Do not use else if and else clauses where return statements make them redundant

[cbeams]

For example, in the following code, the else if and else clauses are redundant:

if (someCondition) {
    return X;
} else if (otherCondition) {
    return Y;
} else {
    return Z;
}

This code can and should be simplified to read as follows:

if (someCondition)
    return X;

if (otherCondition)
    return Y;

return Z;

Whether or not braces are used for single-line conditionals is a matter for a different style rule, but in any case, the second code block is easier to read, uses fewer conditional constructs, and makes it all the more obvious that returning "Z" is the fallback / default case if no preceding conditionals are matched.