Questions tagged [naming-standards]
The naming-standards tag has no usage guidance.
131
questions
1
vote
2answers
93 views
How to name two versions of the same object, where one has a smaller amount of data and one is the “complete” object
What is the best way to name two classes that describe the same object, but where one of those classes does not hold the complete information? And should I make one of the classes inherit from the ...
3
votes
2answers
158 views
When to use third-person verb? (PlayOnAwake or PlaysOnAwake)
First a couple of examples:
var val = obj.GetValue();
var can = obj.CanPlay;
var has = obj.HasValue;
var val = obj.RequiresConstantRepaint(); // From Unity
var val = obj.PlayOnAwake; // From Unity
...
23
votes
3answers
5k views
Why are module-specific prefixes widely used for function names in C modules?
In some C projects, function names start with a common prefix indicative of the module name, for example:
mymodule_do_this_stuff();
mymodule_do_that_stuff();
Is there a justification for doing so ...
2
votes
3answers
148 views
Use prepositions in naming verb-phrase functions?
When writing a library, designing a class or extending some existing API, we often need to express actions or relations involving noun entities:
"Place the ball in the bin"
"Obtain the coat for the ...
-2
votes
2answers
103 views
Python function name convention for “convert foo to bar”, e.g., foo_to_bar, foo2bar
I have a function that converts args given by argparse to a filename:
def args2filename(args, prefix):
filename = prefix
kwargs = vars(args)
for key, value in sorted(kwargs.items()):
...
1
vote
3answers
196 views
Should I give an object that holds multiple objects of the same type a plural name?
I have an object:
const riders = {
Dave: {
gender: 'male',
age: 13,
},
Nina: {
gender: 'female',
age: 16,
},
Mike: {
gender: 'male',
...
2
votes
2answers
53 views
API naming for authentication API composed by many steps
I have an API which include a registration and login process. Both process have an authentication sub-process. This sub-process are many steps which API validate a client specific data.
I have many ...
0
votes
3answers
233 views
How to name functions with multiple return values
In many languages, it is common for a function to have multiple return values (as a tuple), such as:
def foo():
return "Hello, World!", 0
I often do this when a computationally expensive (or an ...
0
votes
1answer
179 views
How should I name output variables that are the same as the function?
What are some conventions for naming a variable in cases where the name of the variable ought to be identical to the name of the function? I'm using VB.Net.
I often have this problem when writing ...
2
votes
1answer
95 views
Naming a software which allows communication between two independend systems via internet [closed]
Probably a trivial question but I just don't know how that piece of software would be called correctly:
I have a closed system (A) and an application on another system and location (B). The ...
1
vote
2answers
60 views
naming the classes for users of my app, and users who manage the app
Naming things is hard but naming them properly is really hard. We are working on an app, that analyzes the data of multiple apps and creates some reports.
And we are hitting our heads against walls ...
-1
votes
2answers
114 views
Common way to name methods with same name as desired variable? [closed]
I frequently find myself pulling up helper methods in order to make my code better, but end up with duplicate method names. Is there a standard way to name such methods without getting duplicate names?...
0
votes
2answers
352 views
Booleans Naming conventions : How to prefix a “show” boolean? [closed]
I've seen here that it was a dividing topic to use "should" as a prefix for a boolean because it could mean that we're unsure.
Then how would you prefix a boolean such as "myButton.shouldShow"?
I ...
1
vote
1answer
59 views
Need help with naming substate
I'm designing an application which accepts a command, processes it and produces a result. Application will maintain the status of the input command as 'new', 'processing' and 'completed' as it ...
1
vote
1answer
74 views
What should I call a flag to maybe disable some behaviour? [closed]
Say I have a function:
def foo(x):
if x % 2:
do_something_with(x)
return x
And I want to make the doing of something opt-outable:
def foo(x, maybe_do_something_with_x=True):
if ...
2
votes
1answer
337 views
Naming Convention [closed]
When we determine names for the variables, there are two important issues that the people mention:
The variable names must be explanatory. For the sake of this, their names can be long.`
The variable ...
