Dart 2 function return checking

Owner: leafp@google.com

Status: This document is now background material. For normative text, please consult the language specification.

Note: Also see alternative presentation at the bottom for a dual presentation of these rules in terms of which things are errors, rather than which things are valid.

Errors for sync and async function return values in Dart 2

Expression bodied functions

An asynchronous expression bodied function with return type T and body exp has a valid return if:

• flatten(T) is void
• or return exp; is a valid return for an equivalent block bodied function with return type T as defined below.

A synchronous expression bodied function with return type T and body exp has a valid return if:

• T is void
• or return exp; is a valid return for an equivalent block bodied function with return type T as defined below.

Block bodied functions

Synchronous functions

The rules for a synchronous non-generator function with declared return type T are:

• return; is a valid return if any of the following are true:

  • T is void
  • T is dynamic
  • T is Null.

• return exp; where exp has static type S is a valid return if:

  • S is void
  • and T is void or dynamic or Null

• return exp; where exp has static type S is a valid return if:

  • T is void
  • and S is void or dynamic or Null

• return exp; where exp has static type S is a valid return if:

  • T is not void
  • and S is not void
  • and S is assignable to T

Asynchronous functions

The rules for an asynchronous non-generator function with declared return type T are:

• return; is a valid return if any of the following are true:

  • flatten(T) is void
  • flatten(T) is dynamic
  • flatten(T) is Null.

• return exp; where exp has static type S is a valid return if:

  • flatten(S) is void
  • and flatten(T) is void, dynamic or Null

• return exp; where exp has static type S is a valid return if:

  • flatten(T) is void
  • and flatten(S) is void, dynamic or Null

• return exp; where exp has static type S is a valid return if:

  • T is not void
  • and flatten(S) is not void
  • and Future<flatten(S)> is assignable to T

Errors for sync and async function return values in Dart 2: Alternative presentation in terms of which things are errors

Expression bodied functions

It is an error if an asynchronous expression bodied function with return type T has body exp and both:

• flatten(T) is not void
• return exp; would be an error in an equivalent block bodied function with return type T as defined below.

It is an error if a synchronous expression bodied function with return type T has body exp and both:

• T is not void
• return exp; would be an error in an equivalent block bodied function with return type T as defined below.

Block bodied functions

Synchronous functions

The rules for a synchronous non-generator function with declared return type T are:

• return; is an error if T is not void, dynamic, or Null

• return exp; where exp has static type S is an error if T is void and S is not void, dynamic, or Null

• return exp; where exp has static type S is an error if S is void and T is not void, or dynamic or Null.

• return exp; where exp has static type S is an error if S is not assignable to T.

Asynchronous functions

The rules for an asynchronous non-generator function with declared return type T are:

• return; is an error if flatten(T) is not void, dynamic, or Null

• return exp; where exp has static type S is an error if T is void and flatten(S) is not void, dynamic, or Null

• return exp; where exp has static type S is an error if flatten(S) is void and flatten(T) is not void, dynamic, or Null.

• return exp; where exp has static type S is an error if Future<flatten(S)> is not assignable to T.