How To Create Meaningful Names In Code

Simple rules you can follow to create good names

As a developer, you spend a lot of your coding time making variables and thinking about proper names. Names are everywhere. You name files, classes, methods, and variables.

As we spend so much time naming things it’s really important to do it well. In this article, I will show you some simple rules you can follow for creating good names. Naming things in your code is an art in itself!

Use Names Which Reveal Intention

Having names which reveal their intent is easier said than done. How often do you come across variable names that don’t tell you anything about their intent?

A good rule of thumb is: If a name requires a comment, then it doesn’t reveal the intent.

The following piece of code is a variable which does not reveal intent:

The variable $s reveals nothing. It does not evoke a sense of lapsed time. It would be better to choose a name that specifies what is…