Simplify and transform if-else statements in PhpStorm

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PhpStorm can simplify if and else statements, invert their logic, and remove unnecessary nesting.

Place the cursor anywhere inside an if statement and press Option+Enter on macOS or Alt+Enter on Windows. PhpStorm opens a menu with actions such as Invert, Remove braces, and Simplify.

Choose Invert to reverse the condition and swap the contents of the if and else blocks. This is useful when the existing condition checks for a negative case, but the positive case is easier to understand.

Open the same menu again and choose Simplify. PhpStorm replaces a simple if/else statement with a ternary expression. A ternary can be easier to read when both branches only assign or return a value.

You can also remove an unnecessary else block. Place the cursor inside the else statement, press Option+Enter or Alt+Enter, and choose Unwrap else. PhpStorm removes the else statement and reorganizes the code so that the remaining logic follows it directly.

Removing unnecessary else blocks reduces nesting and can lower cyclomatic complexity. These inspections are useful when refactoring because they let you simplify conditional logic or quickly flip a condition without rewriting the code manually.