Authors: Robert S Laramee

DOI:

Abstract:

We introduce a set of concise coding conventions for general software development.  The conventions are meant to be simple and concise and fit on one side of paper for ease of use. They represent the most essential rules to follow for implementing a large project. They’re written with the C++ programming language in mind, but they are general enough to be applied to any imperative, object-oriented programming language.

We also provide the background behind each rule including a description of where each comes from and why it was selected with pointers to further reading. This is followed by a description providing the main motivation behind introducing the conventions, namely, Bob’s Theory of Software Redevelopment. This theory outlines a typical software development process that repeats itself in an essentially never ending cycle. The presented coding conventions are meant to serve as a tool to combat this unfortunate cycle and contribute to the success of a project.

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