disallow ternary operators when simpler alternatives exist (no-unneeded-ternary)

The --fix option on the command line can automatically fix some of the problems reported by this rule.

It’s a common mistake in JavaScript to use a conditional expression to select between two Boolean values instead of using ! to convert the test to a Boolean. Here are some examples:

// Bad
var isYes = answer === 1 ? true : false;

// Good
var isYes = answer === 1;


// Bad
var isNo = answer === 1 ? false : true;

// Good
var isNo = answer !== 1;

Another common mistake is using a single variable as both the conditional test and the consequent. In such cases, the logical OR can be used to provide the same functionality. Here is an example:

// Bad
foo(bar ? bar : 1);

// Good
foo(bar || 1);

Rule Details

This rule disallow ternary operators when simpler alternatives exist.

Examples of incorrect code for this rule:

/*eslint no-unneeded-ternary: "error"*/

var a = x === 2 ? true : false;

var a = x ? true : false;

var a = f(x ? x : 1);

Examples of correct code for this rule:

/*eslint no-unneeded-ternary: "error"*/

var a = x === 2 ? "Yes" : "No";

var a = x !== false;

var a = x ? "Yes" : "No";

var a = x ? y : x;

var a = x ? x : 1;  // Note that this is only allowed as it on the right hand side of an assignment; this type of ternary is disallowed everywhere else. See defaultAssignment option below for more details.

Options

This rule has an object option:

"defaultAssignment": true (default) allows the conditional expression as a default assignment pattern
"defaultAssignment": false disallows the conditional expression as a default assignment pattern

defaultAssignment

The defaultAssignment option allows expressions of the form x ? x : expr (where x is any identifier and expr is any expression) as the right hand side of assignments (but nowhere else).

Examples of additional incorrect code for this rule with the { "defaultAssignment": false } option:

/*eslint no-unneeded-ternary: ["error", { "defaultAssignment": false }]*/

var a = x ? x : 1;

When Not To Use It

You can turn this rule off if you are not concerned with unnecessary complexity in conditional expressions.

Version

This rule was introduced in ESLint 0.21.0.