Refactor: Simplifying Conditional Expressions

Overview

These 8 techniques flatten, clarify, and eliminate conditional logic. Complex conditionals are a major source of bugs. Goal: make each branch's purpose obvious, eliminate duplication across branches, and replace type-switching with polymorphism.

When to Use

• Nested if/else deeper than 2 levels
• Same condition checked in multiple places
• Switch statements on type codes that grow with each new type
• Complex boolean expressions
• Null checks scattered throughout

Quick Reference