TypeError: Expected String or Bytes-Like Object

Why This Happens

Functions like re.match(), re.sub(), and str.join() expect string arguments. Passing None raises TypeError.

The Problem

import re
text = None
result = re.match(r'\d+', text)

The Fix

import re
text = get_text() or ''
result = re.match(r'\d+', text)

Step-by-Step Fix

1. 1

   Check for None

   Add 'if text is not None:' before string functions.

2. 2

   Provide defaults

   Use 'value or empty_string' to replace None.

3. 3

   Validate input types

   Use isinstance(text, str) to verify type.