How to handle errors with lowest complexity and only one return

Question

I want to avoid using multiples return in my functions, but I can't see how to interrupt them without adding a lot of else in a case like this :

public function foo($number)
{
    if ($number > 8)
    {
        return ' > 8';
    }

    if (exist($number))
    {
        return $number . ' exist';
    }

    return $this->bar($number);
}

My use case is to display an error message for some invalid cases and don't execute what's left in the function.

What does your last return do, is that an additional validation check? As it looks like you are returning error messages, I would store them all in an error array and return that. — jeroen
– jeroen, Commented Jan 24, 2018 at 14:21
The it looks like foo() is doing a bit too much; returning error messages or the result of a separate database operation does not sound very logical and would be hard to process by whatever calls that method. — jeroen
– jeroen, Commented Jan 24, 2018 at 14:24
@jeroen what you've pointed out seems right. In this case foo() can return multiples kind of datas (errors or whatever return bar()). I should split that function. Thanks ! — Nino Treyssat-Vincent
– Nino Treyssat-Vincent, Commented Jan 24, 2018 at 14:37

rap-2-h · Accepted Answer · 2018-01-24 14:23:42Z

2

You could do something like this:

public function foo($number)
{
    if ($number > 8) {
        $return_value = ' > 8';
    } elseif (exist($number)) {
        $return_value = $number . ' exist';
    }

    return $return_value ?? $this->bar($number);
}

But AFAIK, multiple return are OK, since functions are readable enough. One of my main concern is to have small function, just a few lines, so I don't have to scroll, and I can understand it in seconds. So even if there are three return cases it's still readable.

answered Jan 24, 2018 at 14:23

rap-2-h

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2 Comments

Nino Treyssat-Vincent Over a year ago

But my main concern is to don't trigger $this->bar($number) is one of the condition is met.

rap-2-h Over a year ago

Yes, I read it in one of your comments so I fixed it 11 minutes ago. $this->bar($number) is only called if no other condition is met.

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