Whenever you store a value that has a unit in a variable, config option or CLI switch, include the unit in the name. So:

  • maxRequestSize => maxRequestSizeBytes
  • elapsedTime => elapsedSeconds
  • cacheSize => cacheSizeMB
  • chargingTime => chargingTimeHours
  • fileSizeLimit => fileSizeLimitGB
  • temperatureThreshold => temperatureThresholdCelsius
  • diskSpace => diskSpaceTerabytes
  • flightAltitude => flightAltitudeFeet
  • monitorRefreshRate => monitorRefreshRateHz
  • serverResponseTimeout => serverResponseTimeoutMs
  • connectionSpeed => connectionSpeedMbps

EDIT: I know it’s better to use types to represent units. Please don’t write yet another comment about it. You can find my response to that point here: https://programming.dev/comment/219329

  • vtr@programming.devEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    That seems akin to commenting. The problem with this approach is that text is not code. It’s very easy to forget to change text. In that case it becomes the worst of both worlds, you have a variable name that actually misleads you.

    Much safer than this is to encode this kind of information into the code itself in such a way the program won’t compile of the types are incorrect.

    • 𝕊𝕚𝕤𝕪𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕟@programming.devOPEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      I understand what you mean, and I even agree with it, but just to be a little pedantic, variable names are code, or at least they are more code than comments or docs.

      But yes, encoding units into the type system is a much better solution. It doesn’t work however for config options, environment variables or CLI switches.

  • Ullallulloo@civilloquy.comEnglish
    0·
    1 year ago

    Those are just types. You shouldn’t write types in the names. It’s called Hungarian Notation, but it’s just redundant. If you need to check the type of a variable, hover over it and your IDE should tell you that temperatureThreshold is type DegreesCelsius. No need to add extra cruft. There’s also a question of how specific everything needs to be.

    It’s also especially problematic if you later refactor things. If you change units, then you have to rename every variable.

    Plus, variables shouldn’t really be tied to a specific unit. If you need to display in Fahrenheit, you ideally just pass temperatureThreshold and it converts types as needed. A Temperature type that that has degreesF() and degreesC() functions is even cleaner. Units should just be private to the type’s struct.

    • 𝕊𝕚𝕤𝕪𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕟@programming.devOPEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      I absolutely agree. But:

      • sometimes you need to modify existing code and you can’t add the types necessary without a giant refactoring
      • you can’t express units with types in:
        • JSON/YAML object keys
        • XML tag or attribute names
        • environment variable names
        • CLI switch names
        • database column names
        • HTTP query parameters
        • programming languages without a strong type system

      Obviously as a Hungarian I have a soft spot for Hungarian notation :) But in these cases I think it’s warranted.