# if-else {#if-else}

**Parent topic:**[Programming Statements](../../Programming/ProgrammingStatements/programming_statements.md)

## Syntax {#syntax}

```
if(condition){ 
     statements 
} 
else{ 
     statements 
}
```

## Details {#details}

The parentheses after "if" are required. If more than one statement are to be executed in case a condition is true, we must specify a block of statements with braces \{ \}. Otherwise the braces are optional.

Please note that if the condition is NULL or !NULL, it will be processed as false and execute the statement in else code block.

## Examples {#examples}

```
def temp(const a) {
    if (a>10)
        return a\10  //braces are optional if only need to execute one statement
    else if (a<=10 && a>1)
        return a
    else{
        b=abs(a)*10  //must use braces as we need to execute more than one statement
        return b
    }
};

temp 10;
// output: 10
temp 11;
// output: 1.1
temp 0.5
// output: 5
```

