Coding Standards

Naming Conventions

No numbers in names except for image files!
Variable and function names should be descriptive of their purpose. NEVER USE abbreviations or acronyms.

• It’s alright to use basic variable names (“k”, “num”, etc) when they’re being used to iterate through in a for loop.
• Foreach loops referring to objects should still be descriptive of their purpose/nature.
• When strictly typing variables, format like the following: 'var myCoolvar : int = 5'

Variables:

• Name: camelCase

var exampleVariable

Constants:

• Name: ALL_CAPS

const EXAMPLE_CONSTANT

Enums:

• Name: PascalCase
• Members: ALL_CAPS

enum ExampleEnum {
    WALKING,
    IDLE,
    JUMPING
}

Functions (Includes Lambdas):

• Name: snake_case
• Parameters: camelCase

func example_function_name(var importantNumber):

Classes:

• Name: PascalCase

class BaseEnemyClass

Files/Scenes/Scripts/Nodes:

• Name: PascalCase

res://LevelFolder
TutorialLevel.tscn
PlayerScript.gd

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Commenting

Always include a single space between the start of a comment and the first word, additionally always capitalize the first letter!
When writing particularly complex code that might be hard to follow, provide adequate description.

Variables:

• 1 Hashtag
• Appears above declaration
• Related variables/comments grouped together for clarity, groups separated by spacing

# My cool variables
var myVariable: int
var myOtherVariable: bool = true

# My monetary variables
var dollars: int
var cents: int

# My unrelated variable
const MY_UNRELATED_VARIABLE = 42

Functions:

• 2 Hashtags
• Appears above function
• Summary of the functions
• Descriptions of the fields
• Return value
• Comments in code blocks where necessary describing complex sections
• Include any references/resources used

## Adds two numbers together
## x: First number 
## y: Second number 
## Returns the sum of both numbers
## https://stackoverflow.com/questions
func add_numbers(x: int, y: int) -> int:
	# Adds both numbers together
	return x + y

Tags:

• 1 Hashtag
• Appears above related section
• ALL CAPS no spaces
• Use tags throughout code for actionable/notable items

# BUG: [Description of bug]
# TODO: [Description of work that still needs to be done]
# STRETCH: [Short description of stretch goal that would go here]
# WARNING: [Short description of potential problem]

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Styling

• ALWAYS USE SEMICOLONS TO END LINES;
• Maintain proper indentation
• Use double ampersand && and double vertical bars || for logic
• Utilize white-space to help divide distinctive sections of code into blocks for increased readability. (Follow to best of ability, but wiggle room)
  • functions are separated by one line of whitespace below
  • loops, if/switch statements and code functionality of that nature is separated by an one line of whitespace above and below
  • One space before and after operators in equations/functions
  • One space after colon and before equals when typing variables

var myVariable : int = 3 + 5 * 10; 

func my_function() -> void:
    var myFloat: float = false;
    
    for number in range(myVariable):
        myFloat += 0.1;

    print(str(myFloat));

func my_other_function():
    # code continues below

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Principles

• DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself)
  • If the same process is being repeated in several areas, turn it into a helper function.
• Strict typing (ALWAYS)
• Keep functions on the shorter side, if possible break them up when they get too long (> 40 lines as a rough number)
• Composition > Inheritance
• Focus on modularity
• Any function that encounters an error condition should return 0 for debugging.
• NEVER use “$NodeName” to get a reference to a node.
• ALWAYS use @export to reference nodes in predictable places.
• AVOID navigating the tree in code if not absolutely necessary.
• NEVER optimize prematurely. BUT DON’T THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND.
• Use scenes like prefabs wherever possible.