x_team_style_guide.md

X-Team 18 Style Guide

We will be following the CS400 style guide for programming in Java.

Naming conventions

• Be consistent.
• Names should use camelCase.
• Method names that are over 3 words in length should use underscores.
• Names should of course be relevant to their function.
• Classes, interfaces, exception types should start with a capital letter.

Examples

• interfaces
  • public interface SearchTreeADT {}
• classes
  • public class BalancedSearchTree {}
• exception types
  • EmptyQueueException
• fields
  • private int heightOfTree;
• methods
  • public void test01_isEmpty_on_empty_tree() {}
  • public String toString() {}
• parameters
  • (Treenode rootOfSubtree)
• local variables
  • int leftNodeIndex;
• instance constants
  • private final double exponentIncrement;
• class constants
  • private static final double piValue = 3.14;

Commenting style for public and private members of a class or interface:

• Be consistent.
• Comments should be descriptive and concise to increase readability.
• In-line comments should have descriptions for complex blocks of code and algorithms.
• Comments for public members of classes.
• Comments should add information to otherwise obscure blocks of code.
• Javadoc for methods is not required and optional.

Examples

• classes

  • // inner node class to store key items and links to other nodes
  • protected class Treenode<K extends Comparable> {}

• fields

  • // pointer node to parent node of current state
  • private State pointer;

• constructors

  • // constructs a Treenode with item as key and null for left and right children
  • public Treenode(K item) {
    • this(item, null, null);
  • }

• methods

  • // rotates subtree of node left using algorithm from class
  • private Treenode leftRot(Treenode node) {}

• coding style (brackets, horizontal, and vertical spacing) for:

  • if statements
    • if(( bool && (3 >= 5)) || !boolValue) {
      • intValue = 5;
    • } else {
      • return;
    • }
  • switch statement
    • switch (month) {
      • case 1: monthString = "January";
        • break;
      • case 2: monthString = "February";
        • break;
      • default: monthString = "Invalid month";
        • break;
    • }
  • while loops
    • while(true) {
      • intValue++;
    • }
  • for loops
    • for(int i = 0; i < str.length; i++) {
      • array.add(i);
    • }
  • enhanced for loops
    • for(State successor : successors) {
      • stack.push(successor);
    • }