Is there an alternative to hyper-indented code?

Question

I often run into code that has to perform lots of checks and ends up being indented at least five or six levels before really doing anything. I am wondering what alternativ

Answer 1

If you don't need to process stop, don't embed.

For example, you can do:

if(input == null && input.getSomeClass2() == null && ...)
    return null;

// Do what you want.

Assuming you're using a language like Java that orders the conditionals.

Alternatively you could:

if(input == null && input.getSomeClass2() == null)
    return null;

SomeClass2 obj2 = input.getSomeClass2();
if(obj2 == null)
    return null;

...

// Do what you want.

For more complex cases.

The idea is to return from the method if you don't need to process. Embedding in a large nested if is almost impossible to read.