Programming Guidelines

Use descriptive variable names

Bad

func computerTime(d):

Good

func computeTime(daysElapsed):

Be consistent

Bad

obj.fetch()
thing.Get()

Good

obj.get()
thing.get()

The first word in a function name should be a verb, in a class it should be a noun

Bad

timerIncrement()

Good

incrementTimer()

Avoid vague comments

Bad

# TODO
setTime()

Good

# TODO: add timezones
setTime()

Avoid excessive elif

Bad

if (a ==1):
   doSomething()
elif (a == 2)
  doSomethingElse()
elif (a ==3)
  doYetAnotherThing()
else
  doDefaultThing()

Good

match a:
  1: 
    doSomething()
  2:
    doSomethingElse()
  3:
   doYetAnotherThing()
 _:
   doDefaultThing()

Avoid deep nesting

Bad

if objectExists():
    if objectIsGreen():
        if objectIsMoving():
            return true
        else:
            return false
    else:
        return false
else:
    return false

Good

if not objectExists():
    return false
if not objectIsGreen():
    return false
if not objectIsMoving():
    return false
return true

Avoid horizontally long code

Bad

var colors = {1: "green", 2: "red", 3: "orange", 4: "purple"}

Good

var colors = {}
colors[1] = "green"
colors[2] = "red"
colors[3] = "orange"
colors[4] = "purple"

Obey the Law of Demeter

Bad

Players[i].player.inventory += item

Good

Players[current].AddInventoryItem(item)

Break long functions up

Bad

func doSomethingComplex:
  # Setup
  [ 30 lines of code ]
  # Process
  [ 60 lines of code ]
  # Cleanup
  [ 20 lines of code ]

Good

func doSomethingComplex:
  var values = setup()
  process(values)
  cleanup()

Keep code DRY (don't repeat yourself)

Bad

  process(obj1)
  process(obj2)
  process(obj3)

Good

for obj in [obj1, obj2, obj3]:
  process(obj)