Difference Among Casings: Snake Case VS Camel Case VS Pascal Case VS Kebab Case

Introduction

In programming and computer science, casing refers to the style in which words are combined and separated within identifiers. Identifiers are names given to variables, functions, classes, or any other element in a program. Four commonly used casings are Snake Case, Camel Case, Pascal Case, and Kebab Case. Each casing style has its own set of rules and conventions, and understanding the differences between them is essential for writing clean and readable code. Generally, coders doesn't focus on this aspect much in starting of their career but when they gain experience and tries to write better code then this is very important part. Let's deep dive into each case and explore their characteristics and preferred usage in different programming languages.

Snake Case:

Snake Case is a casing style where words are separated by underscores (_). It is called "snake case" because the underscores resemble the belly scales of a snake. Snake Case is typically used in languages like Python, Ruby, and JavaScript for variable and function names.

Example:

first_name = "John"
last_name = "Doe"

def print_full_name(first_name, last_name):
    full_name = first_name + " " + last_name
    print(full_name)

Camel Case:

Camel Case is a casing style where words are joined together without any spaces, and each new word starts with a capital letter except for the first word. The name "camel case" comes from the hump-like appearance of the capital letters. Camel Case is commonly used in JavaScript, Java, and C# for variable and function names.

Example:

let firstName = "John";
let lastName = "Doe";

function printFullName(firstName, lastName) {
    let fullName = firstName + " " + lastName;
    console.log(fullName);
}

Pascal Case:

Pascal Case is similar to Camel Case, but unlike Camel Case, the first letter of each word is capitalized. Pascal Case is commonly used in naming classes, interfaces, and other types in languages like C#, Java, and TypeScript.

Example:

class Person {
    firstName: string;
    lastName: string;

    constructor(firstName: string, lastName: string) {
        this.firstName = firstName;
        this.lastName = lastName;
    }

    printFullName(): void {
        let fullName = this.firstName + " " + this.lastName;
        console.log(fullName);
    }
}

Kebab Case:

Kebab Case is a casing style where words are separated by hyphens (-). Kebab Case is commonly used in URLs, file names, and HTML/CSS class names.

Example:

<div class="user-profile">
    <p>This is a user profile.</p>
</div>

Preferred Usages:

Snake Case: Python, Ruby, JavaScript (variable and function names)
Camel Case: Go, JavaScript, Java, C# (variable and function names)
Pascal Case: Go, C#, Java, TypeScript (class and type names)
Kebab Case: HTML, CSS (class names, file names, and URLs)

It's important to note that these are general conventions, and different programming communities and organizations may have their own preferred casings. The key is to be consistent within your codebase and follow the style guide of the programming language or framework you are using. Consistent and clear naming conventions contribute to the readability and maintainability of code, making it easier for yourself and others to understand and work with.

Conclusion

The choice of casing style depends on the programming language and the specific context of its usage. Snake Case, Camel Case, Pascal Case, and Kebab Case each have their own rules and purposes. By understanding their differences and adhering to the conventions of your chosen language, you can write code that is more readable and maintainable

Comments

[Andrew Grantham]

Your Pascal case definition and example are incorrect. The first letter of the first word is also capitalized in Pascal case