While the Google Style Guide champions code readability, its stance against underscores in naming conventions raises questions, especially when considering global developer inclusivity and practical code clarity. This article delves into why the Google style guide’s recommendation might overlook crucial aspects of code maintainability and accessibility.
The argument against underscores often centers on encouraging developers to create “better” single-word names. However, this approach can be counterproductive. Forcing single-word names can lead to less intuitive and more obscure terms. When a name naturally comprises multiple words, using underscores often enhances clarity rather than hindering it. Insisting on concatenation might result in names that are harder to parse at a glance, ironically decreasing readability. Developers, even when nudged, might still create convoluted names, which would arguably be slightly better with underscores to delineate word boundaries.
Moreover, the Google style guide’s position can unintentionally disadvantage non-native English speakers. For those not fluent in English, compounded words without underscores can be significantly harder to decipher. Many programming languages, like C++, Java, and Ruby, effectively use underscores to improve code comprehension. For non-native English speakers, recalling function names and quickly understanding code is crucial for productivity. The subtle friction introduced by removing underscores – having to double-check if a word is separated or combined – can accumulate and hinder workflow. Underscores act as visual cues, making code more accessible and reducing cognitive load, especially for a diverse, global developer community.
In conclusion, while aiming for concise and clear naming is commendable, rigidly avoiding underscores, as suggested by the Google style guide, may be an oversimplification. Underscores offer a pragmatic approach to naming, improving readability, and promoting inclusivity for non-native English speakers. Perhaps a more balanced approach, acknowledging the benefits of underscores in specific contexts, would enhance the practicality and global applicability of style guides.
