'if' can be replaced with 'switch'

Reports if statements that can be replaced with switch statements.

The replacement result is usually shorter and clearer.

Example:

  void test(String str) {
    if (str.equals("1")) {
      System.out.println(1);
    } else if (str.equals("2")) {
      System.out.println(2);
    } else if (str.equals("3")) {
      System.out.println(3);
    } else {
      System.out.println(4);
    }
  }

After the quick-fix is applied:

  void test(String str) {
    switch (str) {
      case "1" -> System.out.println(1);
      case "2" -> System.out.println(2);
      case "3" -> System.out.println(3);
      default -> System.out.println(4);
    }
  }
  

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.

IfCanBeSwitch

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 | Java language level migration aids

This inspection only reports if the language level of the project or module is 7 or higher.

Use the Minimum number of 'if' condition branches field to specify the minimum number of if condition branches for an if statement to have to be reported. Note that the terminal else branch (without if) is not counted.

Use the Suggest switch on numbers option to enable the suggestion of switch statements on primitive and boxed numbers and characters.

Use the Suggest switch on enums option to enable the suggestion of switch statements on enum constants.

Use the Only suggest on null-safe expressions option to suggest switch statements that can't introduce a NullPointerException only.

Inspection options

Here you can find the description of settings available for the 'if' can be replaced with 'switch' inspection, and the reference of their default values.

Minimum number of 'if' condition branches: Default value:
3
Suggest switch on numbers: Default value:
Not selected
Suggest switch on enums: Default value:
Not selected
Only suggest on null-safe expressions: Default value:
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 IfCanBeSwitch

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

IntelliJ IDEA 2025.2

Inspection Details
By default bundled with:	IntelliJ IDEA 2025.2, Qodana for JVM 2025.2,

Last modified: 18 September 2025