CODEWITHSUNDEEP
namingnaming-conventions
Roger C S Wernersson
Roger C S Wernersson

Reputation: 6562

What should I call a class or variable which holds a collection?

Let's assume I have a class SuperPower, and that I want to put my super powers in a collection without exposing the implementation.

I try to avoid having collections as instance attributes. Instead I put it in a class to which I can move behavior otherwise left spread out in other classes.

I don't want to call it SuperPowerList, SuperPowerMap or similar, because it exposes the implementation.

I also kind of dislike SuperPowers, because it is too similar to the class it contains.

The same goes to variables of the type, "SuperPowers superPowers".

There must be a better way.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 121

Answers (3)

nawfal
nawfal

Reputation: 73183

SuperPowerCollection sounds the best as I can see that in the Framework throughout. Variable naming can be anything you are comfortable with as it is not as important. I prefer superPowers which is more common with collection classes. To get more creative ideas, please post the question at english stackexchange.

Only if I wont be downvoted:

  1. PowerPod
  2. SuperForces
  3. PowerGrid

are some of the fancy names I can think of :)

Upvotes: 2

Sameer
Sameer

Reputation: 4389

How about PowerPack or SuperPowerPack?

Upvotes: 1

Yair Zaslavsky
Yair Zaslavsky

Reputation: 4137

Use either SuperPowerCollection or SuperPowers.
Both are fine.
I would like to add that I saw a case in code where an implementation
got changed from List to Map, but the name of the variable remained objctsList -
this is quite horrible, so you are correct that a good practice will be to avoid providing implementation details in the variable name as they may change in time.

Upvotes: 1

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