---name: kotlin-control-flowdescription: Use when writing or reviewing Kotlin branching and control flow: when expressions, guard conditions, sealed type exhaustiveness, smart casts, nullable branching, early returns, or replacing complex if/else chains.---

Kotlin control flow

Core principle

Make the classified value obvious, keep branch-local predicates on their branch, and let the compiler prove closed-domain coverage.

Procedure

1. Name the value being classified. If every branch tests it, use when (subject); otherwise keep a subjectless when or if chain.

2. Choose the branch shape:

   Code shape	Prefer
   One classified value	when (subject)
   Unrelated boolean conditions	Subjectless when or if/else
   Primary case plus a branch-local predicate	Guard condition
   Invalid input before the main path	Early return, require, or check
   Closed value-returning domain	Exhaustive when expression
   Open input or deliberate fallback	Explicit else

3. Use a guard only on a subject when, after a primary condition, when the extra predicate belongs to that branch and an unguarded branch still handles the primary condition. Put the guarded branch first. Split comma-separated conditions instead of guarding one of them.

4. For a closed enum, Boolean, sealed type, or nullable closed type, name every case and omit else. Match objects by value and class/data-class subtypes with is. When a data-bearing sealed case is collapsed by a catch-all, show the branch-level use in the review:

   is Outcome.Failed -> safeFailureLabel(outcome.reason)
   

   The is check smart-casts outcome, so the branch can use reason without a cast. The helper name is illustrative; choose a safe mapping for the caller contract. Do not replace this branch-level explanation with a note that unspecified callers can inspect the original result. If the input is an open server/platform value or needs real fallback/logging, keep else.

5. Use an early return only when it removes invalid or nullable state from the main path. Keep nesting that expresses cleanup, transaction, or error handling.

6. Verify smart casts still work without as, !!, mutable temporaries, or duplicate casts. If they do not, keep the original shape or take a smaller refactor.

7. Compile and test. On failure, return to the smallest applicable earlier step or retain the prior shape. In a review of a closed sealed mapping, when a data-bearing subtype affects the mapping or its safe handling, put the typed branch and member access in the finding itself, not only in analysis or as a general note to add explicit cases. Use this pseudocode template with the actual subtype and payload member substituted:

   is <DataSubtype> -> map(result.<payload>)
   

   This is a template, not literal Kotlin: the is test smart-casts result, and the member access shows how the branch uses its payload. If the public value stays generic, state how the branch handles the detail or why it is deliberately discarded. Naming cases alone or sending callers to inspect the original value is not complete branch guidance. Apply this only to closed, data-bearing cases; retain else for open-world values or real fallbacks. Finish when the subject, fallbacks, and relevant branch data are obvious to a reader and the resulting shape is easier to scan.

Recipes

Use guarded branches to refine one case, rather than nesting an if:

return when (event) {
    is Event.Message if event.isUnread -> Row.Highlighted(event.message)
    is Event.Message -> Row.Normal(event.message)
    Event.Empty -> Row.Empty
}

Use a subject when when repeated conditions classify one value, and include null as a branch when it is one case in a larger classification:

return when (val selected = selection) {
    null -> SelectionUi.None
    is Selection.Single if selected.item.isArchived -> SelectionUi.Archived(selected.item)
    is Selection.Single -> SelectionUi.Active(selected.item)
    is Selection.Multiple -> SelectionUi.Count(selected.items.size)
}

Do not introduce guards on unsupported Kotlin versions, force unrelated boolean checks into a subject when, remove an open-world fallback, or flatten code that obscures cleanup, transactions, or errors.

Related

• Kotlin concurrency and Flow — state/event primitives.
• Kotlin API design — explicit common-code branching.