Cyclomatic Complexity

ID: cyclomatic_complexity | Severity: Medium (default)

This detector identifies functions with high Cyclomatic Complexity.

Why this is a smell

• Hard to Understand: Too many branching paths make the code hard to follow.
• Bug Prone: Higher chance of missing edge cases during testing.
• Maintenance Nightmare: Small changes can have unpredictable effects due to complex logic.

How to fix

1. Extract Method: Break complex logic into smaller, named functions.
2. Guard Clauses: Use early returns to reduce nesting levels.
3. Replace Conditional with Polymorphism: Use objects or strategies instead of large switch or if/else blocks.

Configuration

rules:
  cyclomatic_complexity:
    severity: medium
    max_complexity: 15

ESLint Rule

This detector is available as an ESLint rule for real-time feedback in your editor.

// eslint.config.js
export default [
  {
    rules: {
      '@archlinter/no-high-cyclomatic-complexity': 'warn',
    },
  },
];

See ESLint Integration for setup instructions.