isBooleanTooLongAndComplex

This is another post in our Code Health series. A version of this post originally appeared in Google bathrooms worldwide as a Google Testing on the Toilet episode. You can download a printer-friendly version to display in your office.

By Yiming Sun

You may have come across some complex, hard-to-read Boolean expressions in your codebase and wished they were easier to understand. For example, let's say we want to decide whether a pizza is fantastic:

// Decide whether this pizza is fantastic.

if ((!pepperoniService.empty() || sausages.size() > 0)

    && (useOnionFlag.get() || hasMushroom(ENOKI, PORTOBELLO)) && hasCheese()) {

  ...

}

A first step toward improving this is to extract the condition into a well-named variable:

boolean isPizzaFantastic = 

    (!pepperoniService.empty() || sausages.size() > 0)

    && (useOnionFlag.get() || hasMushroom(ENOKI, PORTOBELLO)) && hasCheese();

if (isPizzaFantastic) {

  ... 

}

However, the Boolean expression is still too complex. It's potentially confusing to calculate the value of isPizzaFantastic from a given set of inputs. You might need to grab a pen and paper, or start a server locally and set breakpoints. 

Instead, try to group the details into intermediate Booleans that provide meaningful abstractions. Each Boolean below represents a single well-defined quality, and you no longer need to mix && and || within an expression. Without changing the business logic, you’ve made it easier to see how the Booleans relate to each other:

boolean hasGoodMeat = !pepperoniService.empty() || sausages.size() > 0;

boolean hasGoodVeggies = useOnionFlag.get() || hasMushroom(ENOKI, PORTOBELLO);

boolean isPizzaFantastic = hasGoodMeat && hasGoodVeggies && hasCheese();

Another option is to hide the logic in a separate method. This also offers the possibility of early returns using guard clauses, further reducing the need to keep track of intermediate states:

boolean isPizzaFantastic() {

  if (!hasCheese()) {

    return false;

  }

  if (pepperoniService.empty() && sausages.size() == 0) {

    return false;

  }

  return useOnionFlag.get() || hasMushroom(ENOKI, PORTOBELLO);
}

Chrome Beta for Android Update

Hi everyone! We've just released Chrome Beta 125 (125.0.6422.14) for Android. It's now available on Google Play.

You can see a partial list of the changes in the Git log. For details on new features, check out the Chromium blog, and for details on web platform updates, check here.

If you find a new issue, please let us know by filing a bug.

Krishna Govind
Google Chrome

Chrome Beta for Desktop Update

The Beta channel has been updated to 125.0.6422.14 for Windows, Mac and Linux.

A partial list of changes is available in the Git log. Interested in switching release channels? Find out how. If you find a new issue, please let us know by filing a bug. The community help forum is also a great place to reach out for help or learn about common issues.

Prudhvi Bommana
Google Chrome

Announcing v16_1 of the Google Ads API

Today, we’re announcing the v16_1 release of the Google Ads API. To use some of the v16_1 features, upgrade your client libraries and client code. The updated client libraries and code examples will be published next week. This version has no breaking changes.

Here are the highlights:

Where can I learn more?

The following resources can help you get started:

If you have any questions or need additional help, contact us via the forum.

 - Thanet Knack Praneenararat, on behalf of the Google Ads API Team

Dev Channel Update for ChromeOS / ChromeOS Flex

The Dev channel is being updated to OS version: 15853.9.0 Browser version: 125.0.6422.10 for most ChromeOS devices.

If you find new issues, please let us know one of the following ways

  1. File a bug
  2. Visit our ChromeOS communities
    1. General: Chromebook Help Community
    2. Beta Specific: ChromeOS Beta Help Community
  3. Report an issue or send feedback on Chrome

Interested in switching channels? Find out how.

Matt Nelson
Google ChromeOS

Chrome for Android Update

 Hello, Everyone! We've just released Chrome 124 (124.0.6367.82) for Android: it'll become available on Google Play over the next few days.

This release includes stability and performance improvements. You can see a full list of the changes in the Git log. If you find a new issue, please let us know by filing a bug.


Android releases contain the same security fixes as their corresponding Desktop (Windows & Mac:124.0.6367.60/.61;  Linux: 124.0.6367.60) unless otherwise noted.


Krishna Govind
Google Chrome

Stable Channel Update for Desktop

The Stable channel has been updated to 124.0.6367.78/.79 for Windows and Mac and 124.0.6367.78 to Linux which will roll out over the coming days/weeks. A full list of changes in this build is available in the Log.



The Extended Stable channel has been updated to 124.0.6367.78/.79 for Windows and Mac which will roll out over the coming days/weeks.


Security Fixes and Rewards

Note: Access to bug details and links may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix. We will also retain restrictions if the bug exists in a third party library that other projects similarly depend on, but haven’t yet fixed.


This update includes 4 security fixes. Below, we highlight fixes that were contributed by external researchers. Please see the Chrome Security Page for more information.


[$16000][332546345] Critical CVE-2024-4058: Type Confusion in ANGLE. Reported by Toan (suto) Pham and Bao (zx) Pham of Qrious Secure on 2024-04-02

[TBD][333182464] High CVE-2024-4059: Out of bounds read in V8 API. Reported by Eirik on 2024-04-08

[TBD][333420620] High CVE-2024-4060: Use after free in Dawn. Reported by wgslfuzz on 2024-04-09


We would also like to thank all security researchers that worked with us during the development cycle to prevent security bugs from ever reaching the stable channel.

As usual, our ongoing internal security work was responsible for a wide range of fixes:

  • [336329431] Various fixes from internal audits, fuzzing and other initiatives


Many of our security bugs are detected using AddressSanitizer, MemorySanitizer, UndefinedBehaviorSanitizer, Control Flow Integrity, libFuzzer, or AFL.


Interested in switching release channels? Find out how here. If you find a new issue, please let us know by filing a bug. The community help forum is also a great place to reach out for help or learn about common issues.


Daniel Yip

Google Chrome