Prefer Early Return to Reduce Nesting (Guard Clauses)

WarningClean ABAP & Modern Syntax#EC PREF_GUARD_METHODRemote Enabled

Overview

Prefer early return or continue over nested IF blocks.

ATC Finding Messages:

• Invert IF condition and use RETURN to reduce nesting in method
• Invert IF condition and use CONTINUE to reduce nesting in loop

Rationale

Wrapping the whole method body in IF is_valid( ) creates unnecessary nesting and pushes the happy path to the right. Guard clauses reject invalid input at the top and leave the main logic flat and easy to read. Return early for preconditions and error cases instead of indenting the successful path.

Non-Compliant

METHOD process_order.
  IF is_valid( ).
    execute_order( ).
    log_order( ).
  ENDIF.
ENDMETHOD.

Compliant

METHOD process_order.
  IF NOT is_valid( ).
    RETURN.
  ENDIF.
  execute_order( ).
  log_order( ).
ENDMETHOD.

Configuration & Thresholds

This check can be fine-tuned directly in the ATC Check Variant Editor (CHKV) in Eclipse ADT:

Parameter Name	Data Type	Default Value	Description & Guidance
CHECK_METHOD_RETURN	Boolean	true	Suggest early RETURN guard clause for top-level method validation IFs
CHECK_LOOP_CONTINUE	Boolean	true	Suggest early CONTINUE guard clause for loop item validation IFs

Suppression

To suppress findings for this rule, append the pseudo-comment to the statement:

" Standard pseudo-comment:
... "#EC PREF_GUARD_METHOD

" SAP CI_ prefix format:
... "#EC CI_PREF_GUARD_METHOD

Related Rules

• Prefer RETURN over EXIT in Methods — #EC PREF_RETURN
• Do Not Ignore Return Value of Functional Methods — #EC NO_IGNORED_RETURN
• Omit Unnecessary RETURN Statement — #EC NO_UNNEC_RETURN

Technical Details

• Native ATC Class: ZCL_SKYLINT_PREF_EARLY_RET
• Implementation File: zcl_skylint_pref_early_ret.clas.abap