airbnb / airbnb/javascript

single return vs multiple returns

Open
#761 22 comments 2 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
question
Dominant language
JavaScript
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Forks
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Description

I see some examples of multiple returns but don't see any guidelines defined that say it explicitly.
Is there a preference between a single return where a variable is assigned the output value vs just having multiple return statements?

```
function isGood(battery) {
if (battery.charge) {
return true;
}

if (battery.cycles < 10) {
return true;
}

return false;
}
```

vs.

```
function isGood(battery) {
let out = false;
if (battery.charge) {
out = true;
}

if (battery.cycles < 10) {
out = true;
}

return out;
}
```

Contributor guide

No contributing guide indexed for this repository

Research direction

Review the existing style-guide examples and the 22-comment discussion to understand the unresolved preference between multiple returns and a single final return. Done means reaching a documented decision and adding a clear guideline to the relevant style-guide section, with examples covering both forms if needed.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
javascript
Domain
documentation
Issue type
Documentation
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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