CMSC Coding Standards Summary

Coding standards make up 15% of each programming project. Although every attempt is made to summarize each coding standard, some may have been inadvertently left off this list. It is your repsonsibility to read and understand the complete coding standards document.

Minor deviations from the standard carry a 1 or 5 point deduction depending on how many infractions are found.
Major deviations from the standard carry a 5 or 10 point deduction depending on how many infractions are found.
Serious deviations from the standard carry a 10 or 15 point deduction depending on how many infractions are found.

For example, if only one function name does not follow the function naming convention, expect a 1-point deduction. If several function names fail to follow the function naming convention, expect a 5-point deduction.

You should expect to have points deducted from your project score for each of the following.

Minor Infractions (1 or 5 points)

1. use of file extensions other than .C and .H
2. primary file ( the one with main() ) not named projN.C (e.g. Proj1.C)
3. executable not named ProjN (e.g. Proj3)
4. .H files not guarded
5. unnecessary inclusion of header files
6. failure to follow naming conventions for
   • class names
   • class data members
   • class methods
   • variables
   • functions
7. use of poorly named variables, constants or functions
8. function prototypes with unnamed parameters
9. functions with empty parameter list that is not explicity "void"
10. constant names, values and comments not columnar in declaration
11. multiple variable declarations per line

    Major Infractions (5 or 10 points)

12. multiple classes defined in one .H file
13. multiple classes implemented in one .C file
14. multiple private and/or public sections in class definition
15. insufficient or improper use of const for parameters and methods
16. insufficient or improper use of reference parameters
17. default values for parameters not specified in the prototype
18. use of magic numbers and magic strings
19. improper use of single-letter variable names
20. code that is unreadable
    This would include such items as
    • insufficient use of blank lines
    • insufficient use of spaces
    • improper code indentation (too little or too much)
    • in-line comments improperly indented or improperly placed
21. Appropriate comment style
    This would include items such as
    • insufficient in-line comments in the code
    • comments that contradict the code
    • comments that belabor the obvious
22. invalid style for braces
23. incomplete or missing file header comments
24. incomplete or missing function header comments

    Serious Infractions (10 or 15 points)

25. class method(s) implemented in .H file
26. class data members that are not private
27. use of global variables
28. untested pre-conditions