Class Naming

Written by: Akram Taghavi-Burris | © Copyright 2024

• Written in PascalCase (capitalizing the first letter of each word).
• Generally written as a nouns that represent objects or entities.
  • Example: Player, NPC, Weapon
• For classes that define specific behaviors or actions, write as a verb
  • Example: MoveLeftRight, JumpHandler

Creational Patterns

These patterns are designed to deal with the creation of objects, how and where an object is made.

Category	Type	Prefix	Suffix	Example Name	Notes
Script	Factory	-	Factory	EnemyFactory	Responsible for creating instance of a general type of object based on logic, without specifying exact details of each object.
Script	Object Pool	-	Pool	EnemyPool	Manages a pool of reusable objects to optimize performance and resource usage.
Script	Prototype	-	Prototype	EnemyPrototype	Creates new objects by copying existing ones, useful for generating similar objects efficiently.
Script	Spawner	-	Spawner	EnemySpawner	Manages the creation and placement of objects, often used to control dynamic object generation in games.
Script	Singleton	S	-	SDatabaseConnection	Implements the Singleton design pattern, ensuring only one instance of the class exists.

Structural Patterns

These patterns are built to show the relationships between entities.

Category	Type	Prefix	Suffix	Example Name	Notes
Script	Component	-	Component	HealthComponent	Represents a part or module that can be attached to game objects.
Script	Decorator	-	Decorator	PlayerDecorator	Enhances or adds functionality to existing classes or components.
Script	Flyweight	-	Flyweight	BulletFlyweight	Reduces memory usage by sharing common data among similar objects, useful for managing large numbers of similar objects efficiently.
Script	Service	-	Service	AudioService	Provides specific services or utilities, often to decouple functionality.
Script	UI Element	UI	-	UIInventory, UIStartButton	Used for classes that manage UI elements.

Behavioral Patterns

These patterns are designed to deal with how objects communicate with each other.

Category	Type	Prefix	Suffix	Example Name	Notes
Script	General	-	-	Tree, Lamp, Box	Basic MonoBehaviour classes used for simple, one-off game objects. These typically have no specific prefix or suffix.
Script	Abstract Class	-	Base	CharacterBase	Used for abstract or foundational classes that are not instantiated directly but serve as base classes for inheritance.
Script	Behaviour	-	Behaviour	AIBehaviour	Defines specific behaviors or actions in the context of game objects.
Script	Command	-	Command	MoveCommand	Encapsulates actions as objects, making it easy to manage, undo, or repeat them. Useful for things like undo functionality and command history.
Script	Controller	-	Controller	PlayerController	Manages input and interaction logic for game objects.
Script	Event	-	Event	GameEvent	Represents events that can be triggered and handled in an event-driven system.
Script	Interface	I	-	IDamageable	Defines a contract for classes; the I prefix is sometimes used to denote interfaces.
Script	Manager	-	Manager	GameManager	Manages game-wide logic or specific aspects of the game, like audio or input. They are often singletons but not always.
Script	Observer	-	Observer	ScoreObserver	Notifies subscribed objects when a change occurs. Useful for event-driven systems where multiple components need to react to changes.
Script	ScriptableObject	-	Data	PlayerData	Used to create assets that hold data; the Data suffix indicates that the object is used for storing data.
Script	State	-	State	PlayerState	Represents a particular state or condition within a state machine.
Script	Strategy	-	Strategy	MovementStrategy or IMovementStrategy	Represents a strategy or algorithm used by a class or component. Strategy classes are typically Interfaces.
Script	System	-	System	CombatSystem	Represents large-scale systems that manage complex logic or workflows.
Script	Utility/Helper	-	Utility, Helper	MathUtility, StringHelper	Provides utility functions or methods, often static and used across various parts of the code.

Inclusive Word Choice:

The following provides guidance and suggestions to help you choose words and names that are respectful and appropriate for all situations and audiences and be a more effective communicator.

Word Name	Alternative Word Name
Blacklist	deny list, block list, exclude list, avoid list, unapproved list, forbidden list, permission list
Whitelist	allow list, include list, trust list, safe list, prefer list, approved list, permission list
Master	primary, source, controller, template, reference, main, leader, original, base
Slave	secondary, replica, agent, follower, worker, cluster node, locked, linked, synchronized