C++ Programming HOW-TO: C++ Coding Standards

17. C++ Coding Standards

Coding standard is very essential for readability and maitainence of programs. And it also greatly inproves the productivity of the programmer. The GNU C++ compiler must enforce coding discipline. The following is suggested - inside class definition:

All public variables must begin with m like mFooVar. The m stands for member.
All protected variables must begin with mt, like mtFooVar and methods with t, like tFooNum(). The t stands for protected.
All private variables must begin with mv, like mvFooVar and methods with v, like vFooLone(). The v stands for private.
All public, protected and private variables must begin with uppercase after m like F in mFooVar.
All pointer variables must be prefixed with p, like
- Public variables mpFooVar and methods like FooNum()
- Protected variables mtpFooVar and methods with t like tFooNum()
- Private variables mvpFooVar and methods with v like vFooNum()

The compiler should generate error if the code does not follow above standard. The C++ compiler can provide a flag option to bypass strict coding standard to compile old source code, and for all new code being developed will follow the uniform world-wide coding standard.

In the sample code given below t stands for protected, v stands for private, m stands for member-variable and p stands for pointer.

class SomeFunMuncho
{
        public:
                int     mTempZimboniMacho; // Only temporary variables should be public as per OOP
                float   *mpTempArrayNumbers;
                int     HandleError();
                float   getBonyBox();  // Public accessor as per OOP design
                float   setBonyBox();  // Public accessor as per OOP design
        protected:
                float   mtBonyBox;
                int     *mtpBonyHands;
                char    *tHandsFull();
                int     tGetNumbers();
        private:
                float   mvJustDoIt;
                char    mvFirstName[30];
                int     *mvpTotalValue;
                char    *vSubmitBars();
                int     vGetNumbers();
};

When your program grows by millions of lines of code, then you will greatly appreciate the naming convention as above. The readability of code improves, because just by looking at the variable name like mvFirstName you can tell that it is member of a class and is a private variable.

Visit the C++ Coding Standards URLs

C++ FAQ Lite - Coding standards http://new-brunswick.net/workshop/c++/faq/coding-standards.html
Rice university coding standard http://www.cs.rice.edu/~dwallach/CPlusPlusStyle.html
Identifiers to avoid in C++ Programs http://oakroadsystems.com/tech/cppredef.htm
Coding standards from Possibility http://www.possibility.com/Cpp/CppCodingStandard.html and mirror site
Coding standards for Java and C++ from Ambysoft http://www.ambysoft.com/javaCodingStandards.html
Rules and recommendations http://www.cs.umd.edu/users/cml/cstyle/
Indent and annotate http://www.cs.umd.edu/users/cml/cstyle/indhill-annot.html
Elemental rules http://www.cs.umd.edu/users/cml/cstyle/Ellemtel-rules.html
C++ style doc http://www.cs.umd.edu/users/cml/cstyle/Wildfire-C++Style.html
C++ Coding Standards by Brett Scolcum http://www.skypoint.com/~slocum/prog/cppstds.html
Logikos C++ Coding Standards http://www.logikos.com/standards/cpp_std.html
NRad C++ coding standards http://cadswes.colorado.edu/~billo/standards/nrad
BEJUG C++ coding standards http://www.meurrens.org/ip-Links/java/joodcs/ToddHoff.html
Arctic Labs coding standards http://www.arcticlabs.com/codingstandards
See also
For rapid navigation with ctags Vim color text editor
To improve productivity see C++ Beautifier HOWTO

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