IDE saying the variables is unused and undefined

The IDE in functions.php $result; will either tell me that the variable is undefined, and if I change it to $result = null; the IDE will tell me that it is an unused variable.

Why does this happen?

This underlines in PHPStorm as undefined variable:

function emptyInputSignup($name, $email, $username, $pwd, $pwdRepeat)
{

    $result;
    if (empty($name) || empty($email) || empty($username) || empty($pwd) || empty($pwdRepeat)) {
        $result = true;
    } else {
        $result = false;
    }
    return $result;
}

This underlines in PHPStorm as unused variable:

function emptyInputSignup($name, $email, $username, $pwd, $pwdRepeat)
{

    $result = null;
    if (empty($name) || empty($email) || empty($username) || empty($pwd) || empty($pwdRepeat)) {
        $result = true;
    } else {
        $result = false;
    }
    return $result;
}

>Solution :

I guess your IDE is frowning because, for instance :

$result;
if (empty($name) || empty($email) || empty($username) || empty($pwd) || empty($pwdRepeat)) {
    $result = true;
} else {
    $result = false;
}
return $result;

Could easily be replaced by :

if (empty($name) || empty($email) || empty($username) || empty($pwd) || empty($pwdRepeat)) {
    return true;
}
return false;

So the use of a $result variable is indeed moot.