Java Coding Standards

naming - documentation - formatting - rules

The most important thing of standards is being consequent, always using the same choices of naming, code structure, etc.  Your code will be easier to understand and to write, you will easier remember variable, type and procedure names. This, together with structured programming techniques makes documentation only necessary for special non-obvious things in your code.

Naming Conventions

final int A_GLOBAL_CONSTANT= 5;             // Constants 






class NameOneTwo                          // Classes

int mVarAbc;                              // Class Attributes: start with 'm'




static StatusInfo sStatus;                // Static Variables: start with 's'


int handleError(int errorNumber)  	 // Methods & Method Arguments
{
    Time time_of_error;                   // Local Variables




}



  
  •  Names should make clear what they represent, it is half of
your documentation, don't be afraid to make them long
    • 

  •  Use the following standard abbreviations, for instance as a suffix:
    • 


  •  Prefixes can be useful for method names:
    • 


  •  Create standard abbreviations for your project, for word &
concepts you will use a lot
    • 

    

     Documentation
    
Besides the standard diagrams like the Nassi Schneider algorithm and
the UML class diagram, put all documentation in the code. With a clear
structure and good naming of variables and procedures, not much extra
explanation is
necessary.  eg PROCEDURE NbrItemsChosen() : don't add
redundant documentation like " this procedure returns the number of
Items chosen!"
Explain only special, non-obvious unexpected things. Furthermore, your
program
should be userfriendly, so keep it simple. 

    

     Comment policy:
    

     
  •  explanation of class (terminology, functions,
reasons, ...)
    • 
  
  •  In implementation: comment only where necessary!! Special
non-obvious things.
    • 
  
  •  Comments should document decisions
    
  
    • 

    

     Formatting
    

     
  •  Put a space in between '=',  '==', all
operators and after comma's!
    • 
  
  •  Indentation Policy:  
    • 

    

     
    

     switch (...){                        // Switch Format
          case 1:
             ...
          // FALL THROUGH

          case 2:{        
             int v;
             ...
          	 break;
          }

          default:
       }
    

     int SomeMethod(){
           if (condition){                 // Braces {} Polic       
              ...                   
           }
    

           while (6 == errorNum){          // Condition Format
    

              ...
    

           }
    

       } 
    

     Rules
    

     Only Initialize Variables when Necessary
    

     
    

     Use Short Methods
    

     Only one Statement Per Line
    

     Usually Avoid Embedded/Complicated Assignments
    

     
  •      eg: while ((c = getchar())
!= EOF)   or  i = j++;
    •