Four or more `if`/`elif x == "..."` branches comparing the same variable against string literals. A dispatch table written out longhand.
Each example shows the exact code shape the rule is looking for, then the smallest version that keeps the intent without hiding risk or adding noise.
def handle(event):
if event.kind == "created":
on_created(event)
elif event.kind == "updated":
on_updated(event)
elif event.kind == "deleted":
on_deleted(event)
elif event.kind == "archived":
on_archived(event)Deterministic line match: counts `if`/`elif name == "literal"` branches on the same selector at the same indentation and flags the ladder at four or more.
HANDLERS = {
"created": on_created,
"updated": on_updated,
"deleted": on_deleted,
"archived": on_archived,
}
def handle(event):
HANDLERS[event.kind](event)Replace the ladder with a dict of handlers or a set membership check, or a `match` statement when the branches genuinely differ in shape.
Each new case in a prompt becomes one more `elif`. Agents extend the ladder rather than introduce a table, so it grows with every feature.
ai-slop/python-repetitive-dispatch
ai-slop
Deterministic line match: counts `if`/`elif name == "literal"` branches on the same selector at the same indentation and flags the ladder at four or more.
Ladders of three or fewer, comparisons against non-string values, and branches on different selectors are not flagged.
Shipped in aislop v0.9.4 as one of four Python verbosity rules drawn from SlopCodeBench (arXiv 2603.24755).