120 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
120 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Clean Code Guidelines
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---
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# Clean Code Guidelines
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When coding, the coding style you follow can be really important. Specially when you are working with a team or you plan on sharing your
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code.
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Most of these guidelines are standard and can be applied to most of the programming languages, however, here you have applications and
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snippets with c++ code, so you can familiarize with it easier.
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Remember that these are only recommendations for achieving clarity, which can be a personal preference, so take these pieces of advice
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into account but don't take them to the letter. Sometimes breaking some of these rules can lead to cleaner code.
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## Use good variable names and make comments
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Make sure you create good variable names, for example, if you are creating a game, avoid using the variable "a" use something like "p1" referring to player 1. The [hungarian notation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_notation) is commonly spread and can give you some guidelines for declaring variables.
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Also, PLEASE, use comments, I'm not even kidding, just try to read some old projects you did without comments... now imagine being someone else who didn't even code it.
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## Global variables
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Global variables can be easy to use, and with little code it might look like a great solution. But, when the code gets larger and larger, it becomes harder to know when are they being used.
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Instead of using global variables you could use variables declared in functions which can help you telling what values are being passed
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and identifying errors faster.
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```cpp
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#include <iostream>
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using namespace std;
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// Global variables are declared outside functions
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int cucumber; // global variable "cucumber"
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```
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## Using goto, continue, etc.
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This is a usual discussion among programmers, just like global variables, these types of statements are usually considered bad practice.
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They are considered bad because they lead to ["spaghetti code"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti_code). When we program we want a
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linear flow, when using those statements the flow is modified and lead to a "twisted and tangled" flow.
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Goto was used in the past when while, for, if functions, however, with the introduction of those structured programming was created.
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In general avoid using goto unless you are sure it will make your code cleaner and easier to read. An example might be using it in nested loops.
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The usage of break and continue are practically the same. Use them in switches and try to make functions with an only purpose so you only have one exit point.
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## Avoid changing the control variable inside of a for loop
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Usually there are works around this that look clearer and less confusing, eg. while loops.
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Do:
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```cpp
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int i=1;
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while (i <= 5)
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{
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if (i == 2)
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i = 4;
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++i;
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}
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```
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Instead of:
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```cpp
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for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++)
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{
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if (i == 2)
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{
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i = 4;
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}
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// Do work
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}
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```
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## Declare constants and types at the top
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They are usually declared after libraries, this makes them be together and easier to read.
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For local variables it happens the same, declare them at the top (Other people prefer it declaring them as later as possible in order to save memory see: [cplusplus.com](http://www.cplusplus.com/forum/general/33612/)
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## Use only one return function at the end
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Just like we said before, we tend to make only one entry and exit to make the flow clearer.
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## Use curly braces even when writing one-liners
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Making it systematically will help you doing it faster and in case you want to change the code in the future you will be able to do it without worries.
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Instead of:
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```cpp
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for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++)
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//CODE
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```
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Do:
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```cpp
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for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++)
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{
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//CODE
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}
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```
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## Other recommendations
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* #### Use for when you know the number of iterations, while and do while when you don't.
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* #### Use const, pass by value/reference when suitable. This will help with saving memory.
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* #### Use proper indentations, so that it is easy to read and debug the code, for you, as well as for others.
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* #### Write const in caps, datatypes starting with T and variables in lower case.
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```cpp
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const int MAX= 100; //Constant
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typedef int TVector[MAX]; //Data type
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TVector vector; //Vector
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```
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