2
votes
4answers
617 views
C# class naming convention for a single item in the item list [closed]
In my C# project, I have a domain class named 'User'. this class will contain user's id, firstname, last name, DoB, home address, phone, etc. And we also have a typical REST web api (i.e. api/users) ...
1
vote
2answers
438 views
Using “On” at the start of a method name
From what I've observed, methods that start with the word "On" fall into two categories:
A base class that defines an event will expose a protected method whose name starts with "On" followed by the ...
0
votes
1answer
64 views
Variable naming for collaboration between software engineering and data science
There exist lots of discussions on variable naming. However, I would like to address a specific aspect. I am a data scientist and deal with dozens of features/variables/columns — however you may call ...
3
votes
1answer
213 views
Application_Start() vs ApplicationStart()
Why is the method in Global.asax called Application_Start() and not ApplicationStart()?
According to MSDN method names should be in Pascal case.
2
votes
1answer
52 views
Does any scale exist (e.g. naming convention to be used for sizes) that allows trivial insertions at any point in the scale?
Question probably sounds confusing so let me clarify.
Let's say I have an object containing keys and values for my project's font sizes:
{
small: '8px',
medium: '11px',
large: '14px',
}
...
7
votes
4answers
843 views
Is it a good practice to end a function's name with a preposition?
I have seen examples of methods whose name ended with a preposition applying to the first (and most often only) parameters.
But other examples don't use this kind of naming convention.
Which do you ...
0
votes
2answers
193 views
Is there a rule of thumb when it comes to the “name” attribute?
Since there is things like BEM in naming conventions for HTML class attributes, does the name attribute have anything of that sort?
0
votes
1answer
67 views
What to specify as interfaces in component diagrams
I am following the textbook Object oriented software specification using UML, patterns and Java (3rd edition) and I am defining interfaces between system components (subsystems). But I encountered a ...
2
votes
1answer
686 views
Naming conventions for pure functions
Are there 'conventions' / best practices on naming pure functions?
For example:
adding numbers: add or sum?
calculating the square root: calcSqrt or sqrt?
reversing a list: reverse or reversed?
...
0
votes
3answers
210 views
Naming variable which describes that something is currenty in use
I'm creating a variable which should describe that an object is currently in use. Lets say we have a form with a password input, and I want to describe the state when someone is using that input.
Is ...
-1
votes
2answers
209 views
SQL Coding Naming convention: Variable same name as Columns
Is there a coding naming convention principal for SQL variables? Can variables be named the same as column names, I heard in different companies, this may cause confusion. However in C# below, its a ...
0
votes
1answer
83 views
Co-ordination between technologies following different naming conventions [duplicate]
Javascript community generally follows camel case naming convention, whereas while writing REST api URLs follow snake case naming conventions.
What would be the better naming convention for the ...
6
votes
1answer
311 views
Is it a good practice to redefine unavailable keywords as macros?
Is it a good practice to redefine unavailable keywords with macros?
I use GCC 4.8 in one of my projects which isn't exactly C11 standard compatible. At least not the extent of 4.9. But there are some ...
3
votes
2answers
468 views
How to name a Boolean variable that represents either of two options?
I'm developing an application with Python. I want to have a Boolean variable that represent whether something is buy or sell but I'm not sure how I should name it. Here are my current ideas:
isBuy
...
3
votes
2answers
696 views
Method naming: to vs as vs get
Do the words to, as and get have any special meaning when used in method names?
Examples
to
new Integer(4).toString()
get
Integer.getInteger("system.unknown.property",4)
as
Arrays.asList(...
0
votes
1answer
173 views
Is a URC (Uniform Resource Citation) synonymous with a Query String or Url Parameters?
Reading this:
https://renenyffenegger.ch/notes/development/web/URI-URL-URN-IRI-URC
URCs provide a set of attribute/value pairs that describe properties of URIs like authorship, publisher, ...
-3
votes
3answers
166 views
Ambiguous use of “User”
In one of my projects, I had to name some variables and functions that belong to the person using my app. I named them userCard, getUserInventory() and so on. I named them like that cause there were ...
