Page History

...

This noncompliant code example uses an if statement without braces to authenticate a user.:

int login;

if (invalid_login())
  login = 0;
else
  login = 1;

A developer might add a debugging statement to determine when the login is valid but forget to add opening and closing braces.:

int login;

if (invalid_login())
  login = 0;
else
  printf("Login is valid\n");  /* debugging line added here */
  login = 1;                   /* this line always gets executed, regardless of a valid login! */

...

In the compliant solution, opening and closing braces are used even when the body is a single statement.:

int login;

if (invalid_login()) {
  login = 0;
} else {
  login = 1;
}

...

This noncompliant code example has an if statement nested in another if statement without braces around the if and else bodies.:

int privileges;

if (invalid_login())
  if (allow_guests())
    privileges = GUEST;
else
  privileges = ADMINISTRATOR;

...

In the compliant solution, adding braces removes the ambiguity and ensures that privileges are correctly assigned.:

int privileges;

if (invalid_login()) {
  if (allow_guests()) {
    privileges = GUEST;
  } 
} else {
  privileges = ADMINISTRATOR;
}

...

Related Guidelines

 Bibliography

...