meaningful-names.md

Meaningful Names

Use intention-revealing names

What does the list represent?

{% hint style="danger" %} $theList {% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %} $gameBoard {% endhint %}

Avoid disinformation

Of what type is the account list? String? Array of strings? Array of objects?

{% hint style="danger" %} $accountList {% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %} $accounts {% endhint %}

Avoid similar shapes

How long does it take to spot the subtle difference?

{% hint style="danger" %} class ControllerForEfficientHandlingOfStrings
class ControllerForEfficientStorageOfStrings {% endhint %}

Make meaningful distinctions

How do these different names convey different meanings?

{% hint style="danger" %} class Product
class ProductInfo
class ProductData {% endhint %}

Use pronounceable names

How can you discuss it without sounding like an idiot?

{% hint style="danger" %} class CstmrRcrd {% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %} class Customer {% endhint %}

Add context by using prefixes

What does the state represent? Condition or country?

{% hint style="danger" %} $state {% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %} $addressState {% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %} A better solution is to create a class named Address. If you need to differentiate between MAC addresses, port addresses, and Web addresses, consider PostalAddress, MAC, and URI. {% endhint %}

Adjust the length of a name to the size of its scope

Is it obvious outside the class body that WD is an acronym for work days per week?

{% hint style="danger" %} const WD {% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %} const WORK_DAYS_PER_WEEK {% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %} If a variable or constant might be seen or used in multiple places in a body of code, it is imperative to give it a search-friendly and meaningful name. {% endhint %}

Avoid using the same name for different purposes

What does add mean? Concate strings? Insert a record in a table? Append a value to the end of an array?

{% hint style="danger" %} function add($value) {% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %} function concate($value)
function insert($value)
function append($value) {% endhint %}

Use problem domain names

What does the term "document" mean in the archives domain? Are photos considered documents?

{% hint style="danger" %} $document {% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %} $record {% endhint %}

Methods should have verb names

{% hint style="success" %} function postPayment()
function deletePage()
function save() {% endhint %}

Classes should have noun names

{% hint style="success" %} class Customer
class WikiPage
class Account {% endhint %}

Avoid words (in the name of a class)

{% hint style="danger" %} Manager
Processor
Data
Info {% endhint %}