Naming Rules

The Naming Ruleset contains a collection of rules about names - too long, too short, and so forth.

ShortVariable

Detects when a field, local or parameter has a short name.

This rule is defined by the following XPath expression:

                  
    //VariableDeclaratorId[string-length(@Image) < 3]
     [not(ancestor::ForInit)]
     [not((ancestor::FormalParameter) and (ancestor::TryStatement))]
                  
              

Here's an example of code that would trigger this rule:

			

public class Something {
  private int q = 15; // VIOLATION - Field

  public static void main( String as[] ) {  // VIOLATION - Formal
    int r = 20 + q; // VIOLATION - Local

    for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) { // Not a Violation (inside FOR)
      r += q;
    }
  }
}

    
		

LongVariable

Detects when a field, formal or local variable is declared with a long name.

This rule is defined by the following XPath expression:

                  
    //VariableDeclaratorId[string-length(@Image) > 12]
                  
              

Here's an example of code that would trigger this rule:

			

public class Something {
  int reallyLongIntName = -3;  // VIOLATION - Field

  public static void main( String argumentsList[] ) { // VIOLATION - Formal
    int otherReallyLongName = -5; // VIOLATION - Local

    for (int interestingIntIndex = 0;  // VIOLATION - For
             interestingIntIndex < 10;
             interestingIntIndex ++ ) {

    }
}


    
		

ShortMethodNameRule

Detects when very short method names are used.

This rule is defined by the following XPath expression:

                  
    //MethodDeclarator[string-length(@Image) < 3]
                  
              

Here's an example of code that would trigger this rule:

			

public class ShortMethod {
  public void a( int i ) { // Violation
  }
}

     
		

VariableNamingConventionsRule

A variable naming conventions rule - customize this to your liking Final variables should be all caps Non-final variables should not include underscores

Here's an example of code that would trigger this rule:

			

public class Foo {
    public static final int MY_NUM = 0;
    public String myTest = "";
    DataModule dmTest = new DataModule();
}

        
		

MethodNamingConventions

Method names should always begin with a lower case character, and should not contain underscores.

Here's an example of code that would trigger this rule:

			

public class Foo {
        public void fooStuff() {
        }
}

          
		

ClassNamingConventionsRule

Class names should always begin with an upper case character, and should not contain underscores.

Here's an example of code that would trigger this rule:

			

public class Foo {}

      
		

AbstractNamingRule

Abstract classes should be named 'AbstractXXX'.

This rule is defined by the following XPath expression:

                    
//ClassDeclaration[@Abstract='true']
 /UnmodifiedClassDeclaration[starts-with(@Image,'Abstract') = 0]
                    
                

Here's an example of code that would trigger this rule:

			

public abstract class Foo { // should be AbstractFoo
}

       
		

AvoidDollarSigns

Avoid using dollar signs in variable/method/class/interface names.

This rule is defined by the following XPath expression:


//UnmodifiedClassDeclaration[contains(@Image, '$')]
|
//VariableDeclaratorId[contains(@Image, '$')]
|
//UnmodifiedInterfaceDeclaration[contains(@Image, '$')]
|
//MethodDeclarator[contains(@Image, '$')]
 
                 

Here's an example of code that would trigger this rule:

			
   
 public class Fo$o {  // yikes!
 }
   
       
		

MethodWithSameNameAsEnclosingClass

Non-constructor methods should not have the same name as the enclosing class.

This rule is defined by the following XPath expression:


   //UnmodifiedClassDeclaration[@Image = //MethodDeclarator/@Image]

                

Here's an example of code that would trigger this rule:

			
    
public class MyClass {
// this is bad because it is a method
public void MyClass() {}
// this is OK because it is a constructor
public MyClass() {}
}
    
       
		

SuspiciousHashcodeMethodName

The method name and return type are suspiciously close to hashCode(), which may mean you are trying (and failing) to override the hashCode() method.

This rule is defined by the following XPath expression:


//MethodDeclaration
 [ResultType
  //PrimitiveType
   [@Image='int']
   [//MethodDeclarator
    [@Image='hashcode' or @Image='HashCode' or @Image='Hashcode']
    [not(FormalParameters/*)]

                

Here's an example of code that would trigger this rule:

			
    
public class Foo {
 public int hashcode() {
 // oops, this probably was supposed to be hashCode
 }
}