Excerpt
Snake case, camel case, Pascal case and kebab case are common naming conventions in coding. Learn the difference, pros and cons of each style and recommendations for using them effectively.
When naming variables, functions, classes, IDs, and other identifiers in code, developers have several casing convention options to choose from. Some of the most common are snake case, camel case, Pascal case and kebab case. In this post, we’ll compare these naming styles.
Introduction
Naming conventions in coding refer to how we style identifiers like variables and functions. Popular conventions include:
Snake case - example_variable
Camel case - exampleVariable
Pascal case - ExampleVariable
Kebab case - example-variable
These formats have different tradeoffs related to readability, usage, and consistency that we’ll explore.
Snake Case
Snake case uses all lowercase letters, with underscores between words. For example:
1file_name = "data.csv"
It’s the predominant naming style in languages like:
- Python
- C
- Unix shell scripts
- Ruby
Snake casing provides good visual separation between words for readability. The all-lowercase style also keeps it distinct from class names.
Camel Case
Camel case capitalizes the first letter of each word except the first. For example:
1let fileName = "data.csv";
Camel case is very common in:
- JavaScript
- Java
- C#
- PHP
There are a few variations like lowerCamelCase which keeps the first word lowercase. But the general camel case style is widely used.
Pascal Case
Pascal case capitalizes the first letter of each word in an identifier. For example:
1class FileName {
2 // Class code
3}
It is primarily used for:
- Class names in OOP
- Constructor functions
- Enum values
The capital first letter helps distinguish class names from variables and functions.
Kebab Case
Kebab case uses hyphens to separate words in a name. For example:
1.class-name {
2 /* CSS rules */
3}
Kebab casing is common in:
- CSS class names
- HTML IDs and data attributes
- Lisp programming
It’s useful in HTML/CSS since hyphens can be used in names.
Comparison
How do these naming conventions compare for readability and use?
- Snake case - Highly readable but can be awkward to type
- Camel case - Natural capitalization but less visual separation
- Pascal case - Clear for class names but overuse reduces readability
- Kebab case - Distinct with hyphens but hyphens not always usable
There are also tradeoffs around usage in different languages and tooling support.
Best Practices
Some tips for using these naming conventions effectively:
- Adhere to language-specific conventions
- Be consistent within a given codebase
- Use meaningful, pronounceable names
- Take advantage of auto-formatters
- Linting can help enforce styles
Conclusion
Snake case, camel case, Pascal case and kebab case all have appropriate use cases. There is no single “best” format to use everywhere.
Choose naming styles based on language conventions and consistency within a codebase for maximum readability. Tools like formatters and linters can help automate this. The main point is to be consistent.
Using well-established naming conventions improves code comprehension, collaboration and quality. Follow the standards for your language and make meaningful name choices.