0
votes
3answers
456 views
RESTful APIs: Terminology for Update Modes/Types
When designing a RESTful API, providing a spec for updating an entity will force the designer to make some decisions on how the update will behave (an update mode or type). Here are some of the modes ...
-3
votes
2answers
409 views
Writing readable code and not overdoing it with naming [closed]
I've been in an argument at work about writing readable code. It was mainly about variable and method names and the idea that comments are worthless if the code is readable enough. I would not like to ...
0
votes
1answer
2k views
How to name different components in adapter pattern?
(example code in PHP, but this can apply to more languages)
I have a scenario with an adapter pattern, where I have classes, interfaces and objects with different roles, like so:
An original object ...
2
votes
4answers
762 views
Naming similar variables [closed]
I need few related variables (for example I have the lengths of 3 lines given. I have to say whether they form a triangle).
Which variable naming convention is preferable in Java?
len0, len1, len2 ...
-2
votes
1answer
72 views
What to call a API and DB code layer [closed]
In a recent MVVM mobile app project I wrote a set of API classes and Database classes where there was a clear flow of logic between both api and db code. To enforce the way api and db interacted I ...
31
votes
2answers
8k views
Why does software use the Win32 name?
If a software/library has some support for the Windows platform they almost always name their directories and variables as win32. This is most prevalent in C/C++ projects. Even the MinGW project's ...
7
votes
2answers
3k views
What's the Java convention for names with a sequence of numbers, like “ISO 8859-1”?
If I'm creating a Java class for something that has a sequence of numbers in its name, e.g. “ISO 8859-1”, how should I name my class?
Iso88591 seems wrong, since there's no boundary between the ...
1
vote
0answers
2k views
Entity Framework naming conventions for the same table name across multiple schemas
The DbContext of my application's Entity Framework setup (which I will refer to as ApplicationContext, the name of our derived type) contains classes for all of the tables in our SQL Server database, ...
6
votes
6answers
1k views
Use of “my” prefix in object naming
I am refactoring a large code base, and noticing the author often uses "my" to prefix object names. For instance, using myThingy to identify an object of type Thingy. Is this generally considered a ...
1
vote
2answers
65 views
What's the standard term for removing data and embedded code modules from a database before publishing?
Hopefully this question isn't too application-specific; I'm thinking about it with regard to Excel, but I think it applies to any file-based database that includes embedded code.
I'm working on an ...
20
votes
8answers
16k views
C# - Why are prefixes on fields discouraged?
Back in the old days, we did Hungarian notation. That's now considered passé, and for the most part I don't use it anymore, but I still find use for the m_ prefix to indicate member fields.
For me, ...
3
votes
1answer
86 views
Naming a view class
I'm a little hesitant on what to name a view class.
I have a view class which I call ChooseImageView because that's what the user does in that view. After the user has chosen an image I display a ...
0
votes
1answer
2k views
Naming collections of helper methods, and avoiding meaningless jargon words
While coding anything remotely useful, I inevitably find myself wanting to add methods to perform smaller bits and pieces. (It could be a method to return everything in a string to the left of the ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
JS: convention to distinguish immediate vs async methods
I normally have a laissez faire attitude on method naming conventions but now I am working on a module in JavaScript that will have some methods that can return the value directly (immediate / plain ...
9
votes
1answer
12k views
What is the best practice when it comes to naming microservices?
I come from a "monolithic" SOA API mindset where, lets say, there would only be one RESTful service for persistence (persistence-app). Now that I'm developing in a microservice environment, I believe ...
54
votes
2answers
25k views
Naming of bool methods: Is vs. Can vs.?
Which is the better name for a method that returns a boolean?
IsSupportContentType
or
CanSupportContentType
1
vote
3answers
3k views
How and why do we have underscores in variable naming
If I look in python code and sometimes maybe also in C codes, there is often two variables with the same name except for the underscore. For example two variables
variable1 data;
variable2 _data;
...
