Let’s Talk About Naming Things in AI – It’s Easier Than You Think!
Hey everyone, John here! You know, in the world of creating technology, especially when we talk about AI, there’s this old joke that floats around. It goes like this:
There are two hard things in programming: cache invalidation, naming things, and off-by-one errors.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “John, what does this have to do with me? I’m just trying to understand AI!” And you’re right to ask! But hear me out. While the first one (cache invalidation) is genuinely tricky, and the third (off-by-one errors) is more of a funny programmer mistake, the second one, “naming things,” is something we can absolutely tackle together. It might sound simple, but getting names right makes a huge difference in how easy a system is to understand and use. And trust me, understanding is key for all of us, whether we’re building it or just trying to figure out what it does.
Today, we’re going to dive into why naming can sometimes feel like a superpower for tech creators, and how a little thought can make things crystal clear for everyone down the line. It’s all about making sense, not just for the computer, but for us humans too!
Why Naming Can Feel Like a Puzzle (and How to Solve It!)
So, why is naming things such a big deal in the tech world? Well, it turns out there are a few common pitfalls that can make it harder than it needs to be. Let’s look at some of them:
1. Assuming Everyone Knows What We Know
This is a big one. Imagine you’re explaining something, and you use a shortcut word because it’s obvious to you. But is it obvious to everyone else? Probably not!
For example, a developer might call something "EmpNo" because they know it stands for "Employee Number" and that it’s a special, one-of-a-kind identifier in their system.
Lila interjects:
Lila: John, you just said "unique identifier" and "system." What do those mean in this context?
John: Great question, Lila! Think of a unique identifier (or ID) like the special barcode on a library book. Every book has its own unique barcode, right? No two books have the exact same one. In programming, a unique ID is a special tag that helps the computer tell one piece of information apart from all the others. For example, every employee in a company might have a unique employee ID number. And a system, in this case, is just the whole collection of computer programs and information that work together, like a company’s HR system that manages employee records.
So, back to "EmpNo." The next person looking at that code might think it’s just a login number, not a special database ID. It’s like calling your favorite coffee shop "The Bean." You know what you mean, but new visitors might be confused! It’s always better to use a clear, full name like "EmployeeUniqueIDInDatabase." Yes, it’s longer, but your computer tools (called IDEs) help with typing, so you’re not actually doing more work!
2. Meaning Drift
Sometimes, what a name means can change over time. Imagine you have a button labeled "Save." At first, it just saves a document to your computer. But then, new features are added: maybe it also prints the document, or sends it to a cloud service. Suddenly, "Save" doesn’t fully describe what’s happening. It’s like calling your car "The Commuter" and then you start taking it off-roading every weekend! The name doesn’t quite fit anymore.
Lila interjects:
Lila: You mentioned "method" earlier when talking about saving. What’s a "method"?
John: Ah, Lila, a method is like a mini-recipe or a specific action that a computer program can perform. If your program is like a big cookbook, then each recipe in that book (like "Bake a Cake" or "Make Coffee") would be a method. It’s a set of instructions that tells the computer how to do one particular task.
The solution here is to name things very precisely from the start. Instead of just "SaveReceipt," maybe "SaveReceiptToTheDatabase" would prevent confusion later, even if it feels a little wordy at first.
3. Sheer Laziness
This one is simple: Sometimes, people just don’t want to spend the extra second thinking of a good name. They might use single letters, like ‘x’ or ‘y,’ for things in the code.
Lila interjects:
Lila: What’s a "variable" in programming?
John: Good question, Lila! A variable is like a labeled box in a computer’s memory where you can store a piece of information. You give the box a name, say "Age," and then you can put a number, like "30," inside it. Later, you can look inside the "Age" box to see what number is there, or even change the number inside. Using good names for these boxes helps everyone know what kind of information is stored inside them!
While using ‘i’ for a simple counting loop is often okay, for anything else, a full, descriptive name is always better. For instance, instead of just checking if `EmployeeNumber > 0` and `OrderNumber > 0`, it’s much clearer to set up variables like `EmployeeIsValid` and `ThereIsAnOrder`. This makes the code read almost like plain English!
EmployeeIsValid = EmployeeUniqueIDInDatabase > 0;
ThereIsAnOrder = OrderNumber > 0;
ItIsOkayToProcessTheOrder := EmployeeIsValid and ThereIsAnOrder;
If ItIsOkayToProcessTheOrder {
// ... do something important
}
Lila interjects:
Lila: "Boolean statements" and "cognitive load"? That sounds complicated!
John: Don’t worry, it’s not! A boolean statement is just a question that can only have a "true" or "false" answer. Like asking "Is the light on?" (True/False). In the code above, `EmployeeIsValid` is a boolean because an employee either "is valid" (True) or "is not valid" (False). When we talk about cognitive load, we mean the amount of mental effort or brain power needed to understand something. By using clear names like `ItIsOkayToProcessTheOrder`, we make it super easy for anyone reading the code to understand what’s happening, which drastically reduces their mental effort!
