Google C++ Style Guide: Key Naming Conventions

Aditya Mali
1 min readOct 28, 2024

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Adhering to consistent naming conventions helps improve the readability and maintainability of C++ code. Google’s C++ Style Guide provides clear rules for naming variables, functions, classes, and other elements of your codebase. Here’s a quick reference to the essential conventions.

1. Variables

  • Local Variables:
  • Use snake_case for local variables.
  • Example:
  • int user_count = 0;
  • Global Variables:
  • Prefix global variables with g_ to differentiate them.
  • Example:
  • int g_total_users = 100;

2. Classes and Structs

  • Class Names:
  • Class names should follow PascalCase (UpperCamelCase).
  • Example:
  • class UserProfile {};
  • Struct Names:
  • Struct names also use PascalCase.
  • Example:
  • struct Address {};

3. Member Variables

  • Class Member Variables:
  • Use snake_case with a trailing underscore (_) to indicate private or protected members.
  • Example:
  • class UserProfile { std::string user_name_; };
  • Struct Variables:
  • Use snake_case for member variables without the trailing underscore.
  • Example:
  • struct Address { std::string street; }

4. Functions

  • Function Names:
  • Use snake_case for functions, making sure names clearly describe the action or purpose.
  • Example:
  • void calculate_user_age();

5. Constants

  • Constant Names:
  • Use kPascalCase for constant values.
  • Example:
  • const int kMaxRetries = 5;

6. Enums

  • Enum Types and Values:
  • Enum types and values follow PascalCase.
  • Example:
  • enum class UserStatus { Active, Inactive };

7. File Names

  • Source and Header Files:
  • Use snake_case for filenames, with .cpp for source files and .h for headers.
  • Example:
  • user_profile.cpp user_profile.h

Conclusion

Following these core naming conventions from Google’s C++ Style Guide helps make your code more readable and maintainable, ensuring consistency across projects.

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