Coding Style

General Guidelines

• Follow the official Microsoft .NET C# coding conventions: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/fundamentals/coding-style/coding-conventions
• Prefer clarity and readability over brevity.
• Use consistent formatting and naming throughout the codebase.

Naming Conventions

• Use PascalCase for class, method, and property names.
• Use camelCase for local variables and method parameters.
• Use ALL_CAPS for constants.
• Prefix interfaces with I (e.g., IOrderService).
• Use meaningful, descriptive names; avoid abbreviations.

Formatting

• Use 4 spaces for indentation (no tabs).
• Use file-scoped namespaces to simplify structure and improve readability.
• Add a blank line between method definitions.
• Place opening braces on a new line for methods, properties, and types (unless using file-scoped namespaces, then follow the file-scoped style).

Example: File-Scoped Namespaces

// Before
namespace MyNamespace
{
    public class ExampleClass
    {
        // ...existing code...
    }
}
// After
namespace MyNamespace;

public class ExampleClass
{
    // ...existing code...
}

• All new files must use file-scoped namespaces. Refactor existing files during updates or maintenance.

Variable Declaration

• Use var for local variable declarations when the type is obvious.
• Prefer explicit types if it improves clarity.

Example

// Before
int x = 1;
double y = 2.0;
string z = "Hello";
ProductBacklogItem item = new ProductBacklogItem("Test", "Test", 1, 1, 1);
// After
var x = 1;
var y = 2.0;
var z = "Hello";
var item = new ProductBacklogItem("Test", "Test", 1, 1, 1);

Sealed Classes

• Make classes sealed by default. If a class needs to be inherited, mark it as virtual explicitly.

Use Nameof with Exceptions

• When throwing exceptions, use nameof to refer to the parameter name instead of hardcoding it.

Example

// Before
throw new ArgumentNullException("parameterName");
// After
throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(parameterName));

Code Structure

• One type per file (class, interface, enum, etc.).
• Organize files by feature/domain when possible.
• Group using directives at the top of the file, outside the namespace.
• Place related types in the same namespace.
• Use partial classes only when necessary (e.g., for code generation).

Comments & Documentation

• Use XML documentation comments (///) for public APIs.
• Write comments to explain why, not what, when necessary.
• Remove commented-out code before committing.

Null Checks & Exceptions

• Use guard clauses for argument validation.
• Use nameof for parameter names in exceptions.

Modern C# Features

• Use pattern matching and expression-bodied members where appropriate.
• Prefer object and collection initializers.

References

• Adhere to Microsoft’s coding conventions.