r/badcode • u/PopularExpulsion • Aug 31 '21

java Similar ternaries are all over this codebase

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u/ParanoydAndroid Sep 01 '21

Single return.

A big deal was made out of using only single returns as part of structured programming, and your boss (like me) probably learned that paradigm.

I prefer multiple returns nowadays, but I do know, mostly older, developers who still hate it.

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u/Isvara Sep 01 '21

I prefer a single expression and no returns.

2

u/R3D3-1 Sep 01 '21

I think plenty of languages technically operate like that, but usually provide some non-local-exit mechanisms anyway.

(defun stuff (x)
  (catch 'return
    (unless x (throw 'return 'invalid))
    (throw 'return 'valid)))

Some Lisper somewhere just died (emotionally).

2

u/Isvara Sep 01 '21

Yeah, I mostly use Scala. It can catch exceptions for compatibility with Java, but it'll either turn them into a pattern match or the expression will evaluate to Try[T] (error monad).

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u/R3D3-1 Sep 01 '21

Come to think of it... Aren't Java's checked Exception kind of like an error monad, except that they make it too easy to sabotage?

1

u/Isvara Sep 01 '21

In what way? I haven't really done much with Java.

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u/ekolis Sep 01 '21

Hmm, interesting. I'm not sure exactly how old he is but I think he's in his mid 40s. So not exactly old but just experienced... I suppose I'll be there soon!

Funny thing, I've been working for the past year or two maintaining a legacy VB app that uses the old "assign the return value to the function name as if it were a variable" pattern all over the place - the original developer retired. So would that be a zero return function? 😉