CMSC 104 - C Coding Standards

Naming Conventions

• Begin variable names with lowercase letters
• Begin function names with uppercase letters
• Use all uppercase for symbolic constants (#define)
• Do not use global variables
• Use meaningful identifiers
• Be consistent!
• Separate "words" within identifiers with underscores or mixed upper and lowercase.
• Examples:
  2-"word" variable name: baudRate or baud_Rate
  2-"word" function name: ProcessError or Process_Error

Use of Whitespace

• Use blank lines to separate major parts of a source file or function.
• Separate declarations from executable statements with a blank line.
• If possible, configure text editor to use spaces rather than tabs.
• Use tab stops of 3 or 4
• Preprocessor directives, function prototypes, and headers of function definitions begin in column 1.
• All statements in the body of a function are indented one tab stop; statements inside of a loop or part of an "if" structure are indented further.

Use of Braces

• Always use braces to mark the beginning and end of a loop or "if" structure, even when not required.

Comments

• Every source file should contain an opening comment describing the contents of the file and other pertinent information (author's name, creation date, history of changes, special notes or compilation instructions).
• Each function should have a header comment which states the purpose of the function and the details of its usage.
• Include additional comments to explain use of variables, to delineate the major parts of functions, and to help the reader understand anything that's not obvious.