Rationale
The null coalescing operator (??) replaces verbose and explicit checks for null references in code.
Before the Null Coalescing Operator:
Integer notNullReturnValue = (anInteger != null) ? anInteger : 100;
With the Null Coalescing Operator, use:
Integer notNullReturnValue = anInteger ?? 100;
Benefits
Reduce Apex code base size (up to 10%)
Reduce risks of hitting governor limits
Save time by auto-fixing these issues with Clayton
Scope
Apex