How Developers Choose Names

The names of variables and functions serve as implicit documentation are instrumental for program comprehension. But choosing good meaningful is hard. We perform a sequence experiments in which total 334 subjects required to choose given programming scenarios. first experiment shows that the probability two developers would select same name low: 47 instances our median was only 6.9%. At time, specific chosen, it usually understood by majority developers. Analysis suggests model where naming (not necessarily cognizant or serial) three-step process: (1) selecting concepts include name, (2) words represent each concept, (3) constructing using these words. A followup experiment, experimental setup, then checked whether this explicitly can improve quality names. results were selected judged independent judges be superior chosen original ratio two-to-one. Using appears encourage use more longer