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Coding with else{}...what are the cost benefits analysis?

colporteur 

if (digitalRead(ButtonPin) == LOW) {  //}

OR

if (digitalRead(ButtonPin) == HIGH) {  //
  return HIGH;
} else {  //}

I came across these two methods of testing a button. They both accomplish the same thing. 

Why would a coder use one over the other? What are advantages/disadvantages to using either?

I am a code resurrectionist not a programmer or coder. I usually cut and paste code parts to develop a working project. I have code that use both methods. I'm curious what falls into best practice? Does one provide better performance?

  • in reply to javagoza

    Interesting, that makes sense, but I find I have trouble keeping it pure like that. For example, how would you deal with an api call that returns a bird in json, wouldn’t you still need some way of iterating through the field names? And how do you go from a bird to a specific bird?

    I might need to take some refresher courses!

    Course, in Arduino it’s just a heck of a lot quicker to be messy Laughing

  • in reply to javagoza

    My technical background is diverse. My systems administration career forced me to become more knowledgeable in programming. I struggle with OO programming. I still can't get my head around it. I have coded some major projects. I learned coding but I never felt I was good at it because of knowledge gaps. I have worked with good programmers and WOW, is that a pleasure.

    Since I have difficultly remember programming I try to retain the stuff that is flexible, in that it is multipurpose. In my two examples the first statement is fast and done. The second gives me options at little cost. I will use the second example more because of the dual use.

  • It's all about readability.. Someday someone else might be looking ate your code and someday someone will be reading your code. The busier the code the easier it is to read..

  • in reply to colporteur

    the ternary conditional operator might be for you then

       testCondition ? expressionTrue : expressionFalse;

    https://www.w3schools.com/c/c_conditions_short_hand.php

  • I came across a situation today which is essentially the reverse of what you have found: a ‘hanging’ if:

    if (aTestForTrue) [
   // do nothing
else {
   some code;
   some more code;
   ...
}

    I’ve seen this quite a few times and used it myself a few times, including today.  It’s done this way because the logic test is much clearer to write and understand than it’s inverse would be, and it’s a nod to the future where someone would have to maintain it.  It looks weird, and some purists and/or corporate standards would argue against it;  also, it’s unlikely the compiler would optimise his out as it isn’t as simple a case as the ‘hanging else’ would be.  But the code is more readable, speed of execution isn’t critical and the author (me) knows what they are doing!!