Method with more than three negations

Reports methods with three or more negations. Such methods may be confusing.

Example:

  void doSmth(int a, int b, boolean flag1, boolean flag2) {
    if (!flag && !flag2) {
      if (a != b) {
        doOther();
      }
    }
  }

Without negations, the method becomes easier to understand:

  void doSmth(int a, int b, boolean flag1, boolean flag2) {
    if (flag1 || flag2 || a == b) return;
    doOther();
  }

Locating this inspection

By ID

Can be used to locate inspection in e.g. Qodana configuration files, where you can quickly enable or disable it, or adjust its settings.

MethodWithMoreThanThreeNegations

Via Settings dialog

Path to the inspection settings via IntelliJ Platform IDE Settings dialog, when you need to adjust inspection settings directly from your IDE.

Settings or Preferences | Editor | Inspections | Java | Method metrics

Configure the inspection:

Use the Ignore negations in 'equals()' methods option to disable the inspection within equals() methods.
Use the Ignore negations in 'assert' statements to disable the inspection within assert statements.

Inspection ID: ThreeNegationsPerMethod

Inspection options

Here you can find the description of settings available for the Method with more than three negations inspection, and the reference of their default values.

Ignore negations in 'equals()' methods

Option ID:

m_ignoreInEquals

Default value:

Selected

Ignore negations in 'assert' statements

Option ID:

ignoreInAssert

Default value:

Not selected

Suppressing Inspection

You can suppress this inspection by placing the following comment marker before the code fragment where you no longer want messages from this inspection to appear:

//noinspection MethodWithMoreThanThreeNegations

More detailed instructions as well as other ways and options that you have can be found in the product documentation:

IntelliJ IDEA 2025.3

Inspection Details
By default bundled with:	IntelliJ IDEA 2025.3, Qodana for JVM 2025.3,

Last modified: 03 December 2025