Naming Conventions - Revision history

JoeStrout: /* Capitalization */

2025-02-15T23:26:46Z

Capitalization

JoeStrout: /* Capitalization */

2025-02-15T23:25:13Z

Capitalization

JoeStrout at 21:43, 9 December 2022

2022-12-09T21:43:43Z

JoeStrout: /* Short Names */

2020-02-23T02:54:16Z

Short Names

JoeStrout at 02:53, 23 February 2020

2020-02-23T02:53:49Z

JoeStrout at 02:53, 23 February 2020

2020-02-23T02:53:15Z

JoeStrout: /* Short Names */

2020-02-21T19:16:09Z

Short Names

JoeStrout at 19:15, 21 February 2020

2020-02-21T19:15:32Z

JoeStrout: Created page with "The MiniScript intrinsic functions and Mini Micro API have established the following conventions with regard to naming variables. == Capitalizatio..."

2020-02-21T19:14:40Z

Created page with "The MiniScript intrinsic functions and Mini Micro API have established the following conventions with regard to naming variables. == Capitalizatio..."

New page

The MiniScript [[Intrinsic Functions|intrinsic functions]] and [[Mini Micro]] API have established the following conventions with regard to naming variables.

== Capitalization ==
* classes (maps intended to be used with [[new]]) use captialized CamelCase: <c>Monster</c>, <c>RigidBody</c>, <c>InventoryItem</c>
* method names use camelCase, starting with lower-case, e.g.: <c>[[print]]</c>, <c>calcTotal</c>
* variables follow the same convention: <c>x</c>, <c>totalIncome</c>

== Nouns vs. Verbs ==

In general, methods that perform some operation should be active verbs, e.g. <c>[[print]]</c>, <c>[[wait]]</c>, <c>applyDiscount</c>. Clear abbreviations are acceptable when a name would otherwise be unwieldy, e.g. <c>calcTotal</c> instead of <c>calculateTotal</c>. Methods that merely return an attribute (whether stored or calculated) should be named for what they return, e.g. <c>[[abs]]</c>, <c>average</c>. (The line between these two cases can be fuzzy; favor a simple attribute name if the calculation is quick and has no side effects, but an active verb if the calculation may take some time or has any effects beyond returning the answer.)

Object references should be descriptive nouns, e.g. <c>player</c>, <c>annualIncome</c>.

== Short Names ==

Very short variable names should be used only for fleeting purposes, such as loop counters in small loops, parameter names in small functions. They are also often used when experimenting in a [[REPL]]. The following names are generally understood:

* <c>i</c>, <c>j</c>: loop counters (usually numbers)
* <c>c</c>: character (e.g. while looping over a string)
* <c>x</c>, <c>y</c>: 2D coordinates
* <c>dx</c>, <c>dy</c>: 2D offset
* <c>vx</c>, <c>vy</c>: 2D velocity
* <c>t</c>: time
* <c>dt</c>: time step or offset
* <c>s</c>: a string, or any sequence
* <c>m</c>, <c>d</c>: a map (<c>d</c> is short for "dictionary")
* <c>l</c>, <c>a</c>: a list (<c>a</a> is short for "array"; and note that <c>l</c> looks very similar to <c>1</c>, and so should probably be avoided)

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 * variables follow the same convention: <c>x</c>, <c>totalIncome</c>
-UPDATE: Recent discussion has led to also capitalizing "static" class members, i.e., methods and properties which are intended to be called directly on a class rather than on some instance of the class.
+UPDATE: Recent discussion has led to also capitalizing "static" class members, i.e., methods and properties which are intended to be called directly on a class rather than on some instance of the class.  For example, <c>Monster.Instances</c> might be a list on the <c>Monster</c> class that keeps track of all the instances of that class.  This convention is not yet consistently used, but it is recommended and catching on.
 == Nouns vs. Verbs ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:43, 9 December 2022
Line 11:		Line 11:

	Object references should be descriptive nouns, e.g. <c>player</c>, <c>annualIncome</c>.		Object references should be descriptive nouns, e.g. <c>player</c>, <c>annualIncome</c>.
		+
		+	== Avoid Starting With an Underscore ==
		+
		+	Per the MiniScript manual, in most cases you should avoid starting any global variables or function names with an underscore. Identifiers starting with an underscore are often used by the host environment for special “under the hood” code, and name collisions there could cause problems.

	== Short Names ==		== Short Names ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:53, 23 February 2020
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	The MiniScript [[Category:Intrinsic Functions\|intrinsic functions]] and [[Mini Micro]] API have established the following conventions with regard to naming variables.	+	The MiniScript [[:Category:Intrinsic Functions\|intrinsic functions]] and [[Mini Micro]] API have established the following conventions with regard to naming variables.

	== Capitalization ==		== Capitalization ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:53, 23 February 2020
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	The MiniScript [[Intrinsic Functions\|intrinsic functions]] and [[Mini Micro]] API have established the following conventions with regard to naming variables.	+	The MiniScript [[Category:Intrinsic Functions\|intrinsic functions]] and [[Mini Micro]] API have established the following conventions with regard to naming variables.

	== Capitalization ==		== Capitalization ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:15, 21 February 2020
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	* <c>m</c>, <c>d</c>: a map (<c>d</c> is short for "dictionary")		* <c>m</c>, <c>d</c>: a map (<c>d</c> is short for "dictionary")
	* <c>l</c>, <c>a</c>: a list (<c>a</a> is short for "array"; and note that <c>l</c> looks very similar to <c>1</c>, and so should probably be avoided)		* <c>l</c>, <c>a</c>: a list (<c>a</a> is short for "array"; and note that <c>l</c> looks very similar to <c>1</c>, and so should probably be avoided)
		+
		+	[[Category:Conventions]]

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 == Short Names ==
-Very short variable names should be used only for fleeting purposes, such as loop counters in small loops, parameter names in small functions.  They are also often used when experimenting in a [[REPL]].  The following names are generally understood:
+Very short variable names should be used only for fleeting purposes, such as loop counters in small loops, or parameter names in small functions.  They are also often used when experimenting in a [[REPL]].  The following names are generally understood:
 * <c>i</c>, <c>j</c>: loop counters (usually numbers)

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 * <c>s</c>: a string, or any sequence
 * <c>m</c>, <c>d</c>: a map (<c>d</c> is short for "dictionary")
-* <c>l</c>, <c>a</c>: a list (<c>a</a> is short for "array"; and note that <c>l</c> looks very similar to <c>1</c>, and so should probably be avoided)
+* <c>l</c>, <c>a</c>: a list (<c>a</c> is short for "array"; and note that <c>l</c> looks very similar to <c>1</c>, and so should probably be avoided)
 [[Category:Conventions]]