala-option-handling

name	run2_scala-option-handling
description	Handling absence and nullability in Scala using Option, with patterns for translating Python None handling.

Option Handling in Scala

Python None -> Scala Option

• x: str | None -> x: Option[String]
• if x is None -> x match { case None => ... case Some(v) => ... }
• Or use .map, .flatMap, .getOrElse, .fold

Processing Pipelines with Option

Instead of mutable var + early returns:

// BAD (Python-like)
var w = word
if (condition) w = transform(w)
if (w.length < min) return None

// GOOD (functional Scala)
Some(word)
  .map(w => if (condition) transform(w) else w)
  .filter(_.length >= min)
  .map(w => maxLen.fold(w)(m => w.take(m)))
  .filter(_.nonEmpty)

Option with Collections

• list.flatMap(f) where f returns Option naturally filters None
• collectFirst for finding first matching element
• iterator.map(...).collectFirst { case Some(x) => x } for lazy first-match