Make Your Code Simpler: Using If
Statements Without Else
Think about how your code could be cleaner, easier to understand, and easier to update just by changing how you use if
statements. This small change—leaving out the else
—can make a big difference in how easy your code is to read and work with.
Today’s post was brought to you by the book Clean Code by Robert C. Martin (affiliate link).
Do You Really Need Else
Statements?
When writing code, many developers think they have to add an else
every time they use an if
statement to handle other possible outcomes. But the truth is, you don’t always need an else
. Often, getting rid of the else
can make your code simpler and easier to understand.
Old If-Else Style
def process_order(order):
if order.is_valid:
order.process()
else:
notify_user("Invalid order.")
Improved with Just If
def process_order(order):
if not order.is_valid:
notify_user("Invalid order.")
return
order.process()
Why does this matter? By handling the problem case first and ending the function early, you make the main part of the code stand out and reduce unnecessary nesting.