Java Language Oracle Official Code Standard Braces

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Example

class Example {
    void method(boolean error) {
        if (error) {
            Log.error("Error occurred!");
            System.out.println("Error!");
        } else { // Use braces since the other block uses braces.
            System.out.println("No error");
        }
    }
}
  • Opening braces should be put on the end of the current line rather than on a line by its own.

  • There should be a new line in front of a closing brace unless the block is empty (see Short Forms below)

  • Braces are recommended even where the language makes them optional, such as single-line if and loop bodies.

    • If a block spans more than one line (including comments) it must have braces.
    • If one of the blocks in a if / else statement has braces, the other block must too.
    • If the block comes last in an enclosing block, it must have braces.
  • The else, catch and the while keyword in do…while loops go on the same line as the closing brace of the preceding block.

Short forms

enum Response { YES, NO, MAYBE }
public boolean isReference() { return true; }

The above recommendations are intended to improve uniformity (and thus increase familiarity / readability). In some cases “short forms” that deviate from the above guidelines are just as readable and may be used instead. These cases include for instance simple enum declarations and trivial methods and lambda expressions.



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