Coding Standards

• Use (“hard”) tabs, not spaces (“soft” tabs) for indentation
• Standard Java programming styles apply (CamelCase for classes, camelCase for variables and functions, ALL_CAPS for constants)
• We generally try to wrap at the 80 character column, although this rule can be loose, but if you have a really long line, consider wrapping it.
• To quote Linus Torvalds, “If you need more than 3 levels of indentation, you’re screwed anyway, and should fix your program.”; although to be fair, he was referring to C, and classes take up one level of indentation, so make that 4.

Example Class

public class ClassName { //CamelCase
    private static final int CONSTANT = 0; //ALL_CAPS
    private int value = 0; //camelCase
    //set values outside of constructor where applicable

    public ClassName() { //Cuddly-Curly-Braces
        this(5); //avoid waste. If you already have another
        //constructor, use it rather than re-writing one
    }

    public ClassName(int value) {
        setValue(value); //Always call getter & setters within 
    }

    //constructors are also camelCase, like variables
    public void setValue(int value) {
        this.value = value; //in the case of a naming conflict,
        //we use 'this.' to address the global (vs. prefixes)
    }

    public int getValue() {
        return value;
    }
}

Naming, Comments, and Documentation

Naming

• The iRobot Create is referred to as “Create” or “The Create” (Eg. CreateMovementPlugin)
• A Lego-based-robot is loosely referred to as a “motor based drive train” (Eg. MotorMovementPlugin)

Documentation

• Use a consistent verb tense (preferably present-tense).

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An infinite number of monkeys typing into GNU emacs would never make a good program.
~Linus Torvalds, Linux 1.3.53 CodingStyle documentation