Defensive Code Over Perfect Architecture: Why Catch-Alls Save Systems

As AI code generation becomes ubiquitous, defensive programming practices like catch-alls and null checks have become critical safeguards. While AI excels at generating "happy path" code, it rarely accounts for edge cases and unpredictable user behavior that engineers must anticipate. The article argues that seemingly redundant defensive patterns often prevent production disasters, making prepared systems more valuable than theoretically perfect ones.