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no-constant-condition

Disallow constant expressions in conditions

✅ Recommended

The "extends": "eslint:recommended" property in a configuration file enables this rule

A constant expression (for example, a literal) as a test condition might be a typo or development trigger for a specific behavior. For example, the following code looks as if it is not ready for production.

if (false) {
    doSomethingUnfinished();
}

Rule Details

This rule disallows constant expressions in the test condition of:

  • if, for, while, or do...while statement
  • ?: ternary expression

Examples of incorrect code for this rule:

Open in Playground
/*eslint no-constant-condition: "error"*/

if (false) {
    doSomethingUnfinished();
}

if (void x) {
    doSomethingUnfinished();
}

if (x &&= false) {
    doSomethingNever();
}

if (class {}) {
    doSomethingAlways();
}

if (new Boolean(x)) {
    doSomethingAlways();
}

if (Boolean(1)) {
    doSomethingAlways();
}

if (undefined) {
    doSomethingUnfinished();
}

if (x ||= true) {
    doSomethingAlways();
}

for (;-2;) {
    doSomethingForever();
}

while (typeof x) {
    doSomethingForever();
}

do {
    doSomethingForever();
} while (x = -1);

var result = 0 ? a : b;

if(input === "hello" || "bye"){
  output(input);
}

Examples of correct code for this rule:

Open in Playground
/*eslint no-constant-condition: "error"*/

if (x === 0) {
    doSomething();
}

for (;;) {
    doSomethingForever();
}

while (typeof x === "undefined") {
    doSomething();
}

do {
    doSomething();
} while (x);

var result = x !== 0 ? a : b;

if(input === "hello" || input === "bye"){
  output(input);
}

Options

checkLoops

Set to true by default. Setting this option to false allows constant expressions in loops.

Examples of correct code for when checkLoops is false:

Open in Playground
/*eslint no-constant-condition: ["error", { "checkLoops": false }]*/

while (true) {
    doSomething();
    if (condition()) {
        break;
    }
};

for (;true;) {
    doSomething();
    if (condition()) {
        break;
    }
};

do {
    doSomething();
    if (condition()) {
        break;
    }
} while (true)

Version

This rule was introduced in ESLint v0.4.1.

Resources

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