Avoid unnecessary else blocks in Ruby

rubyrails
Avoid unnecessary `else` blocks when the `if` block ends with a return statement, break, next, or similar control flow statements.
Bad:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  else

Install this rule for wispbit Cloud

Add this rule to wispbit and it will run when you open a pull request

Install this rule with wispbit CLI

Run this command in your terminal to install the rule locally

npx @wispbit/cli rule install ruby-unnecessary-else-blocks

Install this rule for Coderabbit

Copy the configuration below and add it to your repository as .coderabbit.yml in your project root.

reviews:
  path_instructions:
    - path: "*.rb"
      instructions: |
                
        Avoid unnecessary `else` blocks when the `if` block ends with a return statement, break, next, or similar control flow statements.
        
        Bad:
        
        ```ruby
        def process_value(value)
          if value > 10
            return "high"
          else
            return "low"
          end
        end
        ```
        
        ```ruby
        def check_items(items)
          items.each do |item|
            if item.length > 5
              puts "Long item: #{item}"
              next
            else
              puts "Short item: #{item}"
            end
          end
        end
        ```
        
        Good:
        
        ```ruby
        def process_value(value)
          if value > 10
            return "high"
          end
          "low"
        end
        ```
        
        ```ruby
        def check_items(items)
          items.each do |item|
            if item.length > 5
              puts "Long item: #{item}"
              next
            end
            puts "Short item: #{item}"
          end
        end
        ```

Install this rule for Greptile

Greptile rules can be added through the web interface. Please see this documentation for details on how to add custom rules and context.

Avoid unnecessary `else` blocks when the `if` block ends with a return statement, break, next, or similar control flow statements.
Bad:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  else
    return "low"
  end
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    else
      puts "Short item: #{item}"
    end
  end
end
```
Good:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  end
  "low"
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    end
    puts "Short item: #{item}"
  end
end
```

File Path Patterns:

*.rb

Install this rule for GitHub Copilot

Copilot instructions can be added through the interface. See the documentation for details on how to create coding guidelines.

Avoid unnecessary `else` blocks when the `if` block ends with a return statement, break, next, or similar control flow statements.
Bad:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  else
    return "low"
  end
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    else
      puts "Short item: #{item}"
    end
  end
end
```
Good:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  end
  "low"
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    end
    puts "Short item: #{item}"
  end
end
```

File Path Patterns:

*.rb

Install this rule for Graphite Diamond

Diamond custom rules can be added through the interface. See the documentation for details on how to create custom rules.

Avoid unnecessary `else` blocks when the `if` block ends with a return statement, break, next, or similar control flow statements.
Bad:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  else
    return "low"
  end
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    else
      puts "Short item: #{item}"
    end
  end
end
```
Good:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  end
  "low"
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    end
    puts "Short item: #{item}"
  end
end
```

File Path Patterns:

*.rb

Use with Cline

Copy the rule below and ask Cline to review your code using this rule

Avoid unnecessary `else` blocks when the `if` block ends with a return statement, break, next, or similar control flow statements.
Bad:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  else
    return "low"
  end
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    else
      puts "Short item: #{item}"
    end
  end
end
```
Good:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  end
  "low"
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    end
    puts "Short item: #{item}"
  end
end
```

Use with OpenAI Codex

Copy the rule below and ask OpenAI Codex to review your code using this rule

Avoid unnecessary `else` blocks when the `if` block ends with a return statement, break, next, or similar control flow statements.
Bad:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  else
    return "low"
  end
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    else
      puts "Short item: #{item}"
    end
  end
end
```
Good:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  end
  "low"
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    end
    puts "Short item: #{item}"
  end
end
```

Use with Cursor

Copy the rule below and ask Cursor to review your code using this rule

Avoid unnecessary `else` blocks when the `if` block ends with a return statement, break, next, or similar control flow statements.
Bad:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  else
    return "low"
  end
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    else
      puts "Short item: #{item}"
    end
  end
end
```
Good:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  end
  "low"
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    end
    puts "Short item: #{item}"
  end
end
```

Use with Claude Code

Copy the rule below and ask Claude Code to review your code using this rule

Avoid unnecessary `else` blocks when the `if` block ends with a return statement, break, next, or similar control flow statements.
Bad:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  else
    return "low"
  end
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    else
      puts "Short item: #{item}"
    end
  end
end
```
Good:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  end
  "low"
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    end
    puts "Short item: #{item}"
  end
end
```

Install this rule for Windsurf

To set up rules for Windsurf Reviews, please see this documentation 

Avoid unnecessary `else` blocks when the `if` block ends with a return statement, break, next, or similar control flow statements.
Bad:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  else
    return "low"
  end
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    else
      puts "Short item: #{item}"
    end
  end
end
```
Good:
```ruby
def process_value(value)
  if value > 10
    return "high"
  end
  "low"
end
```
```ruby
def check_items(items)
  items.each do |item|
    if item.length > 5
      puts "Long item: #{item}"
      next
    end
    puts "Short item: #{item}"
  end
end
```