LowFile-scopeGo Plug & play

Return zero values on error for clarity

When returning (T, error), return the zero value for T (or nil for pointers/slices/maps) whenever error != nil.

Why this matters

Prevents accidental use of partial data and clarifies that the result is invalid when an error occurs.

Side-by-side examples engineers can pattern-match during review.

Avoid

func Find(id string) (User, error) {
    u := User{ID: id}
    return u, fmt.Errorf("not found") // partial value
}

Prefer

func Find(id string) (User, error) {
    var zero User
    return zero, fmt.Errorf("not found")
}

Bad

return result, err // result is non-zero

Good

var z T; return z, err

From the same buckets as this rule.

Critical
Avoid equality operators in loop termination conditions
Check if loops use equality operators (== or !=) in termination conditions. These can lead to infinite loops if the condition is never met exactly. Instead, use relational operators like < or > for safer loop termination.
error-handlingreadability-refactor
Critical
Avoid Returning Null in Non-Async Task Methods
Returning null from a Task or Task<T> method causes a NullReferenceException if awaited. Use Task.CompletedTask or Task.FromResult<T>(null) instead.
error-handlingreadability-refactor+1
Critical
Avoid Using Boolean Expressions in `except` Statements
Detect `except` clauses that use `or` or `and` to catch multiple exceptions. This does not work as intended. Recommend using a tuple of exceptions instead.
error-handlingstack-python