<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">This idea is purely additive and isn’t to be considered for Swift 3.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Oftentimes a function has a very obvious default argument to fall back on. If the return value is optional, this is generally nil. If the return value is Bool, it’s probably `false`. Often this fallback value is returned at the end of the function, just to return something if nothing has been returned yet. For instance, consider this TreeNode class:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Menlo;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">class</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> TreeNode<Element> {</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">var</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> value: </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">Element</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">var</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> children: [</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">TreeNode</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">]</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">init</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">(value: </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">Element</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">) {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">self</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">.</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">value</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> = value</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">children</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> = []</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">func</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> contains(</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">_</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> predicate: (</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">Element</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">) </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">throws</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> -> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #703daa" class="">Bool</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">) </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">rethrows</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> -> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #703daa" class="">Bool</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">if</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">try</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> predicate(</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">value</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">) {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">true</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">for</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">in</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">children</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">if</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">try</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child.</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #31595d" class="">contains</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">(predicate) {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">true</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(186, 45, 162);" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #000000" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #000000" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">false </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 132, 0);" class="">// 1</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">func</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> first(</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">where</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> predicate: (</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">Element</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">) </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">throws</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> -> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #703daa" class="">Bool</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">) </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">rethrows</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> -> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">Element</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">? {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">if</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">try</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> predicate(</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">value</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">) {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">value</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">for</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">in</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">children</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">if</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">let</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> result = </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">try</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child.</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #31595d" class="">first</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">(</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">where</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">: predicate) {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> result</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">nil </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 132, 0);" class="">// 2</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">var</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> leftMostDescendant: </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">TreeNode</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">? {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">if</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">let</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child = </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">children</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">.</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #703daa" class="">first</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child.</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">leftMostDescendant</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> ?? child</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">nil </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 132, 0);" class="">// 3</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">}</span></div></div></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">These code patterns are quite usual. If we could give default return values to functions, we could get rid of the final `return` statements:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Menlo;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">func</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> contains(</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">_</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> predicate: (Element) </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">throws</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> -> Bool) </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">rethrows</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> -> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #703daa" class="">Bool</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> = </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">false</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">if</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">try</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> predicate(value) {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(186, 45, 162);" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #000000" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #000000" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">true</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">for</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">in</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> children {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">if</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">try</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child.contains(predicate) {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">true</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">}</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">func</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> first(</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">where</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> predicate: (Element) </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">throws</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> -> Bool) </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">rethrows</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> -> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #703daa" class="">Element</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">? = </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">nil</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">if</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">try</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> predicate(value) {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> value</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">for</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">in</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> children {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">if</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">let</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> result = </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">try</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child.first(</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">where</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">: predicate) {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> result</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">}</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">var</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> leftMostDescendant: </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #4f8187" class="">TreeNode</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">? = </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">nil</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">if</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">let</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child = children.first {</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; color: #ba2da2" class="">return</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> child.leftMostDescendant ?? child</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class=""> }</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures" class="">}</span></div></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The default return value shouldn’t be part of the function signature (i.e. it shouldn’t appear in interface files) because it’s an implementation detail, but right after the return type is probably the most natural place to put it (similar to default function parameters).</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Let me know what you think.</div></body></html>