Branching and Conditions

Guidance

  • Avoid deep nesting; use early returns or raises.
  • Extract complex conditions into named helpers.
  • Watch for duplicated code across branches.

Bad Example

def buy_fruit(nerd, store):
    if store.is_open():
        if store.has_stocks("apple"):
            if nerd.can_afford(store.price("apple", amount=1)):
                nerd.buy(store, "apple", amount=1)
                return
            else:
                nerd.go_home_and_get_money()
                return buy_fruit(nerd, store)
        else:
            raise MadAtNoFruit("no apple in store!")
    else:
        raise MadAtNoFruit("store is closed!")

Good Example

def buy_fruit(nerd, store):
    if not store.is_open():
        raise MadAtNoFruit("store is closed!")

    if not store.has_stocks("apple"):
        raise MadAtNoFruit("no apple in store!")

    if nerd.can_afford(store.price("apple", amount=1)):
        nerd.buy(store, "apple", amount=1)
        return

    nerd.go_home_and_get_money()
    return buy_fruit(nerd, store)

Sources & References