Naming Style? Oh, You’ll Care When It Breaks Your Code 😅
Let me say it out loud — I didn’t care about naming style when I wrote my first few lines of code. I just wanted things to work. You too? Yeah, I get it.
But soon, my code became a spaghetti mess 🤦♀️. Function names didn’t match. Variable names were all over the place. I couldn’t tell where one word ended and another began.
That’s when I discovered the magic of naming conventions — especially the four superheroes of clarity: camelCase, snake_case, kebab-case, and PascalCase. And trust me, if you’re even remotely serious about clean coding (or working on a team), learning these naming styles is non-negotiable.
So grab a chai ☕ or coffee and let me walk you through these naming styles like a friend would. No jargon. Just plain talk. Let’s go! 🚀
🐫 1. Camel Case – The Humpy Hero of Naming Style
Example: myVariableName, getUserData, isLoggedIn
This one’s a classic. The first word is in lowercase, but every word after starts with a capital letter — just like a camel with humps 🐫.
✅ Where to use camel case:
- JavaScript functions:
fetchData() - Java method names:
calculateTotal() - Variable names in many modern languages
Why it works?
It improves readability without using symbols or underscores. It’s concise and loved in the JavaScript world.
👉 Naming style tip: Use camel case for functions and variables in JS, Java, and Swift.
🐍 2. Snake Case – The Underscore Warrior
Example: my_variable_name, user_logged_in
Snake case replaces spaces with underscores and makes everything lowercase. Like a snake slithering through your code. 🐍
✅ Where to use snake case:
- Python variables:
user_data,item_price - Database column names:
user_id,created_at
Why use it?
Snake case is super readable. No capitalization confusion. It’s widely used in Python and data science.
👉 Naming style tip: Use snake case when writing Python variables, file names, or SQL column names.
🥓 3. Kebab Case – Tasty But Tricky
Example: my-variable-name, fetch-user-data
Looks like a kebab skewer 🍢 with dashes in between. It’s popular in URLs and some front-end tech.
✅ Where to use kebab case:
- HTML file names:
about-us.html - CSS classes:
.main-header - URLs:
mywebsite.com/my-profile
But be careful — kebab case is not allowed in JavaScript variable names. JavaScript sees the dash - as a minus operator!
👉 Naming style tip: Stick to kebab case for file names, CSS, and URLs — never use it in variables!
🧑🏫 4. Pascal Case – The Proper Case
Example: MyVariableName, FetchData, UserProfile
Pascal case is like camel case, but with a twist — the first letter is capitalized too.
✅ Where to use Pascal case:
- Class names:
User,PaymentGateway - Constructors in JavaScript or Java
- C# method and property names
It looks neat and formal — like naming your kids with capital letters 😄.
👉 Naming style tip: Use Pascal case for class names, components in React, and constructors.
💥 Real-Life Mistake That Taught Me the Hard Way
I once worked on a team project where three of us were naming variables differently:
- I used camelCase:
userEmail - My friend used snake_case:
user_email - Another one (don’t ask why 😅) went with PascalCase:
UserEmail
You can imagine the chaos. Merge conflicts. Bugs. Broken logic. All because we didn’t agree on a naming style. That’s the day I swore to follow consistent naming.
Moral of the story? Consistency isn’t optional — it’s survival.
⚔️ Comparison Table – Which Naming Style Should You Use?
| Naming Style | Example | Common Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| camelCase | myVariableName | JS variables, Java methods |
| snake_case | my_variable_name | Python, SQL, file names |
| kebab-case | my-variable-name | CSS classes, URLs |
| PascalCase | MyVariableName | Class names, Constructors |
✅ Best Practices for Naming Styles
Let me leave you with some battle-tested tips I’ve learned along the way:
- 🔁 Be consistent – Once you pick a naming style, stick to it across your project.
- 📚 Follow language conventions – For example, Python prefers snake_case, JavaScript prefers camelCase.
- 🚫 Avoid abbreviations – Write full words unless they’re standard (e.g.,
id,URL,HTML). - 🧠 Make names meaningful –
userAgeis better thanua.
🌐 Want More? Dive Deeper Here:
- Mastering Function Keys: The Developer’s Ultimate Cheat Sheet
- PEP 8 – Python Naming Conventions – the official Python style guide.
💬 Final Thoughts – Naming Styles Are Silent Superheroes
I didn’t think naming style mattered until I worked on a real-world project. Now? It’s the first thing I check before writing code.
Coding isn’t just about solving logic problems. It’s about writing code that you — and your teammates — can read six months later without going “what the heck is this?!”
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So whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned coder, choosing the right naming style is a tiny habit that makes a huge difference. And hey, the next time someone asks what kebab case is, you’ll have the tastiest answer 😎.
