You know what I’m talking about here. The way your code looks on the screen is just as crucial as how it functions. And let me tell you, there are some serious best practices out there for making sure your code is not only readable but also maintainable and extensible (whatever that means).
To start indentation. This might seem like a small detail, but trust me when I say that proper indentation can make all the difference in the world. And by “proper,” I mean using four spaces instead of tabs. Tabs are for lazy people who don’t want to type out those ***** little characters. But seriously, stick with four spaces. It’s just easier on everyone involved.
Next up line length. Keep your lines short and sweet. No one wants to scroll through a wall of text just to figure out what you were trying to say. Aim for around 80 characters per line (give or take). And if you absolutely must have longer lines, make sure they’re justified by some sort of logical reason like a really long variable name or an incredibly complex function call.
Speaking of variables and functions… naming conventions. This is where things can get a little tricky. You want your code to be clear and concise, but you also don’t want it to look like a bunch of gibberish. So what do you do? Well, for starters use descriptive names that accurately reflect the purpose of each variable or function. And if possible, try to keep them short and sweet (again with those 80 character lines).
Finally, comments. Comments are your best friend when it comes to writing code. They help you explain what’s going on in a way that’s easy for other people to understand. But here’s the thing don’t overdo it. A little bit of commenting goes a long way, but too much can be overwhelming and confusing. So keep your comments short and sweet (you see where I’m going with this?) And make sure they actually add value to your code rather than just repeating what you already wrote.