Java - return or if-else [duplicate]

Question

Possible Duplicate:
Should a function have only one return statement?

This is what I am talking about.

if (condition) {
    aVariable = 1;
    return;
}
doSomething();

if (condition) {
    aVariable = 1;
} else {
    doSomething();
}

Is one of these preferred over the other (conventions, etc)?

Answer 1

Returning early can improve readability by reducing nesting in your code.

In some languages it is best practice to have a single return statement, for example in C++ you should allocate at the top and de-allocate at the bottom of your method, but Java is not such a language so prefer readability over a single return statement.

Many people use the single return rule because they don't understand why it exists or because they have a background in managed languages.

Please Note

Before you comment about the "one true way" of writing code, please pause for a moment and consider the following.

Why must there be only a single return statement?

If you can't think of a good reason, stop arguing that it should be the case.

Answer 2

Readability is most important. So early returns on begining of functions are ok, but once method starts doing something more complicated than checking its imputs/state of object, it should have only one return .

And if it is too complicated, it should be refactored to multiple functions.