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

Merging collapsible if statements increases the code's readability.

Noncompliant Code Example

if condition1:
    if condition2:
        # ...

Compliant Solution

if condition1 and condition2:
    # ...

Programmers should not comment out code as it bloats programs and reduces readability.

Unused code should be deleted and can be retrieved from source control history if required.

See

• MISRA C:2004, 2.4 - Sections of code should not be "commented out".
• MISRA C++:2008, 2-7-2 - Sections of code shall not be "commented out" using C-style comments.
• MISRA C++:2008, 2-7-3 - Sections of code should not be "commented out" using C++ comments.
• MISRA C:2012, Dir. 4.4 - Sections of code should not be "commented out"

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.

Trailing blank lines are superfluous.

Okay: spam(1)
W391: spam(1)\n

However the last line should end with a new line (warning W292).

Place imports at the top of the file.

Always put imports at the top of the file, just after any module
comments and docstrings, and before module globals and constants.

Okay: import os
Okay: # this is a comment\nimport os
Okay: '''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay: r'''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nelse:\n\tpass\nimport y
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nfinally:\n\tpass\nimport y
E402: a=1\nimport os
E402: 'One string'\n"Two string"\nimport os
E402: a=1\nfrom sys import x

Okay: if x:\n    import os

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Place imports at the top of the file.

Always put imports at the top of the file, just after any module
comments and docstrings, and before module globals and constants.

Okay: import os
Okay: # this is a comment\nimport os
Okay: '''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay: r'''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nelse:\n\tpass\nimport y
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nfinally:\n\tpass\nimport y
E402: a=1\nimport os
E402: 'One string'\n"Two string"\nimport os
E402: a=1\nfrom sys import x

Okay: if x:\n    import os

Place imports at the top of the file.

Always put imports at the top of the file, just after any module
comments and docstrings, and before module globals and constants.

Okay: import os
Okay: # this is a comment\nimport os
Okay: '''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay: r'''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nelse:\n\tpass\nimport y
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nfinally:\n\tpass\nimport y
E402: a=1\nimport os
E402: 'One string'\n"Two string"\nimport os
E402: a=1\nfrom sys import x

Okay: if x:\n    import os

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Place imports at the top of the file.

Always put imports at the top of the file, just after any module
comments and docstrings, and before module globals and constants.

Okay: import os
Okay: # this is a comment\nimport os
Okay: '''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay: r'''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nelse:\n\tpass\nimport y
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nfinally:\n\tpass\nimport y
E402: a=1\nimport os
E402: 'One string'\n"Two string"\nimport os
E402: a=1\nfrom sys import x

Okay: if x:\n    import os

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.

Separate top-level function and class definitions with two blank lines.

Method definitions inside a class are separated by a single blank
line.

Extra blank lines may be used (sparingly) to separate groups of
related functions.  Blank lines may be omitted between a bunch of
related one-liners (e.g. a set of dummy implementations).

Use blank lines in functions, sparingly, to indicate logical
sections.

Okay: def a():\n    pass\n\n\ndef b():\n    pass
Okay: def a():\n    pass\n\n\nasync def b():\n    pass
Okay: def a():\n    pass\n\n\n# Foo\n# Bar\n\ndef b():\n    pass
Okay: default = 1\nfoo = 1
Okay: classify = 1\nfoo = 1

E301: class Foo:\n    b = 0\n    def bar():\n        pass
E302: def a():\n    pass\n\ndef b(n):\n    pass
E302: def a():\n    pass\n\nasync def b(n):\n    pass
E303: def a():\n    pass\n\n\n\ndef b(n):\n    pass
E303: def a():\n\n\n\n    pass
E304: @decorator\n\ndef a():\n    pass
E305: def a():\n    pass\na()
E306: def a():\n    def b():\n        pass\n    def c():\n        pass

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.

Separate inline comments by at least two spaces.

