The Power of Naming Conventions

Some programmers resist standards and conventions—and with good reason. Some standards and conventions are rigid and ineffective—destructive to creativity and program quality. This is unfortunate since effective standards are some of the most powerful tools at your disposal. This section discusses why, when, and how you should create your own standards for naming variables.

Why Have Conventions?

Conventions offer several specific benefits:

  • They let you take more for granted. By making one global decision rather than many local ones, you can concentrate on the more important characteristics of the code.

  • They help you transfer knowledge across projects. Similarities in names give you an easier and more confident understanding ...

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