In my past I have it in my head that is is good practice jus

Question

In my past I have it in my head that is is good practice just to have one return in a function so rather than do ` fun dropLoot name String Boolean ` ` for item in inventory ` ` if item name == name ` ` inventory remove item ` `return true` ` ` ` ` `return false` ` ` I would do ` fun dropLoot name String Boolean ` ` var ret = false ` ` for item in inventory ` ` if item name == name ` ` inventory remove item ` `ret = true ` `break` ` ` ` return ret` ` ` What do people think

marstran · Answer

You can surround your code block with triple backtics ``` to get a single code block instead of one codeblock per line

Ben Edwards · Answer

< marstran> Sorry don t quite follow I hit return too early so you may have been reading the incomplete post

marstran · Answer

No it s still 1 codeblock per line now You can get this instead with triple backticks ```fun dropLoot name String Boolean for item in inventory if item name == name inventory remove item return true return false ```

August Lilleaas · Answer

I d definitely do two returns instead of a break

Ben Edwards · Answer

< marstran> sorry that looks exactly the same as my edited post

marstran · Answer

Anyway for your question I m a fan of guard clauses and early returns so I would have written it like the first example I just think it s easier to read when I get the edge cases out of the way early

August Lilleaas · Answer

not really related to your question but I d also pass in the game state this looks like a game at least to the function instead of referring to `inventory`

Ben Edwards · Answer

< August Lilleaas> is part of a tutorial this bit is concentrated on loops Only on second week but kind of get what you mean

August Lilleaas · Answer

also imo an improved version of dropLoot would be to just use the functions in the stdlib You would get the same effect with this ```fun dropLoot name String Boolean return inventory removeIf it name == name ```

August Lilleaas · Answer

right sounds like a good idea to follow the tutorial and not try to be too smart like I m trying to be right now slightly smiling face

Sam · Answer

I think there are good arguments on both sides in the early returns debate I don t tend to apply a blanket rule but try to use whichever approach feels more readable in the context I do try to avoid using break continue in loops though I find that more disorienting than an early return So in the specific case that you shared I prefer the early return

August Lilleaas · Answer

oh my removeIf implementation is not equivalent btw removeIf returns all matches not just the first one

Ben Edwards · Answer

< Sam Stone> good point The answer is always it depends grinning

Ben Edwards · Answer

< August Lilleaas> you know the tutorial grinning This is the challenge when you just remove one of the items based on its name

Sam · Answer

Also gt lt https kotlinlang slack com archives C4GKV43N2 p1661343206896469 thread ts=1661342879 769889 amp cid=C4GKV43N2 gt |I hit return too early gt glorious irony

Ben Edwards · Answer

As a side note I am trying to use Kotlin rather the more direct Java versions So ` inventory removeAll it name == name ` with mutableListOf rather than ListArray removeIf

Tom Yuval · Answer

Another point not mentioned above lacking a good reason to do otherwise prefer immutability to mutability In this case I d choose the option that does not depend on a `var`

Tom Yuval · Answer

Also I question the value in striving for a single `return` in the first place This doesn t seem to me like something that increases readability or maintainability I guess it s not impossible for there to be some good arguments for it but whatever negative aspect there might be to multiple `return`s I guess it s at least as bad when returning a `var`