Comments on: Coding Tip: Have A Single Exit Point http://www.tomdalling.com/blog/coding-tips/coding-tip-have-a-single-exit-point Thoughts of a software developer Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:08:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Rick http://www.tomdalling.com/blog/coding-tips/coding-tip-have-a-single-exit-point/comment-page-1#comment-639 Rick Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:46:00 +0000 http://www.tomdalling.com/?p=75#comment-639 It's a dated concept that is as relevant today as it was when Djikstra first proposed it.  If you are in a professional shop, multiple exits in your methods, unless handling unexpected exceptions, will normally fail your code during review. The principles of structured programming are to be adhered to whenever possible... any developer breaking with them today, in my opinion, should be viewed as a novice. It’s a dated concept that is as relevant today as it was when Djikstra first proposed it.  If you are in a professional shop, multiple exits in your methods, unless handling unexpected exceptions, will normally fail your code during review.

The principles of structured programming are to be adhered to whenever possible… any developer breaking with them today, in my opinion, should be viewed as a novice.

]]> By: Tom http://www.tomdalling.com/blog/coding-tips/coding-tip-have-a-single-exit-point/comment-page-1#comment-428 Tom Thu, 22 Apr 2010 02:16:39 +0000 http://www.tomdalling.com/?p=75#comment-428 Strict adherence to the rule can result in complicated nested 'if' statements, as the article already mentions, but only in certain cases and there are ways around it. It's an old concept that most people should have heard of by now, but it's hardly a "dated" concept. I don't think most people would agree that you can throw return statements anywhere without consequences. Strict adherence to the rule can result in complicated nested ‘if’ statements, as the article already mentions, but only in certain cases and there are ways around it.

It’s an old concept that most people should have heard of by now, but it’s hardly a “dated” concept. I don’t think most people would agree that you can throw return statements anywhere without consequences.

]]> By: Steve http://www.tomdalling.com/blog/coding-tips/coding-tip-have-a-single-exit-point/comment-page-1#comment-427 Steve Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:01:21 +0000 http://www.tomdalling.com/?p=75#comment-427 The problem with single exit it that it often results in less-readable code because of the complex if/else structure to channel the execution to a single exit point. It's basically a dated concept. The problem with single exit it that it often results in less-readable code because of the complex if/else structure to channel the execution to a single exit point. It’s basically a dated concept.

]]> By: Tom http://www.tomdalling.com/blog/coding-tips/coding-tip-have-a-single-exit-point/comment-page-1#comment-155 Tom Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:39:26 +0000 http://www.tomdalling.com/?p=75#comment-155 I do make exceptions, and optimization is one of those exceptions, but that occurs maybe less that 1% of the time. I definitely subscribe to the "premature optimization is evil" mantra. Returning on finding bad data can be a good idea, such as function guards. It really depends on the situation. It's not that black and white. I do make exceptions, and optimization is one of those exceptions, but that occurs maybe less that 1% of the time. I definitely subscribe to the “premature optimization is evil” mantra.

Returning on finding bad data can be a good idea, such as function guards.

It really depends on the situation. It’s not that black and white.

]]> By: alex http://www.tomdalling.com/blog/coding-tips/coding-tip-have-a-single-exit-point/comment-page-1#comment-154 alex Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:30:24 +0000 http://www.tomdalling.com/?p=75#comment-154 Would you make an exception to save cycles? I.e. returning when continuing in the function no longer makes sense (possibly from bad input data)? Would you make an exception to save cycles? I.e. returning when continuing in the function no longer makes sense (possibly from bad input data)?

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