An inline comment is a comment on the same line as a statement.
Inline comments should be separated by at least two spaces from the
statement. They should start with a # and a single space.

Each line of a block comment starts with a # and a single space
(unless it is indented text inside the comment).

Okay: x = x + 1  # Increment x
Okay: x = x + 1    # Increment x
Okay: # Block comment
E261: x = x + 1 # Increment x
E262: x = x + 1  #Increment x
E262: x = x + 1  #  Increment x
E265: #Block comment
E266: ### Block comment

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Place imports at the top of the file.

Always put imports at the top of the file, just after any module
comments and docstrings, and before module globals and constants.

Okay: import os
Okay: # this is a comment\nimport os
Okay: '''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay: r'''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nelse:\n\tpass\nimport y
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nfinally:\n\tpass\nimport y
E402: a=1\nimport os
E402: 'One string'\n"Two string"\nimport os
E402: a=1\nfrom sys import x

Okay: if x:\n    import os

Place imports at the top of the file.

Always put imports at the top of the file, just after any module
comments and docstrings, and before module globals and constants.

Okay: import os
Okay: # this is a comment\nimport os
Okay: '''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay: r'''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nelse:\n\tpass\nimport y
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nfinally:\n\tpass\nimport y
E402: a=1\nimport os
E402: 'One string'\n"Two string"\nimport os
E402: a=1\nfrom sys import x

Okay: if x:\n    import os

Separate inline comments by at least two spaces.

An inline comment is a comment on the same line as a statement.
Inline comments should be separated by at least two spaces from the
statement. They should start with a # and a single space.

Each line of a block comment starts with a # and a single space
(unless it is indented text inside the comment).

Okay: x = x + 1  # Increment x
Okay: x = x + 1    # Increment x
Okay: # Block comment
E261: x = x + 1 # Increment x
E262: x = x + 1  #Increment x
E262: x = x + 1  #  Increment x
E265: #Block comment
E266: ### Block comment

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.

Place imports at the top of the file.

Always put imports at the top of the file, just after any module
comments and docstrings, and before module globals and constants.

Okay: import os
Okay: # this is a comment\nimport os
Okay: '''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay: r'''this is a module docstring'''\nimport os
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nelse:\n\tpass\nimport y
Okay:
try:\n\timport x\nexcept ImportError:\n\tpass\nfinally:\n\tpass\nimport y
E402: a=1\nimport os
E402: 'One string'\n"Two string"\nimport os
E402: a=1\nfrom sys import x

Okay: if x:\n    import os

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign in function arguments.

Don't use spaces around the '=' sign when used to indicate a
keyword argument or a default parameter value, except when
using a type annotation.

Okay: def complex(real, imag=0.0):
Okay: return magic(r=real, i=imag)
Okay: boolean(a == b)
Okay: boolean(a != b)
Okay: boolean(a <= b)
Okay: boolean(a >= b)
Okay: def foo(arg: int = 42):
Okay: async def foo(arg: int = 42):

E251: def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
E251: return magic(r = real, i = imag)
E252: def complex(real, image: float=0.0):

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.

Separate inline comments by at least two spaces.

An inline comment is a comment on the same line as a statement.
Inline comments should be separated by at least two spaces from the
statement. They should start with a # and a single space.

Each line of a block comment starts with a # and a single space
(unless it is indented text inside the comment).

Okay: x = x + 1  # Increment x
Okay: x = x + 1    # Increment x
Okay: # Block comment
E261: x = x + 1 # Increment x
E262: x = x + 1  #Increment x
E262: x = x + 1  #  Increment x
E265: #Block comment
E266: ### Block comment

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.

Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

There are still many devices around that are limited to 80 character
lines; plus, limiting windows to 80 characters makes it possible to
have several windows side-by-side.  The default wrapping on such
devices looks ugly.  Therefore, please limit all lines to a maximum
of 79 characters. For flowing long blocks of text (docstrings or
comments), limiting the length to 72 characters is recommended.

Reports error E501.