This cop checks that the cyclomatic complexity of methods is not higher than the configured maximum. The cyclomatic complexity is the number of linearly independent paths through a method. The algorithm counts decision points and adds one.

An if statement (or unless or ?:) increases the complexity by one. An else branch does not, since it doesn't add a decision point. The && operator (or keyword and) can be converted to a nested if statement, and ||/or is shorthand for a sequence of ifs, so they also add one. Loops can be said to have an exit condition, so they add one.

Cognitive Complexity

Cognitive Complexity is a measure of how difficult a unit of code is to intuitively understand. Unlike Cyclomatic Complexity, which determines how difficult your code will be to test, Cognitive Complexity tells you how difficult your code will be to read and comprehend.

A method's cognitive complexity is based on a few simple rules:

• Code is not considered more complex when it uses shorthand that the language provides for collapsing multiple statements into one
• Code is considered more complex for each "break in the linear flow of the code"
• Code is considered more complex when "flow breaking structures are nested"

Further reading

• Cognitive Complexity docs
• Cognitive Complexity: A new way of measuring understandability

Cognitive Complexity

Cognitive Complexity is a measure of how difficult a unit of code is to intuitively understand. Unlike Cyclomatic Complexity, which determines how difficult your code will be to test, Cognitive Complexity tells you how difficult your code will be to read and comprehend.

A method's cognitive complexity is based on a few simple rules:

• Code is not considered more complex when it uses shorthand that the language provides for collapsing multiple statements into one
• Code is considered more complex for each "break in the linear flow of the code"
• Code is considered more complex when "flow breaking structures are nested"

Further reading

• Cognitive Complexity docs
• Cognitive Complexity: A new way of measuring understandability

This cop checks for extra/unnecessary whitespace.

Example:

# good if AllowForAlignment is true
name      = "RuboCop"
# Some comment and an empty line

website  += "/bbatsov/rubocop" unless cond
puts        "rubocop"          if     debug

# bad for any configuration
set_app("RuboCop")
website  = "https://github.com/bbatsov/rubocop"

This cops checks for two or more consecutive blank lines.

Example:

# bad - It has two empty lines.
some_method
# one empty line
# two empty lines
some_method

# good
some_method
# one empty line
some_method

This cop checks for redundant uses of self.

The usage of self is only needed when:

• Sending a message to same object with zero arguments in presence of a method name clash with an argument or a local variable.

• Calling an attribute writer to prevent an local variable assignment.

Note, with using explicit self you can only send messages with public or protected scope, you cannot send private messages this way.

Note we allow uses of self with operators because it would be awkward otherwise.

Example:

# bad
def foo(bar)
  self.baz
end

# good
def foo(bar)
  self.bar  # Resolves name clash with the argument.
end

def foo
  bar = 1
  self.bar  # Resolves name clash with the local variable.
end

def foo
  %w[x y z].select do |bar|
    self.bar == bar  # Resolves name clash with argument of the block.
  end
end

This cop enforces the consistent usage of %-literal delimiters.

Specify the 'default' key to set all preferred delimiters at once. You can continue to specify individual preferred delimiters to override the default.

Example:

# Style/PercentLiteralDelimiters:
#   PreferredDelimiters:
#     default: '[]'
#     '%i':    '()'

# good
%w[alpha beta] + %i(gamma delta)

# bad
%W(alpha #{beta})

# bad
%I(alpha beta)

This cop checks for rescuing StandardError. There are two supported styles implicit and explicit. This cop will not register an offense if any error other than StandardError is specified.

Example: EnforcedStyle: implicit

# `implicit` will enforce using `rescue` instead of
# `rescue StandardError`.

# bad
begin
  foo
rescue StandardError
  bar
end

# good
begin
  foo
rescue
  bar
end

# good
begin
  foo
rescue OtherError
  bar
end

# good
begin
  foo
rescue StandardError, SecurityError
  bar
end

Example: EnforcedStyle: explicit (default)

# `explicit` will enforce using `rescue StandardError`
# instead of `rescue`.

# bad
begin
  foo
rescue
  bar
end

# good
begin
  foo
rescue StandardError
  bar
end

# good
begin
  foo
rescue OtherError
  bar
end

# good
begin
  foo
rescue StandardError, SecurityError
  bar
end

This cop checks whether method definitions are separated by one empty line.

NumberOfEmptyLines can be and integer (e.g. 1 by default) or an array (e.g. [1, 2]) to specificy a minimum and a maximum of empty lines.

AllowAdjacentOneLineDefs can be used to configure is adjacent one line methods definitions are an offense

Example:

# bad
def a
end
def b
end

Example:

# good
def a
end

def b
end

This cops checks the indentation of the first key in a hash literal where the opening brace and the first key are on separate lines. The other keys' indentations are handled by the AlignHash cop.

By default, Hash literals that are arguments in a method call with parentheses, and where the opening curly brace of the hash is on the same line as the opening parenthesis of the method call, shall have their first key indented one step (two spaces) more than the position inside the opening parenthesis.

Other hash literals shall have their first key indented one step more than the start of the line where the opening curly brace is.

This default style is called 'specialinsideparentheses'. Alternative styles are 'consistent' and 'align_braces'. Here are examples:

Example: EnforcedStyle: specialinsideparentheses (default)

# The `special_inside_parentheses` style enforces that the first key
# in a hash literal where the opening brace and the first key are on
# separate lines is indented one step (two spaces) more than the
# position inside the opening parentheses.

# bad
hash = {
  key: :value
}
and_in_a_method_call({
  no: :difference
                     })

# good
special_inside_parentheses
hash = {
  key: :value
}
but_in_a_method_call({
                       its_like: :this
                     })

Example: EnforcedStyle: consistent

# The `consistent` style enforces that the first key in a hash
# literal where the opening brace and the first key are on
# seprate lines is indented the same as a hash literal which is not
# defined inside a method call.

# bad
hash = {
  key: :value
}
but_in_a_method_call({
                       its_like: :this
                      })

# good
hash = {
  key: :value
}
and_in_a_method_call({
  no: :difference
})

Example: EnforcedStyle: align_braces

# The `align_brackets` style enforces that the opening and closing
# braces are indented to the same position.

# bad
and_now_for_something = {
                          completely: :different
}

# good
and_now_for_something = {
                          completely: :different
                        }

Checks the spacing around the keywords.

Example:

# bad
something 'test'do|x|
end

while(something)
end

something = 123if test

# good
something 'test' do |x|
end

while (something)
end

something = 123 if test

Checks for spaces inside ordinary round parentheses.

Example:

# bad
f( 3)
g = (a + 3 )

# good
f(3)
g = (a + 3)