This part of the website explains the conventions used in various aspects of the software design life cycle in CMPSC 156.
Note that these are conventions, not necessarily “the one true and right way”. Each software development organization will have its own conventions, and they will likely differ from these. Comparing these to the conventions used in any particular organization, in some areas, we’ll be more strict/rigid, and in other areas more lenient/flexible.
The purpose of adopting these conventions is two-fold:
- Individually, each convention should have it’s own justification in terms of making the life of the software development team easier in the long-term; the benefit of the convention should outweigh the cost.
- Overall, teaching and enforcing a set of conventions prepares you for understanding and following the conventions of whatever team(s) you may join in the future.