4. Too Eager to Abbreviate
In a hurry, we might shorten names unnecessarily. You might think typing "acctBlnc" instead of "accountBalance" saves time, but it actually steals precious time from the next person who has to figure out what "acctBlnc" means. Plus, whose account balance is it? The company’s? The customer’s? It’s ambiguous!
Lila interjects:
Lila: You mentioned "IDE" helps with typing. What is an IDE?
John: Good catch, Lila! An IDE stands for "Integrated Development Environment." Think of it as a super-powered word processor specifically for writing computer code. It not only lets you type out your code, but it also has smart features like automatically completing words as you type, highlighting errors, and helping you organize your work. So, even if a name is long, your IDE makes typing it fast and easy!
Unless it’s a widely known abbreviation like URL (Universal Resource Locator) or HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), just type it out fully. Clear names are always better than cryptic shortcuts.
5. Forgetting Functions Are Verbs
When you name a method (remember, those mini-recipes for the computer), it should always be named like an action verb. For example, `getCustomer` is okay, but it doesn’t say where you’re getting the customer from, or what exactly you’re getting. Is it from the database? From a list? A better name would be `getCustomerInstanceFromDatabase`.
Lila interjects:
Lila: John, you said "methods" and then "functions." Are they the same thing?
John: Yes, Lila, for our purposes, you can think of them as pretty much the same! In different programming languages, they might be called slightly different things, but they both refer to those blocks of code that perform a specific task, just like those "mini-recipes" we talked about earlier. They’re all about doing something, hence why their names should sound like action verbs!
6. Inconsistency
Once you decide on a name for something, stick with it! If you call a customer a "Customer" in one part of your system, don’t suddenly call them a "Client" or "Buyer" somewhere else. This creates confusion and makes the system harder to understand.
Lila interjects:
Lila: What’s a "repository" or "module" in programming?
John: Good question, Lila! A repository (or code repository) is like a central storage hub for all the computer code related to a project. Think of it as the main folder where all the files for a big project are kept, allowing multiple people to work on it and keep track of changes. A module is typically a smaller, self-contained piece or section of a larger program. You can imagine a big textbook (the whole program) being divided into different chapters (modules), each covering a specific topic. Consistency in naming across all these parts is super important!
Consistency is key to a clear and easy-to-understand system, just like always calling your pet by the same name, even if they have many cute nicknames!
7. Going Negative
Try to keep names positive, especially for things that describe a true/false condition. Names like `isNotValid` or `denyAccess` can get really confusing when you combine them. For example, `if (!IsNotValid)` creates a double negative ("if NOT not valid"), which is hard for our brains to process. It’s like saying "I don’t not want to go," instead of "I want to go."
Lila interjects:
Lila: You mentioned "Booleans." What are those exactly?
John: Excellent question, Lila! Booleans are one of the simplest but most important types of data in programming. They can only have one of two values: true or false. Think of them like an on/off switch or a yes/no answer. For example, `IsLoggedIn` could be true (you are logged in) or false (you are not logged in). They’re used all the time to make decisions in code, like "IF this is true, THEN do that."
It’s always better to use positive names like `IsValid` or `CanAccess` so your code reads clearly, just like regular English.
8. Prefixing
This is an older style of naming where people would add a little letter or code at the beginning of a name to show what kind of information it holds. For instance, putting ‘s’ in front of a name to mean it’s a "string" (a sequence of characters, like text). So, `sFirstName` for someone’s first name. While it was popular once, it can make names clunky and less clear. Nowadays, good names usually tell you what something is without needing these extra prefixes.
Lila interjects:
Lila: You said "Hungarian notation" and "refactor." Those sound like super technical terms!
John: They do, don’t they? Hungarian notation was a popular naming style in the past where you’d add a short code to the beginning of a variable’s name to indicate its type or purpose, like `szName` (where `sz` meant ‘string, zero-terminated’). It’s kind of like an old fashion trend in programming, and like fashion, some things go out of style! And to refactor means to reorganize and clean up your existing code without changing what it does. It’s like tidying up your closet: you’re not buying new clothes, but you’re making the ones you have easier to find and use. We refactor code to make it clearer and easier to maintain.
9. Blah Words
Avoid using words that don’t really add any meaning but sound important. Words like "Helper," "Handler," "Service," "Util" (for Utility), "Process," "Info," "Data," "Task," "Stuff," or "Object." Think about it: what code isn’t "helpful"? What part of your app isn’t "data"? These words are empty calories in a name. They don’t describe what the code actually does. Instead, focus on verbs that describe the action or nouns that describe the specific item.
So, How Do We Get Naming Right?
At the end of the day, naming things in the tech world, just like in any part of life, should be easy. It’s less about memorizing complicated rules and more about being thoughtful and clear. By avoiding the pitfalls we just talked about, you’re already doing great!
When names are clear and well-chosen:
- It dramatically reduces the mental effort for anyone trying to understand the code.
- It helps developers avoid mistakes and introduce fewer bugs.
- It makes the entire system easier to maintain and update over time.
Those few seconds you take to think about a good name can save hours, or even days, of confusion and frustration down the road. It’s all about writing code that’s easy to read and understand, not just for the