Question

int foo = bar > baz ? bar : baz;

int foo = someBoolean ? bar : baz;

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int foo = (bar > baz) ? bar : baz;

int foo = (someBoolean) ? bar : baz;

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int foo = (bar > baz) ? bar : baz;

int foo = someBoolean ? bar : baz;

I can’t decide which of these three I should use. I can:

1. Use no parentheses and risk bad readability in examples such as:

   min[0] = min[0] > pos.x ? pos.x : 0;

2. Always use parentheses, but risk
   somewhat ugly code in short expressions:

   setValue(val + scrollBar.getBlockIncrement() * ((scrollsUp) ? -1 : 1));

3. Stay somewhere in between and use parentheses when there are spaces
   in the condition, but not if the condition is just a boolean
   variable:

   min[0] = (min[0] > pos.x) ? pos.x : 0;

   setValue(val + scrollBar.getBlockIncrement() * (scrollsUp ? -1 : 1));

Answer 1

Oracles Code Conventions states the following

return (condition ? x : y);

.. and further

if (a == b && c == d)     // AVOID!
if ((a == b) && (c == d)) // RIGHT

…which is freely translated to

return (someBoolean ? x : y);
return ((x > y) ? x : y);

.. although on a personal note I wouldn’t mind relaxing a parenthesis or two.
In the end it’s still a subjective matter. If you feel adding/removing a parenthesis offers better readability, then by all means feel free to do so.