Exit Early

Discourage:

if () {
  ...
  return false;
} else {
  ...
  return true;
}

Encourage:

if () {
  ...
  return false;
}

...

return true;

Reasons to exit early:

• Process of elimination

• Reduces cognitive load

• Reduces indents

• We know success will always be at the end

• Structures your functions:

  • Validation/error handling at the beginning

  • Successful at the end

Resources

• https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16678209

• https://www.itamarweiss.com/personal/2018/02/28/return-early-pattern.html

• https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/18454/should-i-return-from-a-function-early-or-use-an-if-statement

• https://blog.timoxley.com/post/47041269194/avoid-else-return-early

Arguments against:

• single exit point

  • https://www.tomdalling.com/blog/coding-tips/coding-tip-have-a-single-exit-point/