Empty if-statements [duplicate]

Answer 1

I don't see so much danger in the possibility of an if with an empty statement. The rationale behind it resides in the grammar of the Java language, which allows the empty statement ;:

Block: 
    { BlockStatements }

BlockStatements: 
    { BlockStatement }

BlockStatement:
    LocalVariableDeclarationStatement
    ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration
    [Identifier :] Statement

LocalVariableDeclarationStatement:
    { VariableModifier }  Type VariableDeclarators ;

Statement:
    Block
    ;
    Identifier : Statement
    StatementExpression ;
    if ParExpression Statement [else Statement] 
    assert Expression [: Expression] ;
    switch ParExpression { SwitchBlockStatementGroups } 
    while ParExpression Statement
    do Statement while ParExpression ;
    for ( ForControl ) Statement
    break [Identifier] ;
    continue [Identifier] ;
    return [Expression] ;
    throw Expression ;
    synchronized ParExpression Block
    try Block (Catches | [Catches] Finally)
    try ResourceSpecification Block [Catches] [Finally]

Mind that this is true for almost all imperative languages.

I mean it can be dangerous and difficult to find as every other empty body in case you forgot any implementation, certainly nothing I would lose the sleep for. In a long and convoluted statement you could get problems because of a ( ) closing the wrong pair of expressions or even for thinking your condition wrong (especially with many && and ||).