Verbose programming
Saturday, 18. August 2007, 07:43:57
Do you use variable names like $a, $b or maybe $foo or $bar in your code?
Stop using them, it's bad practice.
I've used similar variable names such as those for a long time myself, but I've been moving away from them for a while now.
But why is it bad?
Stop using them, it's bad practice.
I've used similar variable names such as those for a long time myself, but I've been moving away from them for a while now.
But why is it bad?
If you think about the english language... why are the words this long? Wh ar w n wr l t?
Catch my drift?
If you use variable names which are short, it might make your code look shorter or a bit cleaner, but with a cost on understanding. It's much easier to understand what variable photoManager does than variable ph. You probably aren't naming your functions with too short names either, why should you be naming your variables like that?
If you think about languages like Visual Basic which are naturally more verbose than PHP or C with constructs ending usually in end construct-name and not { } you can immediately see how much easier it is to comprehend the code, especially for beginner programmers.
Using descriptive variable names also leads to self documenting code, meaning you won't need to comment as much because reading your code should already tell you what's going on.
This topic is discussed at lengths in the book Code Complete
which I highly recommend.There is one use for one letter variable names that I think is okay, though. As counters in loops. If your counter variable is just the index number of an array or something, use i, j, k or whatever you want. It's obvious what it is and what it does in context like that.
WIDGETIZE
djahandarie # 20. August 2007, 10:15
zomg # 20. August 2007, 14:52
This is a guideline, not an absolute rule. I try to follow these in anything slightly bigger.
darylducharme # 30. August 2007, 18:48
zomg # 1. September 2007, 12:26
There's one situation where I agree with using shorter variable names: mostly in loops or when the assignment of the short name is obvious and visible. Ie. inside a few row radius from where it's used. This can let you use shorter and cleaner syntax, for example in HTML templates where extra stuff can easily make for more confusing lines.