JS-050
JavaScript diagram about Early Return: a visual example of Return a result early
Beginner4 min~4 min read#early-return#return#functions

Early Return

Return a result early

Goal

Learn to return a result immediately when the answer is already known.

Explanation

  • Early Return means returning a result before the end of a function.
  • If the answer is already known, there is no reason to run the remaining code.
  • return ends the function immediately.
  • This makes code simpler and quicker to read.
  • Early Return is used very often in real-world projects.

Analogy

If a teacher can already see that a test has failed, they record the result immediately instead of checking the remaining pages.

Code

function check(score) {
  if (score < 50) {
    return "Fail";
  }

  return "Pass";
}

Result: Fail

Common mistake

Beginners write many unnecessary checks after the result is already known.

Remember

  • ✦ return ends a function.
  • ✦ If the answer is known, return it immediately.
  • ✦ Do not run unnecessary code.

Quick Quiz

What does return do?

Resources