Ruby naming conventions are essential for writing clean, readable, and maintainable code. They help developers communicate their intentions clearly and follow consistent patterns across projects.

Variables and Methods

In Ruby, variables and method names use snake_case. This means all lowercase letters with underscores separating words.


first_name = "John"
last_name = "Doe"

def calculate_total_price(items)
  # Method implementation
end

Constants

Constants in Ruby are written in ALL_CAPS with underscores separating words. They are typically defined at the top of a file or class.


MAX_USERS = 100
DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 30

Classes and Modules

Class and module names use CamelCase (also known as PascalCase). Each word starts with a capital letter, and there are no underscores.


class UserAccount
  # Class implementation
end

module DataProcessor
  # Module implementation
end

Predicate Methods

Methods that return a boolean value often end with a question mark. This convention makes code more readable and self-explanatory.


def valid?
  # Return true or false
end

def empty?
  # Return true or false
end

Dangerous Methods

Methods that modify the object they're called on often end with an exclamation mark. These are sometimes called "bang" methods.


array = [1, 2, 3]
array.sort!  # Modifies the original array

Best Practices

Use descriptive names that clearly convey the purpose of the variable, method, or class.
Avoid abbreviations unless they are widely understood.
Keep names concise while still being clear.
Be consistent with your naming conventions throughout your project.
Follow the principle of "least surprise" - name things in a way that other developers would expect.

Related Concepts

Understanding naming conventions is crucial for writing clean Ruby code. To further improve your Ruby skills, consider exploring these related topics:

By following these naming conventions, you'll write more readable and maintainable Ruby code, making collaboration easier and reducing the likelihood of errors.