note for "The Art of Readable Code" - CH1 & CH2

CH1, Code Should Be Easy to Understand

Code should be written to minimize the time it would take for someone else to understand it.

越容易理解的code是越好的, 雖然減少程式碼數量是很好的目標, 但是縮短理解的時間是更為重要的, 甚至於超越效能, 比如

bucket = FindBucket(key);
if (bucket != NULL) assert(!bucket->IsOccupied());
會比下面這行更容易被理解
assert((!(bucket = FindBucket(key))) || !bucket->IsOccupied());

CH2, Pack information into your names

提高可讀性可以從"好的名稱", "好的註解", "簡潔的編排方式"著手, 比如, 將資訊放入名稱中

void download_page(url);
或
void fetch_page(url);
會比下面這行更容易被理解
void get_page(url);

名稱選擇上也需要注意, 比如open(), begin(), create(), launch()會比start()來的明確, 盡量用明確的命名, 比如tmp_file會比tmp更明確, 比如

var start = (new Date()).getTime();
...
var elasped = (new Date()).getTime();
..
會比下面這行更容易被明確
var ms_start = (new Date()).getTime();
...
var ms_elasped = (new Date()).getTime();
..

排除不必要的詞彙, 比如

ToString();
會比下面這行更簡潔
ConveterToString();

ServerLoop();
會比下面這行更簡潔
DoServerLoop();

我也習慣在static function,使用"_"開頭, 比如

static void _sleep();
void sleep();

Pack information into your names的幾個重點

• Use specific words—for example, instead of Get, words like Fetch or Download might be
better, depending on the context.
• Avoid generic names like tmp and retval, unless there’s a specific reason to use them.
• Use concrete names that describe things in more detail—the name ServerCanStart() is
vague compared to CanListenOnPort().
• Attach important details to variable names—for example, append _ms to a variable
whose value is in milliseconds or prepend raw_ to an unprocessed variable that needs
escaping.
• Use longer names for larger scopes—don’t use cryptic one- or two-letter names for
variables that span multiple screens; shorter names are better for variables that span only
a few lines.
• Use capitalization, underscores, and so on in a meaningful way—for example, you
can append “_” to class members to distinguish them from local variables.

參考資料:
• The Art of Readable Code