Naming

module_name, package_name, ClassName, method_name, ExceptionName, function_name, GLOBAL_CONSTANT_NAME, global_var_name, instance_var_name, function_parameter_name, local_var_name.

Names to Avoid

single character names except for counters or iterators

dashes (-) in any package/module name

double_leading_and_trailing_underscore names (reserved by Python)

Naming Convention

“Internal” means internal to a module or protected or private within a class.

Prepending a single underscore (_) has some support for protecting module variables and functions (not included with import * from). Prepending a double underscore (__) to an instance variable or method effectively serves to make the variable or method private to its class (using name mangling).

Place related classes and top-level functions together in a module. Unlike Java, there is no need to limit yourself to one class per module.

Use CapWords for class names, but lower_with_under.py for module names. Although there are many existing modules named CapWords.py, this is now discouraged because it’s confusing when the module happens to be named after a class. (“wait – did I write import StringIO or from StringIO import StringIO?”)

Guidelines derived from Guido’s Recommendations

Type Public Internal

Packages lower_with_under

Modules lower_with_under _lower_with_under

Classes CapWords _CapWords

Exceptions CapWords

Functions lower_with_under() _lower_with_under()

Global/Class Constants CAPS_WITH_UNDER _CAPS_WITH_UNDER

Global/Class Variables lower_with_under _lower_with_under

Instance Variables lower_with_under _lower_with_under (protected) or __lower_with_under (private)

Method Names lower_with_under() _lower_with_under() (protected) or __lower_with_under() (private)

Function/Method Parameters lower_with_under

Local Variables lower_with_under

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