Naming Conventions

• C# Coding Standards and Naming Conventions

  • Offical Reference

• ASP.NET Controls Naming Conventions

C# Coding Standards and Naming Conventions

1. Do use PascalCasing for class names and method names:

    public class SendMailService
    {
        public void SendMail()
        {
            //...
        }
        public async Task<bool> SendMailAsync()
        {
            //...
        }
    }

2. Do use camelCasing for method arguments and local variables:

    public class AccountController
    {
        public Add(UserViewModel userViewModel)
        {
            var result = new GenericResult(int);
            //...
        }

3. Do NOT use Hungarian notation or any other type identification in identifiers

    // Correct
    int counter;
    string name;
   
    // Avoid
    int iCounter;
    string strName;

   Why: In general you want to avoid type indicators in any identifier.

4. Do NOT use Screaming Caps for constants or readonly variables

    // Correct
    public static const string ShippingType = "DropShip";  
   
    // Avoid
    public static const string SHIPPINGTYPE = "DropShip";
    public static const string SHIPPING_TYPE = "DropShip";

   Why: Caps grap too much attention.

5. Avoid using Abbreviations. Exceptions: abbreviations commonly used as names, such as Id, Xml, Ftp, Uri.

    // Correct
    UserGroup userGroup;
    Assignment employeeAssignment;
   
    // Avoid
    UserGroup usrGrp;
    Assignment empAssignment;
   
    // Exceptions
    CustomerId customerId;
    XmlDocument xmlDocument;
    FtpHelper ftpHelper;
    UriPart uriPart;

   Why: Prevents inconsistent abbreviations.

6. Do use PascalCasing for abbreviations 3 characters or more (2 chars are both uppercase)

    HtmlHelper htmlHelper;
    FtpTransfer ftpTransfer;
    UIControl uiControl;

   Why: Caps would grap visually too much attention

7. Do NOT use Underscores in identifiers. Exception: you can prefix private static variables with an underscore.

    // Correct
    DateTime modifiedDate;
    TimeSpan deltaTime;
   
    // Avoid
    public DateTime modified_date;
    public TimeSpan delta_time;
   
    // Exception 
    private DateTime _modifiedDate;

   Why: makes code more natural to read (without 'slur'). Also avoids underline stress (inability to see underline).

8. Do use predefined type names instead of system type names like Int16, Single, UInt64, etc

    // Correct
    string firstName;
    int lastIndex;
    bool isSaved;
   
    // Avoid
    String firstName;
    Int32 lastIndex;
    Boolean isSaved;

9. Do use noun or noun phrases to name a class.

   public class Employee {}
   public class BusinessLocation {}

10. Do prefix interfaces with the letter I. Interface names are noun (phrases) or adjectives.

    public interface IShape {}
    public interface ITicketService {}

11. Do organize namespaces with a clearly defined structure

    namespace Company.Product.Module.SubModule {}
    namespace Product.Module.Component {}
    namespace Product.Layer.Module.Group {}

12. Do vertically align curly brackets.

    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
        }
    }

    Why: Microsoft has a different standard, but developers have overwhelmingly preferred vertically aligned brackets

13. Do declare all member variables at the top of a class, with static variables at the very top.

    public class Account
    {
        public static string BankName;
        public static decimal Reserves;   
        public DateTime DateOpened {get; set;}
        public decimal Balance {get; set;}
    
        // Constructor
        public Account()
        {
            // ...
        }
    }

    Why: generally accepted practice that prevents the need to hunt for variable declarations.

14. Do use singular names for enums. Exception: bit field enums

    // Correct
    public enum Color
    {
        Red,
        Green,
        Blue
    }
    
    // Exception
    [Flags]
    public enum Dockings
    {
        None = 0,
        Top = 1, 
        Right = 2, 
        Bottom = 4,
        Left = 8
    }

    Why: consistent with the Microsoft's .NET Framework and makes the code more natural to read. Plural flags because enum can hold multiple values (using bitwise 'OR').

15. Do NOT explicitly specify a type of an enum or values of enums (except bit fields)

    // Don't
    public enum Direction : long
    {
        North = 1,
        East = 2,
        South = 3,
        West = 4
    }
    
    // Correct
    public enum Direction
    {
        North,
        East,
        South,
        West
    }

    Why: can create confusion when relying on actual types and values.

16. Do NOT suffix enum names with Enum or Flags

    // Don't
    public enum CoinEnum
    {
        Penny,
        Nickel,
        Dime
    }
    
    // Don't
    [Flags]
    public enum DockingsFlags
    {
        None = 0,
        Top = 1, 
        Right = 2, 
        Bottom = 4,
        Left = 8
    }
    
    // Correct
    public enum Coin
    {
        Penny,
        Nickel,
        Dime
    }
    
    // Correct
    [Flags]
    public enum Dockings
    {
        None = 0,
        Top = 1, 
        Right = 2, 
        Bottom = 4,
        Left = 8
    }

    Why: consistent with prior rule of no type indicators in identifiers

17. Do use suffix EventArgs / EventHandler / Exception to comprising the information:

    public class ThresholdReachedEventArgs : EventArgs {}
    
    public delegate void ThresholdReachedEventHandler(object sender, ThresholdReachedEventArgs e);
    
    public class ApiException : System.Exception {}

Offical Reference

• DoFactory C# Coding Standards and Naming Conventions
• Microsoft Naming Conventions
• corefx Framework Design Guidelines

Naming Conventions for ASP.NET Controls

In general, naming ASP.NET controls is made using Camel Case naming convention, where the prefix of the name is the abbreviation of the control type name.

Standard Controls

Prefix	Control	Example
btn	Button	btnSubmit
cb	CheckBox	cbTerms
cbl	CheckBoxList	cblTodos
ddl	DropDownList	ddlCountries
fu	FileUpload	fuVideo
hf	HiddenField	hfBookId
lnk	Hyperlink	lnkViewMore
img	Image	imgBanner
ibtn(btn)	ImageButton	ibtnDelete
lbl	Label	lblName
lbtn(btn)	LinkButton	lbtnSubmit
lb	ListBox	lbSelectedItems
lit	Literal	litOutput
mv	MultiView	mvContainer
pnl	Panel	pnlToggle
ph	PlaceHolder	phMessage
rb	RadioButton	rbStatus
rbl	RadioButtonList	rblPackages
tbl	Table	tblReport
txt	TextBox	txtEmail
v	View	vRegisterForm

Data Controls

Prefix	Control	Example
dtl(dl)	DataList	dtlMovie
dp	DataPager	dpMovie
dtv	DetailsView	dtvMovie
ets	EntityDataSource	etsMovie
fv	FormView	fvCheckout
gv	GridView	gvMovie
lds	LinqDataSource	ldsMovie
lv	ListView	lvMovie
ods	ObjectDataSource	odsMovie
qe	QueryExtender	qeMovie
rpt	Repeater	rptMovie
smd	SiteMapDataSource	smdSitemap
sds	SqlDataSource	sdsMovie
xds	XmlDataSource	xmlPosts

Validation Controls

Prefix	Control	Example
cpv	CompareValidator	cpvConfirmPassword
ctv	CustomValidator	cvPhoneNumber
rv	RangeValidator	rvLimit
rev	RegularExpressionValidator	revDomainUrl
rfv	RequiredFieldValidator	rfvName
vs	ValidationSummary	vsSummary