Learn why using int for timeouts and delays causes bugs, and discover two simple patterns to make your code more explicit and maintainable.

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Using int for timeout and delay parameters causes bugs because developers must guess the time units (seconds vs milliseconds). Two solutions prevent this: explicitly include units in parameter names (delayMilliseconds, timeoutSeconds) or use TimeSpan type which makes units clear at assignment. TimeSpan provides type safety and expressiveness, though it uses more memory than int. For stricter validation, custom value objects can prevent negative values and eliminate guard logic throughout the codebase.

Use TimeSpan Or Specify Units In Duration Properties And Parameters

Fixing Missing Units in Timeout and Delay Parameters and Properties