Deep Nesting

ID: deep_nesting | Severity: Low (default)

Identifies code blocks (if, for, while, etc.) that are nested too deeply.

Why this is a smell

Deeply nested code is exponentially harder to read and understand. It's often a sign that a function is doing too much or that the logic can be simplified.

How to fix

• Guard Clauses: Return early to avoid else blocks and reduce nesting.
• Extract Function: Move the inner nested block to a new function.
• Flatten Logic: Re-evaluate the logic to see if it can be expressed more simply.

Configuration

rules:
  deep_nesting:
    severity: low
    max_depth: 4

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-deep-nesting': 'warn',
    },
  },
];

See ESLint Integration for setup instructions.