Teaching

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====== Notes on Style ======
  - Why do we care about style?
    - Better style leads to fewer bugs
    - Allows you to reuse code
    - Helps others who have to interface with your code
    - Write quality code faster
  - Style guidelines for java
    - variable naming
      - make your variable names descriptive, useful, concise
        - integerValuedCounterForNumberOfLoops vs. i
        - phonebook vs. map
        - isTrue vs. hasUpdates
      - case is important - StudlyCaps
      - lowerCaseCamel for variables
      - UpperCaseCamel for classes
      - ALL_CAPS_UNDERSCORES for constants
    - magic numbers
      - using numbers without values
      - int counter = 17; vs. int counter = INIT_COUNTER_VALUE
      - graph of likelihood a number should be in your code
      - saves you from using incorrect numbers, 
      - allows code reuse
      - makes code readable
    - tabing \ spacing
      - consistency is the most important factor
      - however, standards exist
    - comments
      - the total sum of above should be nicely readable code
      - nevertheless, comments are great
      - two types of comments
        - there are inline comments 
          - use when you need to explain tricky lines
          - if what you are doing is not obvious
        - and there are block comments /* … */ 
          - use at method headers
          - for detailing the function of a method
        - look into javadoc if you are interested in comments
          - java writes its own documentation!
          - java api generated by java doc
      - decomposition
        - a school of thought for writing code:
        - how do you separate each task into smallest components
          - organize your ideas - how do you break your problem up into smaller chunks
        - write pseudocode - make note of where code can be judiciously reused
        - decompose as you go
          - when i write code, i often use methods, constants i have not yet written 
          - fill them in later
Teaching

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