One of the most important things (and for most is not so important) is that the Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship, "by Robert C. Martin , addresses is the nomenclature you give to variables, classes, and everything else. This is found in Chapter 2, "Meaningful Names."

Be expressive and self-explanatory when naming. But why?

The mentality you have to have when programming is that you are programming for others to read your code later. One day that stretch of gambiarra that even you do not have to be maintained by someone. The funny thing is that this person can be both you in a few months as an entire team.

Theonlyvalidmeasureofcodequality:WTFsperminute

ToprovewhatI'msaying,answerme:whatdoesthiscodedo?

for(intj=0;j<34;j++){s+=(t[j]*4)/5;}

FromCodeReviewRoom:

  

"WTF ?! WTF ?! WTF?!"

You probably do not know it or the reviewers! It's not just because you do not know what project it is, or even the programming language. It's because the variables are badly written. See the same code with a little more expressiveness and self-explanation:

const int realDaysPerIdealDay = 4;
const int WORK_DAYS_PER_WEEK = 5;
int sum = 0;
for (int j = 0; j < NUMBER_OF_TASKS; j++) {
    int realTaskDays = taskEstimate[j] * realDaysPerIdealDay;
    int realTaskWeeks = (realdays / WORK_DAYS_PER_WEEK);
    sum += realTaskWeeks;
}

Not only are the variables better named but like those numbers that were fixed and doing calculations were moved to constants. This is to let the code explain itself and do not need thousands of comments explaining what it does.

Writing meaningful names

It's not an easy task. The fragments below were taken from the book I quoted at the beginning.

Names should reveal their intentions

Just as you will name a function, class, or variable, you can convey to anyone who reads what it does, how it does, why it does, and how it is used.

int tmm; // não use
int tempoMedioMinutos; // use
int tempoMedioEmMinutos; // use

Avoid misinformation

For languages that are poorly typed, such as JavaScript, this can cause a problem. Why would you name a variable of listaContas if it is not even a list?

Make distinctions with meaning

Sometimes we use words that add nothing to naming a class.

What do you tell me about classes Produto , ProdutoInfo and ProdutoData ? Are they different? On what? In that case, go back there to "Names should reveal their intentions" and rewrite with meaning.

Use searchable names

Remember back that I talked about the constant after I asked you what that code meant? It's the same case.

if (visitor.CountryCode == '1237') { 
    visitor.redirectTo('/al');
}

against:

const BLOCKED_COUNTRY_CODE = '1237';
if (visitor.CountryCode = BLOCKED_COUNTRY_CODE) {
    visitor.redirectTo('/al');
}

We were able to give meaning to a value that was coupled in a fixed, constant way. So it's easy to read and find too.

More ...

Here I talked about the little of the little that the book addresses. This is a read more than recommended for programmers. Good reading:)

Beyond Clean Code

It's not just the book that tackles this. Python's Python PEP , commonly called "The Zen of Python", which can be applied not only to Python, says that:

Of the 19 points that this PEP speaks of, these two are well applicable in this context.

• Prefer readability, write to others or the future-you will understand
• Be explicit when naming members and using the characteristics of a language.

From the assumptions raised here, you can infer whether to name:

<div id='1'>1</div>
<div id='2'>2</div>
<div id='3'>3</div>

It's a bad practice or not. You can even conclude whether $i = 0 is good or not.

Now whenever you program, ask yourself: How many WTFs per minute would you get in code review?

You have a Filipe Deschamps video about importance of names and Clean Code . It actually has a series of videos on Clean Code. He said:

  

If we think that by taking the syntax of a code, basically what remains is a lot of name behind another name, calling another name, and so on.