Coding Standards

This page is intended to illustrate the coding standard for programs created in CSci 300 Software Practice.

First some URLs which give you an idea of the range of standards out there:

• Recommended C Style and Coding Standards
• Summary of General C++ Coding Standards at the NFRA
• UTexas CS303e Coding Standards as of 21 February 2001
• An Interesting Coding Standard FAQ
• A Five Page PDF Coding Standard, Short and Sweet
• C++ Coding Standard Examples from UK
• CMSC 202 - General C++ Coding Standards

The examples above are not presented as direction, only as an opportunity to see how varied the responses to this issue are.  At Gung Ho Software we think the issues are all about clarity.  Code is to be read and understood and as self-documenting as possible.  When you get the chance, review these URLs and form you own opinions about good coding standards.

Typically Programs require:

1. Header comment which contains

• Title of Program Listing (helpful to be related to filename)
• Version # (V0.1 is default)
• Date of Origin (ex. 06/18/2002)
• Date of Last Modification (blank if never modified)
• Authorship Information (Name, Organization)
• Term/Class/Section #
• Copyright Notice (optional in our case)
• e-mail address
• Brief Program Description (a few lines)
• Pseudocode for Program if applicable (this can be written before or after you write the code in the spirit of David Parnas and Paul Clements' paper: "A Rational Design Process: How and Why to Fake It", Softw. Eng.
  SE-12, 2 (Feb. 1986), 251 257.)  (See Daniel Berry's Lecture ** warning it is over a megabyte)

2. Body of Code

• Insert comments in accord with advice in our texts and look at the CMSC 202 URL above, which I think is pretty good.

Example: The example is a file which does one of the problems in the CSci205 text.  The header includes a summary description of the problem and a brief pseudocode of the solution.  Lines of the pseudocode, or comments related to the pseudocode are distributed throughout the brief program.  The primary purpose of this file is to illustrate the kind of header desired. POSTMAN EXAMPLE