Naming

Naming a variable or module or function is the hardest job, especially when you realize how incredibly important it is :satisfied:

TL;DR

• Use descriptive names.
• Use adjectives to clarify.
• Be specific about actions.
• Describe object in class names.
• Avoid slang/abbreviations.
• Use meaningful distinctions.
• Choose pronounceable and searchable names.
• Use consistent terminology.

How to name things correctly?

Variables & Constants

Guideline	Bad	Good
For value as object	x, data, lst, cfg	user, database_element, order_list, config_settings
For value as number or string	n, s, ms, mt	max_speed, min_temperature, name, age
For value as boolean	status, perm, auth	has_permission, is_authenticated, is_active_user
Add adjectives to add details without introducing redundancy	count, order_count	active_user_count, completed_order_count

Functions/Methods

Guideline	Bad	Good
Functions that perform operations	do_send(), config_load()	send_response(), load_configuration()
Functions that return boolean values	check_user(), license_check()	is_user_valid(), has_valid_license()
Add adjectives to add details without introducing redundancy	fetch_users(), generate_report()	fetch_active_users(), generate_monthly_report()

Classes

Guideline	Bad	Good
Describe the object and provide details avoiding redundancy	ManagerClass, ProcessorClass	TransactionManager, PaymentProcessor

Generic

Guideline	Bad	Good
Avoid slang and unclear abbreviations	calcStats(), initDB()	initialize_database(), calculate_statistics()
Make meaningful distinctions	date1, date2	start_date, end_date
Use pronounceable names	ttlAmt	total_amount
Use searchable names	maxRet	maximum_retries
Avoid mental mappings	i, j, k	index, count
Don’t be overly clear	calculate_the_discount_amount()	calculate_discount()
Pick one word per concept	get_data(), retrieve_data()	fetch_data()