How many times do we see lazy argument names?

TL;DR: Name your arguments according to the role and not the accidental position

Problems

• Readability

• Intention Revealing Names

Solutions

1. Use meaningful names

Context

When writing methods, we usually don't stop to find decent names.

We never refactor the obvious, neither.

Sample Code

Wrong

class Calculator:
  def subtract(self, first, second):
    return first - second

class CalculatorTest:  
  def test_multiply():
    assert equals(first, second)

Right

class Calculator:
  def subtract(self, minuend, subtrahend):
    return minuend - subtrahend

class CalculatorTest:  
  def test_multiply():
    assert equals(expectedValue, realValue)

Detection

[x] Manual

We can warn for forbidden words like 'first' and 'second' as argument names.

Tags

• Readability

Conclusion

Always follow rule suggesting parameter.

Name your collaborators according to the role.

Relations

Code Smell 65 - Variables Named After Types

Maxi Contieri ・ Apr 2 '21

#codenewbie #codesmells #oop #webdev

More Info

What exactly is a name - Part II Rehab

Maxi Contieri ・ May 23 '21

#tutorial #codenewbie #programming #webdev

Credits

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Final source code is the real software design.

Jack Reeves

Software Engineering Great Quotes

Maxi Contieri ・ Dec 28 '20

#codenewbie #programming #quotes #software

This article is part of the CodeSmell Series.

How to Find the Stinky parts of your Code

Maxi Contieri ・ May 21 '21

#codenewbie #tutorial #codequality #beginners