Breaking Long Lines

Breaking Long Lines#

To maintain readability and prevent horizontal scrolling, it’s important to break long lines of code when they exceed the maximum line length. For this project, the maximum line length is 80 characters. Lines longer than this should be split in a consistent and readable way.

Guidelines#

  • Maximum Line Length: Ensure that no line of code exceeds roughly 80 characters. This includes comments, code, and declarations.

  • Break at Natural Points: Break lines at natural points, such as after operators (+, -, *, =, etc.), commas, or logical groupings to improve readability.

  • Indentation for Continuation Lines: When breaking lines, ensure the continued line is indented properly for readability. Line up indentation after the line break to maintain visual alignment.

Correct Example:

int sum = first_variable + second_variable + third_variable +
          fourth_variable;

Incorrect Example:

int sum = first_variable + second_variable + third_variable
+ fourth_variable;  /* Operator at the start of the next line */

  • Avoid Breaking Inside Function Calls: Break long function call arguments at commas or logical points but avoid splitting a single argument across multiple lines.

Correct Example:

my_function(first_argument, second_argument, third_argument,
            fourth_argument);

Incorrect Example:

my_function(first_argument, second_argument, third_argument, fourth_
argument);  /* Avoid breaking a single argument across lines */

  • Aligning with Open Parentheses: If a long statement is broken, the subsequent lines should align with the opening parenthesis or after operators where possible for clarity.

Correct Example:

if (condition_one && condition_two &&
    condition_three) {  /* Alignment with opening parenthesis */
  /* Code here */
}

Incorrect Example:

if (condition_one && condition_two
  && condition_three) {  /* Misaligned continuation */
  /* Code here */
}

General Guidelines#

  • Always keep lines under 80 characters.

  • Break at logical points like operators, commas, or parentheses.

  • Indent continuation lines by two spaces.

  • Avoid breaking single arguments across multiple lines.

  • Align continuation lines with parentheses or logical grouping for clarity.

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