Naming cheatsheet
A guide of naming rules for variables and functions, written in plain examples, language-agnostic.
- Stars
- 14.2k
- Forks
- 946
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- —
- Last update
- 2.7 years ago
- Type
- Learning resource
No commits in over a year — check for forks or alternatives before adopting.
What it is
This is a written style guide for choosing names for variables and functions in code. It explains principles such as using English, picking one naming convention, avoiding contractions, and using a verb-plus-context pattern (A/HC/LC) for function names. The examples are in JavaScript, but the author states the ideas apply to any language.
- Reviewing function names in a pull request against the action and context pattern
- Adopting a single naming convention such as camelCase for a project
- Using the prefix guidance (is, has, should) for boolean variables
- Choosing between remove and delete for function names using the author's examples
Great for
- Developers who want more consistent, readable names in their code
- Teams writing a shared naming guideline
- Students learning how to name variables and functions
- Code reviewers who need a reference to point to in discussions
Not ideal for
- People looking for a tool or program to install, since this is a reference document with no install step
- Readers who need rules specific to one language's official conventions, since the README defers to each language's own documentation
How to get it
- 1
Read it online
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/kettanaito/naming-cheatsheet - 2
Run it
- Open the repository page on GitHub and read the README from top to bottom
- Start with the English language and naming convention sections
- Read the S-I-D and avoid contractions sections for the basic rules
- Use the A/HC/LC pattern section when naming functions
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Read the A/HC/LC table and the note on context order to understand how word order changes meaning
- Pair the remove versus delete section with its add and create explanation
- Follow the linked issue for a deeper explanation of the remove and delete distinction
- Adopt one convention for your team and write it down, as the README recommends
Downloads
Strengths
- Short, concrete good-versus-bad examples for each rule
- Language-agnostic principles with a clear, consistent structure
- Widely starred and MIT licensed, so it can be copied into team docs
Trade-offs
- The README shown is truncated, so some sections may be missing from this summary
- Examples focus on JavaScript, so readers in other languages must translate the ideas themselves
- Some guidance is opinion-based and the README itself frames it as suggestions
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| naming-cheatsheet (this) | 14.2k | Learning resource | beginner | 2.7 years ago | Developers who want more consistent, readable names in their code |
| awesome-cheatsheets | 46.6k | Learning resource | beginner | 20 days ago | Developers brushing up on a language or tool they use only occasionally |
| project-guidelines | 29.4k | Learning resource | beginner | 1.9 years ago | Teams that want a shared written standard for Git branching and pull requests |
| algorithm-pattern | 15.5k | Learning resource | beginner | 5 months ago | People preparing for coding interviews who want to study by topic |
| reference | 15.2k | Learning resource | beginner | 6 days ago | Developers who want a quick lookup for syntax or commands they use occasionally |
| the-book-of-secret-knowledge | 255k | Curated list | beginner | 2.0 years ago | System and network administrators looking for a reference of tools and howtos |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.