File Naming Conventions Guide¶
Overview¶
To maintain consistency and readability in our project, we use the "snake_case" naming convention for all file names. This guide provides a set of rules and examples to help you name files correctly.
What is Snake_Case?¶
Snake_case is a naming convention where each word in a file name is
lowercase and separated by underscores (_
). This format is easy to
read and avoids issues with different operating systems handling file
names differently.
Rules for Snake_Case File Naming¶
- Use Lowercase Letters: All letters should be in lowercase.
- Separate Words with Underscores: Use underscores (
_
) to separate words. - Be Descriptive: File names should be descriptive enough to indicate their contents or purpose.
- Avoid Special Characters: Do not use spaces, hyphens, or any special characters other than underscores.
- Use Consistent Extensions: Ensure file extensions are consistent
and appropriate for the file type (e.g.,
.py
for Python files,.md
for Markdown files).
Examples¶
Python Scripts¶
data_cleaning.py
config_settings.py
test_data_processing.py
Configuration Files¶
project_config.yaml
database_setup.json
Documentation Files¶
user_guide.md
api_reference.md
Jupyter Notebooks¶
data_analysis_notebook.ipynb
machine_learning_experiments.ipynb
Data Files¶
- CSV files:
sales_data_2023.csv
- JSON files:
user_profiles.json
Tips¶
- Keep it Short and Simple: Aim for clarity but avoid overly long file names.
- Versioning: If versioning is needed, append the version number at
the end (e.g.,
data_cleaning_v2.py
). - Avoid Redundancy: Avoid repeating the same word unnecessarily in file names.
Common Mistakes to Avoid¶
- Uppercase Letters:
Data_Cleaning.py
(Incorrect) - Hyphens:
data-cleaning.py
(Incorrect) - Spaces:
data cleaning.py
(Incorrect) - Special Characters:
data@cleaning!.py
(Incorrect)
By following these guidelines, we ensure that our file names are consistent, readable, and easy to manage across different systems and environments.