Whats your go-to naming convention?

It depends a bit on the use case. I try to follow naming conventions within specific environments like Python. When just sorting some documents together, I usually do a mix of Kebab and snake case, where I split semantic parts with underscores and connect words with dashes like

2024-08-30_author_document-name_other-important-info.ext

Snake case.

• Starts with a lowercase, good for shell autocompletion
• No spaces, so no worrying about spaces in shell commands
• '_' is better than '-' because it shows the spaces between words more clearly

I put an unnecessary amount of spaces in all my file names to break anyone who wants to use CLI tools on them

i use windows btw

COOLFI~1.AME

Underscore to delineate different parts, hypen to delineate words.

Like: my-resume_draft.pdf

And to make it consistent and easier to reuse parts for project names and such, I have a command line utility written for it. It caches the parts and uses a template system (support for generating current datetime in parts)

Available here (is in AUR too):

https://github.com/Atreyagaurav/nameit

SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE just has the best name

I like Camel Case for code, but mostly because it's ingrained in my brain, coming from Java as my first language.

For folders and files, I like Kebab Case.

I am a fan of Python's or Rust's official conventions.

For package names, tho, I don't get why this-is-used over this_clearly_better_system, as I would expect a double click to select_the_whole_thing, whereas it does-not-happen-here.

For files, kebab case. For variables, snake case. For servers, megaman villains.

Camel case, but with a twist -- if the next word is about to start after a capital letter, I'll have it lower case.

topSecretFBIfile.txt for example

IT'S

COOLFILE.NAM

THERE IS ONLY 8.3 AND THERE IS ONLY UPPERCASE

I like to use my enterprise number and a UUID (all in lower case, for legibility). Here's an example:

.1.3.6.1.4.1.33230.0d456e46-67e6-11ef-9c92-7b175b3ab1f1

Now you might say that the UUID is already globally unique or at least pretty unlikely to turn up anywhere else, so why bother prefixing it with more stuff? To that I say: "I need to be absolutely or at least reasonably sure ... OK nearly sure".

Anyway, you maintain a database of these things and then attach documentation and meaning to them. An editor could abstract and hide that away.

I started this post as a joke. Not sure anymore. Why get your knickers in a twist with naming conventions for variables and constants. Programming is already a whopping layer of abstraction from what the logic gates are up to, another one wont hurt!

How about "cool file name"?

All my systems use modern file systems that are case sensitive and can contain any character except / and \0.

WIAT, Y R U CALLIN IT SCREAMING CASE THAT SOUNDS FKN DUM TBH

L8R DOODZ

-SP4SEM4N B1FF

25% Camel case, 25% Pascal and 50% of the time flatcase. It drives me insane when I try and autocomplete a folder only to realise it was Downloads instead of downloads. I keep telling myself i will go through and make it all flatcase but I put it off because i tell myself i will rebuild my computer next week every week.

I’ve never been to a naming convention but I have been to some comic conventions!

Snake case. I find it the easiest to read.

The only correct answer is to be consistent with the code base you're working in or the language's conventions. If neither of these conventions exist, then someone has already failed you.

For files? An unholy amalgam of snake, kebab and dot, depending on what exactly I'm trying to convey. (I still have much-ported files around with DOS 8.3 filenames, so they're truncated scream case (SCREAMIN.NAM), but I don't actively name files like that anymore.) The important thing is to separate the words/sections while using characters that are valid without escapes in both ext4 and vfat if at all possible.

For variable names, camel or Pascal case (depending on language convention) if I think anyone else is going to read it. Flat case for code I don't think anyone else is ever going to see (don't do this—it has left teethmarks in my ass from time to time and will do the same to you).

Random mix and match. I’m all for diversity!

Kebab or snake for ease of parsing through them.

It really depends.

If I know I will never open the file in the terminal or batch process it in someways, I will name it using Common Case: "Cool Filename.odt".

Anything besides that, snake case. Preferably prefixed with current date: "20240901_cool_filename"

Unless I can't, Kebab.

No need to hold Shift.

Kebab. Not my favorite visually speaking but I had RSI issues for a while and I'm still very focused on limiting keystrokes (no shift key needed with kebab).

Depending on environment/language and policies. As long as its consistent throughout the project.

Snake case, but I'm the World's second worst programmer and just name files like this because I was alive when spaces were not allowed.

Rfc3339 plus kebab case for many things

2024-09-01_lname-fname-resume.pdf

I've got a personal convention that file names get snake case, directory names get Pascal case.

IWRITELOTSOFBASH

Depends. Java-like languages ofc camel/pascal case.
Bash, Python, etc., snake case, with constants as uppercase.
Filenames: I prefer snake case.

I like snake, but in some interfaces the underscores blend into the text line or are not rendered properly, so it becomes eaaier to discern if the filename has spaces or separators by using kebab.

It heavily depends on the context: Filenames? Variables? Functions? Interfaces/Classes? Java? C? Shell?

This question just shows how messed up, and broken much of IT is.

Snake case, usually. Some perhaps unfounded fear that something will blow up on a dash in a file name kicking around. Or I'll do a weird typo/premature enter and part of the file name will be treated like a -flag of some sort.

