Horizontal Space

Horizontal Space#

Proper use of horizontal space helps make the code more readable and maintainable. Follow these guidelines for horizontal spacing:

  • Space After Conditional and Loop Keywords: Always add a single space after keywords like if, switch, for, and while. The opening brace { should be on the same line as the keyword. This improves readability by keeping the code concise.

Example 1:#

Bad Example:

if(condition) {  /* INCORRECT */
  /* ... */
}

switch (n){
case 0:
  /* ... */
}

Good Example:

if (condition) {  /* correct */
  /* ... */
}

switch (n) {
case 0:
  /* ... */
}

  • Binary Operators: Add a single space around binary operators like +, -, =, and &&. For multiplication (*) and division (/) operators, spaces should always be used for clarity.

Example 2:#

Bad Example:

const int y = y0+(x-x0)*(y1-y0)/(x1-x0);    /* INCORRECT */

Good Example:

const int y = y0 + (x - x0) * (y1 - y0) / (x1 - x0); /* correct */
int y_cur  = -y;                                     /* correct */

  • Alignment of Variables, Assignments, and Comments: Align the = signs when declaring multiple variables, and line up the comments for consistency.

Example 3:#

Bad Example:

int foo = 12; /* This is foo */
int large_foo = 32;    /* This is large foo */

Good Example:

int foo       = 12; /* This is foo */
int large_foo = 32; /* This is large foo */

  • Optional Alignment for Function Arguments: Horizontal space can sometimes be used within a line to align function arguments, improving readability, but use this sparingly. Excessive alignment can cause issues if future lines need to be added or removed.

Example 4:#

esp_rom_gpio_connect_in_signal(PIN_CAM_D6,   I2S0I_DATA_IN14_IDX, false);
esp_rom_gpio_connect_in_signal(PIN_CAM_D7,   I2S0I_DATA_IN15_IDX, false);
esp_rom_gpio_connect_in_signal(PIN_CAM_HREF, I2S0I_H_ENABLE_IDX,  false);
esp_rom_gpio_connect_in_signal(PIN_CAM_PCLK, I2S0I_DATA_IN15_IDX, false);

General Guidelines:

  • Avoid using TAB characters for horizontal alignment.

  • Never add trailing whitespace at the end of the line.

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