G-7320 – Avoid using RETURN statements in a PROCEDURE.

Use of the `return` statement is legal within a procedure in PL/SQL, but it is very similar to a `goto`, which means you end up with poorly structured code that is hard to debug and maintain. A good general rule to follow as you write your PL/SQL programs is "one way in and one way out". In other words, there should be just one way to enter or call a program, and there should be one way out, one exit path from a program (or loop) on successful termination. By following this rule, you end up with code that is much easier to trace, debug, and maintain.

Tags: Stored Object.

Quality area: Maintainability. Severity: Major. Fixing time: Local-medium.