C#.Net array naming conventions with examples

C# is a statically-typed language, which means variables must be declared before they’re used. One of the most useful features of C#.Net is its robust support for arrays, which allow you to store multiple values in a single variable. In this tutorial, we’ll discuss the naming conventions for arrays in C#.Net with some real examples.

Below is the array naming conventions in C#.

Array Type	Example Name	Code Example
Single-Dimensional	cities	`string[] cities = { "NewYork", "LosAngeles", "Chicago", "Houston", "Phoenix" };`
Multi-Dimensional	cityPairs	`string[,] cityPairs = { { "NewYork", "LosAngeles" }, { "Chicago", "Houston" }, { "Phoenix", "Seattle" } };`
Array of Arrays	cityGroups	`string[][] cityGroups = { new string[] { "NewYork", "LosAngeles", "Chicago" }, new string[] { "Houston", "Phoenix", "SanFrancisco" }, new string[] { "Seattle", "Austin", "Jacksonville" } };`

A naming convention is a set of rules for choosing the character sequence to be used for identifiers which denote variables, types, functions, and other entities in source code and documentation.

In C#, the commonly followed naming conventions are:

Camel Case (camelCase): The first letter of an identifier starts with a lowercase letter and the first letter of each subsequent concatenated word starts with an uppercase letter.
Pascal Case (PascalCase): The first letter of an identifier and the first letter of each subsequent concatenated word starts with an uppercase letter.

Table of Contents

General Guidelines for C#.Net array naming conventions

Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when naming arrays:

Descriptive Names: Names should be descriptive and represent what the array contains.
Use Plural Form: Since arrays hold multiple values, names should be in plural form.
Avoid Using Array In The Name: Do not use the word “array” in the name.
Case Style: For local variables and parameters, camelCase is used, while for properties, PascalCase is used.

C#.Net Array Naming Conventions Examples

Let’s consider a few examples of C#.net array with proper naming conventions.

Example 1: Single-Dimensional Array

string[] cities = { "NewYork", "LosAngeles", "Chicago", "Houston", "Phoenix" };

Here, cities is a good name because it’s plural (indicating an array) and it represents what the array contains.

Example 2: Multi-Dimensional Array

string[,] cityPairs = {
    { "NewYork", "LosAngeles" },
    { "Chicago", "Houston" },
    { "Phoenix", "Seattle" }
};

Here, cityPairs is a good name because it’s plural and it represents what the array contains (pairs of cities).

Example 3: Array of Arrays (Jagged Arrays)

string[][] cityGroups = {
    new string[] { "NewYork", "LosAngeles", "Chicago" },
    new string[] { "Houston", "Phoenix", "SanFrancisco" },
    new string[] { "Seattle", "Austin", "Jacksonville" }
};

Here, cityGroups is a good name because it’s plural and it represents what the array contains (groups of cities).

c#.net string array naming conventions

In C#.NET, the naming conventions for string arrays is largely similar to the general array naming conventions in C# which were discussed earlier. Here are the general guidelines:

The names should be descriptive and represent what the array contains.
Since arrays hold multiple values, names should be in plural form.
Avoid using the word “Array” in the name.
For local variables and parameters, use camelCase.
For properties, use PascalCase.

Let’s look at some specific examples of string array naming conventions in C#.NET.

Example 1: Single-Dimensional String Array

string[] cityNames = { "New York", "Los Angeles", "Chicago", "Houston", "Phoenix" };

Here, cityNames is a good name because it’s plural (indicating an array) and it represents what the array contains – names of cities.

Example 2: Multi-Dimensional String Array

string[,] stateAndCapital = {
    { "California", "Sacramento" },
    { "Texas", "Austin" },
    { "New York", "Albany" }
};

Here, stateAndCapital is a good name because it’s plural and it represents what the array contains – pairs of states and their capitals.

Example 3: Jagged String Array

string[][] countryCityGroups = {
    new string[] { "USA", "New York", "Los Angeles", "Chicago" },
    new string[] { "UK", "London", "Birmingham", "Glasgow" },
    new string[] { "France", "Paris", "Marseille", "Lyon" }
};

Here, countryCityGroups is a good name because it’s plural and it represents what the array contains – groups of cities under each country.

Conclusion

The following are the key points to remember when naming arrays in C#:

Use descriptive names.
Use the plural form.
Avoid using “Array” in the name.
For local variables and parameters, use camelCase.
For properties, use PascalCase.