Both snake and camel case. Sometimes I mix it in the same project and I hate myself for it

Pascal_Snek_Case

Whatever case I get when my finger reaches the shift key.

code: camel or snake, depending on language

files/dirs: snake + kebab + dot mixture (trying to avoid caps and special chars here)

I generally end up using snake case.

I've got one more to add to your list, and I hate it, but it's worth mentioning: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_notation

It's when the data type is in the name of the variable.

I don't like it but I am used to reading old C codebase (windows: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/stg/coding-style-conventions) with Hungarian notation.

pszMyString 😥

My file

General purpose: Kebab case

But really, follow the conventions of what you're working on. For example, I'd use pascal case when working on a Java/Kotlin project, and snake case when working on a Python project.

I kebab case mine for personal files.

It's mostly because I don't have to use a modifier key and it's doesn't need url encoding and all in the same lowercase. Dot notation looks nice but I feel like dots are for extensions only. Flat case is horrible to read, screaming case even worse, camel/pascal case to many times ends up as coolFileNAme on first time typing.

I've done a couple of different styles because of programming in different languages but now if I have to do anything that's not kebab case I make a small frown.

Camel case for short names snake case if it starts getting hard to read

For files, date+Snake: 20240831Letter_to_Rodney.odt For variables, Screaming

Snake case for all kinds of file names and camel case for programming

stOcHaStIC-l33t-CasE FTW yizzo.

I use flat case most of the time, but I also try to stick to single word files so there is no case to get in the way.

I think for documents I might share like a PDF I'd use Pascal case.

In a classroom or teaching setting I will sometimes use Kebab case as I find it is the least confusing and makes it extra clear where the word division is. Similarly I avoid Dot notation since it's confusing for folks coming from a Windows world.

And I would avoid Screaming because that's just too loud anywhere.

I go with the "quotation case", "Cool file name".

Snake case and kebab case mixed arbitrarily.

For files? I like title case (like in article headlines). For example, I have a "Shell Tricks.txt". I'm not really consistent though, sometimes it's all lowercase or whatever really.

FileName_IMPORTANTCATEGORIZATION.yyyy.ext

With all bits being optional (not every file needs the date it refers to)

So eg (slight modifications for anonymity):

SunLifeInsureance_SIGNED.2024.Q1.pdf

SpotDoesTrickAndFalls_ORIG.mp4

JSmithPassport_CANADA.2015_2025.pdf (I am a dual citizen)

JSmithCOVIDPass_DOSE1.2021.pdf

I try to make everything Pascal case. It's easy to read in a terminal and pretty easy to type.

Snake if writing in python

Camel if writing in PowerShell

I tend to stick with what the language wants me to use.

PascalCaseForTheWin

Have been defaulting to kebab case for variable and function names in all languages recently because of cargo yelling at me

Pascal case for class names cause c#, snake case for python files because it doesn't like kebab

Screaming case for env files because that's what everybody else does

Depending on the file it’s either dot notation or flat case.

Snake case or kebab case I guess. But why is it called kebab case?

1337 case = k3wlf1l3n4m3

Gotta live the Ocaml_case

If its my own personal code, snake case, if I am sharing with my frontend devs then camel case. If I am writing short scripts, then flat.

I took a CS class that was java based, and now my go-to is Pascal for file names. Sometimes I do flat or screaming just 'cause.

Kebab for most things, camel for source code

Related: a list and explanation of variable naming conventions https://www.pluralsight.com/blog/software-development/programming-naming-conventions-explained

Pascal or camel case for code, snake case for files and screaming snake case for globals

I use PascalCase for classes, camelCase for functions and variables, SCREAMINGCASE combined with snake_case for constants and for filenames/folders mostly snake_case with kebab-case if date or timestamp is involved.

camelCase for non-source-code files. I find camelCase faster to "parse" for some reason (probably just because I've spent thousands of hours reading and writing camelCase code). For programming, I usually just use whatever each language's standard library uses, for consistency. I prefer camelCase though.

camel for java. flat for c

CaN't BeLiVe No OnE eLsE uSeS mOrOn ScRiPt FoR eVeRyThInG!

depends on the color of my mood ring

Snake Case and Pascal Case is what I tend to default to

Kebab case with Pascal case in the usual places. I'd change to all kebab case but the muscle memory of typing Documents would nearly kill me.

my go_to NamingCovention: ANYTHING but camel-case 🤮

I use camel case for methods and functions and snake case for variables. And pascal case for constants. Why? I don’t really know, it makes for a nice distinction I guess.

Pascal and Kebab case

Pascal for server code running C# and Camel for client running TypeScript.

generally i still to camelcase if i have no separators, if i do have separators i stick to - now. _ sucks. I use . notation when dealing with copies of files.bak or something like that.

If i feel really special i throw a space in the name just because

Since Linux is caps sensitive, at least I always use lowercase.

I guess I use kebab case for any file used for IT projects

Pascal or Camel are best cases

• Media: Cool_file_name
• Other: cool-file-name

I do kebab with underscores.

Me, a sick fuck, who likes a quick fuck:

/etc/moron-syntax/I\ write\ like\ a\ gay\ fish\ \(\Kanye\)\