DeferredReturn

Misconception:

A return statement that is not at the end of a method does not immediately return, but it first lets the method finish before returning.

A return statement in the middle of a method doesn't return immediately

A return statement immediately returns from the method

A return statement returns immediately.

For example:

public void tick() {
 if (value<=0) {
  return;
 }
 value--;
 if (value==0) {
  ringBell();
 }
}

In the above code, if value<=0 then the return statement executes and returns from the method immediately (which means that in this case the subsequent lines are not executed).

Note for advanced students: The only situation where return does not return immediately is if the return statement is located inside a try block with a corresponding finally block.

This misconception can provide a good opportunity to discuss statement sequences as a key aspect of imperative programming.

This misconception can be an opportunity to point out the fact that return statements located inside a try block with a corresponding finally block indeed do not return immediately. However, a full-fledged discussion of the details of exception handling may be too advanced at the time students hold this misconception.

Java

jls13

14.17 The return Statement

Return Control Flow Method Call

method involving return statement

Python

DeferredReturn