Coding guidelines

1. Meaningful names of variables, classes and functions:
   The name of any variable, class or function should clearly imply what it does. Assigning a random name to any of these should not be done.

   e.g. myFunctionName() is not a meaningful name.

   And the names of the signals and slots should be named like
   e.g.

   setSelectionSignal(); // append 'Signal' keyword at the end of signal name  
   insertItemSlot(); // append 'Slot' keyword at the end of slot name 
   

2. Spacing:
   Proper indentation and spacing is to be followed.

   • No space should precede the comma.
     e.g.

     int a, b; // correct  
     int a ,b; // incorrect  
     int a , b; // incorrect 
     

   • While creating conditional blocks, say using if or for etc., a space should be there between the keyword and the opening parenthesis that follows.
     e.g.

     if (condition)  // correct  
     if(condition) // incorrect  
     

     for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)  // correct  
     for(int i = 0; i < 10; i++) // incorrect  
     

   • Similarly while creating pointers, a space should be there between the class name for which pointer is created and the asterisk symbol.

     e.g. className *classObject; is the correct manner. Anything like the following is incorrect:

     className * classObject,  
     className* classObject 
     

   • Creating a class should look like-

     className : public inheritedClass
     {
       // class definition
     };
     

     Keeping a space before and after the colon is advised.

   • There should be a space before and after each operand.
     e.g.

     x = y + z; // correct
     x = y+z; // incorrect
     

     Note: This is to be done for all the operands.

3. camel-Casing:
   The naming standard for names to be followed is camel-Casing.
   e.g.

   functionName     
   className  
   variableName  
   

   Any names of the form are not acceptable according to the naming convention:

   functionname  
   function_name  
   _function_name  
   

4. Character limit in a line:
   The number of characters in a line should not exceed 80.
   Hint: Enable Display right margin at column: 80 under Tools->Options->Text Editor->Display in your Qt IDE.

5. Declaring functions and variables:
   The functions should be declared together and variables together.
   e.g.

   void function1();  
   void function2(); // functions together
   
   int variable1;  
   int variable2; // variables together
   

   It should not be like:

   void function1();  
   int variable1;  
   void function2();  // functions along with a variable in one block
   
   int variable2; 
   

   Anything of the second form is not recommended to be done.

6. Defining if-else blocks:
   A line between if and else blocks: An empty line must be there between if and else blocks if each contains multiple statements. Otherwise, this empty line can be avoided.
   e.g.

   if (condition)  
   {    
     /**
     * do something  
     * do more 
     */  
   }  
   
   else  
   {  
     /**
     * do something  
     * do more 
     */  
   }
   

   Or it can be like:

   if (condition)    
     // do something  
   else  
     // do something  
   

   If there is a variable definition or function call before or after the if-else block, there should be an empty line between the two as shown below.

   int x = y + z;
   functionCall();
   
   if (condition)    
     // do something  
   else  
     // do something  
   
   anotherFuntion();
   

   Note: Similar style should be followed for other blocks (for, foreach, etc.) as well.
   Anything of form other than this is not recommended. It keeps code readability good.