How “self-documenting” can code be without being annoying? [closed]

Answer 1

I actually use long variable names all the time, after all modern IDEs and texteditors have completion, so there is nothing wrong with using index instead if i. The only exception I have is when dealing with coordinates b/c x and y make the most sense there.

Answer 2

Never abbr.

Answer 3

I agree with Kilhoffer; I prefer to see descriptive variable names in almost every context. I will abbreviate if my variable names are longer than 20 characters or so, usually with words in the variable name (eg: "SomeVeryLongVarValue").

Of course, I also use hungarian notation whenever I can, so I might well be in the other extreme camp of trying to make my variables names overly descriptive, depending on your perspective.

Answer 4

I am probably going to be completely booed but I wanted to make sure this view was heard.

While longer variable names can be more descriptive they can begin to mire the original intent of the program. I feel that on API elements it is important to have clear and meaningful names in the context that they will be used.

Within each function or method this is often a different story. I try to write less and keep it very terse. This is known as spartan programming al a Mr. Atwood and this nifty example. Yes, the example is clearly rigged but it does demonstrate how having a little less ceremony can actually make reading the program easier.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Personally, I would MUCH rather see longer names that actually mean something without having to determine the context first. Of course, variables that don't lend real meaning, such as counters, I still use small meaningless variable names (such as i or x), but otherwise verbosity is clarity most of the time. This is especially true with public APIs.

This can be taken too far, however. I've seen some VB code in the past that way ridiculous. Moderation like everything else!

Answer 6

Out of scope things like constants and globals should have long descriptive names. Sometimes a really long name will make it "smell" just enough to signal it's presence as being unwanted. This is a good thing becuase it will 1 - make people avoid it, 2 - increase the pressue to refactor the code to make it go away.