Performance Differences of Nested If Else Statements vs. ElseIf Statements

Question

A coworker and I have differing opinions on If statements and their performance. My view is that If...ElseIf statements should be used. His view is that he doesn't believe in ElseIf, and writes everything with nested If statements.

Let's assume that a case statement cannot be used in this situation. What I am wondering is how efficiently code will be executed using nested If..Else statements versus using If...ElseIf statements. I know that code readability is a factor, but that shouldn't' affect performance.

Lets look at the following examples.

Using If Else:

If () then
    'Do something'
Else
    If () then
        'Do something'
    Else
        If () then
            'Do something'
        Else
            If () then
                'Do something'
            Else
                'Do something else'
            End If
        End If
    End If
End If

Using ElseIf:

If () then
    'Do something'
ElseIf () then
    'Do something'
ElseIf () then
    'Do something'
ElseIf () then
    'Do something'
Else
    'Do something else'
End If

I know this is a small scale example, but lets say blocks like this are used heavily throughout the application.

Are there any performance differences between the two code sections, or would they perform almost identically once the application is compiled?

####UPDATE#####

I created a program to test running through the functions x number of times.

Public Class Form1

Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
    For i As Integer = 0 To 1000
        Run()
    Next
End Sub

Sub Run()

    Dim Time1Start As Integer = 0
    Dim Time1End As Integer = 0
    Dim Time2Start As Integer = 0
    Dim Time2End As Integer = 0

    Time2Start = CInt(DateTime.Now.ToString("fff"))
    runElse()
    Time2End = CInt(DateTime.Now.ToString("fff"))

    Time1Start = CInt(DateTime.Now.ToString("fff"))
    runElseIf()
    Time1End = CInt(DateTime.Now.ToString("fff"))

    TextBox1.Text += If(Time1End < Time1Start, Time1End + (1000 - Time1Start), Time1End - Time1Start) & vbTab & If(Time2End < Time2Start, Time2End + (1000 - Time2Start), Time2End - Time2Start) & vbCrLf
End Sub

Sub runElseIf()
    If sleep(10) Then
        'Do something'
    Else
        If sleep(10) Then
            'Do something'
        Else
            If sleep(10) Then
                'Do something'
            Else
                If sleep(10) Then
                    'Do something'
                Else
                    If sleep(10) Then
                        'Do something'
                    Else
                        If sleep(10) Then
                            'Do something'
                        Else
                            If sleep(10) Then
                                'Do something'
                            Else
                                If sleep(10) Then
                                    'Do something'
                                Else
                                    If sleep(10) Then
                                        'Do something'
                                    Else
                                        If sleep(10) Then
                                            'Do something'
                                        Else
                                            'Do something else'
                                        End If
                                    End If
                                End If
                            End If
                        End If
                    End If
                End If
            End If
        End If
    End If
End Sub

Sub runElse()
    If sleep(10) Then
        'Do something'
    ElseIf sleep(10) Then
        'Do something'
    ElseIf sleep(10) Then
        'Do something'
    ElseIf sleep(10) Then
        'Do something'
    ElseIf sleep(10) Then
        'Do something'
    ElseIf sleep(10) Then
        'Do something'
    ElseIf sleep(10) Then
        'Do something'
    ElseIf sleep(10) Then
        'Do something'
    ElseIf sleep(10) Then
        'Do something'
    ElseIf sleep(10) Then
        'Do something'
    Else
        'Do something else'
    End If
End Sub

Function sleep(ByVal ms As Integer) As Integer
    System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(ms)
    Return False
End Function

End Class

I ran the program and here are my results:
500 Loops Average - ElseIf: 108.248ms If Else: 106.507ms
1000 Loops Average - ElseIf: 107.747ms If Else: 107.451ms (Else If running first)
1000 Loops Average - ElseIf: 107.683ms If Else: 107.076ms (ElseIf running first)

Perhaps with a larger data set the numbers would change, but out of those 3 trials it actually appears that the If Else is outperforming the ElseIf statements.

Answer 1

I've decompiled the two and it seem to be generating the same code (using ildasm). This is a very simple If statment, might get different result for different If. I would suggest you do the same with your code and see.

Module Module1

    Sub Main()

        Dim a As Integer
        Dim i As Integer = 1

        If i = 1 Then
            a = 9
        ElseIf i = 2 Then
            a = 8
        ElseIf i = 3 Then
            a = 7
        Else
            a = 6
        End If

    End Sub

End Module



.method public static void  Main() cil managed
{
  .entrypoint
  .custom instance void [mscorlib]System.STAThreadAttribute::.ctor() = ( 01 00 00 00 ) 
  // Code size       30 (0x1e)
  .maxstack  2
  .locals init ([0] int32 a,
           [1] int32 i)
  IL_0000:  ldc.i4.1
  IL_0001:  stloc.1
  IL_0002:  ldloc.1
  IL_0003:  ldc.i4.1
  IL_0004:  bne.un.s   IL_000b
  IL_0006:  ldc.i4.s   9
  IL_0008:  stloc.0
  IL_0009:  br.s       IL_001d
  IL_000b:  ldloc.1
  IL_000c:  ldc.i4.2
  IL_000d:  bne.un.s   IL_0013
  IL_000f:  ldc.i4.8
  IL_0010:  stloc.0
  IL_0011:  br.s       IL_001d
  IL_0013:  ldloc.1
  IL_0014:  ldc.i4.3
  IL_0015:  bne.un.s   IL_001b
  IL_0017:  ldc.i4.7
  IL_0018:  stloc.0
  IL_0019:  br.s       IL_001d
  IL_001b:  ldc.i4.6
  IL_001c:  stloc.0
  IL_001d:  ret
} // end of method Module1::Main

And the other one

Module Module1

    Sub Main()

        Dim a As Integer
        Dim i As Integer = 1

        If i = 1 Then
            a = 9
        Else
            If i = 2 Then
                a = 8
            Else
                If i = 3 Then
                    a = 7
                Else
                    a = 6
                End If
            End If
        End If

    End Sub

End Module

.method public static void  Main() cil managed
{
  .entrypoint
  .custom instance void [mscorlib]System.STAThreadAttribute::.ctor() = ( 01 00 00 00 ) 
  // Code size       30 (0x1e)
  .maxstack  2
  .locals init ([0] int32 a,
           [1] int32 i)
  IL_0000:  ldc.i4.1
  IL_0001:  stloc.1
  IL_0002:  ldloc.1
  IL_0003:  ldc.i4.1
  IL_0004:  bne.un.s   IL_000b
  IL_0006:  ldc.i4.s   9
  IL_0008:  stloc.0
  IL_0009:  br.s       IL_001d
  IL_000b:  ldloc.1
  IL_000c:  ldc.i4.2
  IL_000d:  bne.un.s   IL_0013
  IL_000f:  ldc.i4.8
  IL_0010:  stloc.0
  IL_0011:  br.s       IL_001d
  IL_0013:  ldloc.1
  IL_0014:  ldc.i4.3
  IL_0015:  bne.un.s   IL_001b
  IL_0017:  ldc.i4.7
  IL_0018:  stloc.0
  IL_0019:  br.s       IL_001d
  IL_001b:  ldc.i4.6
  IL_001c:  stloc.0
  IL_001d:  ret
} // end of method Module1::Main

I would suggest to use the one that is easier to read.