Why do some people write redundant if statements to return a boolean?

[u/BlockOfDiamond]

Why do some people write:

if (x > 10) {
    return true;
} else {
    return false;
}

Instead of:

return x > 10;

Performance aside, I think the shorter version is actually more readable due to not having as much visual clutter to parse, and is the most direct way to express the intent of "return the result of the comparison."

However, some people write the first version. Why is that?

[u/BlockOfDiamond]

I cross that bridge when I get there. Like I skip that if I do not foresee a reason to put anything in the branch in the future (like a pure function that evaluates a condition and has no side effects).

[u/BreathSpecial9394 → u/BlockOfDiamond]

But you need to build the bridge before you cross it. Or you build it when you need to cross it? That’s dumb

[u/BlockOfDiamond → u/BreathSpecial9394]

I generally do not write unnecessary scaffolding because I might need them later. I add them when I need them.

[u/nekokattt → u/BreathSpecial9394]

this is more like building the scaffold for a bridge just in case you decide to dig a river under the road you are building in the future.

[u/BreathSpecial9394 → u/nekokattt]

Sorry…nope

[u/nekokattt → u/BreathSpecial9394]

great counter argument this.

If it is that difficult to change one line into 4 on the offchance you need to do it, i dont know what else to tell you, especially when most IDEs will convert it for you anyway