SQL 2005 - Coding Standards - General Naming Convention Rules

General Naming Convention Rules

Definitions:

PascalCasing – The first character of each word is capitalized. Example: FirstName

camelCasing - The first character of each word is capitalized except the first one Example: firstName

UPPERCASE – All characters are uppercase. Use these identifiers only for abbreviations (eg: ADO) and for Transact SQL keywords (eg: SELECT Id FROM Table)

Valid Characters

Alphanumeric characters only – In every case only alphanumeric characters (and some situations underscore) are allowed

General Rules

The following rules should apply to all database objects.

· Clear and unambiguous naming.

The name should provide as much information as possible about an object and provide an obvious connection to references in project documentation. Choice of names should typically consider a name space much larger than a project—preferably the enterprise. A name uniquely identifies a database object; its definition should be consistent wherever the object is used. What might seem clear in a narrow context may lose meaning outside of that context. Saving keystrokes should never be used as a criterion in selecting a name.

· Abbreviations should be avoided.

Only when length restrictions apply should they be permitted. When used, abbreviations should follow the abbreviation rules specified below in the Abbreviation Standards section.

· Alphanumeric characters only – Do not use special characters; restrict names to alphanumeric characters

· PascalCase: Form names by using an initial capital as the delimiter between words, without embedded spaces or underscores (e.g . , InvoiceDate).