Create an article about `Indentation`

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Indentation

Code indentation is a critical aspect of writing clean, readable, and maintainable software. It encompasses the practice of using Indentation Styles and Whitespaces (spaces or tabs) at the beginning of lines of code to visually separate blocks or statements according to their hierarchical level, typically within loops, conditionals, functions, or classes. Proper indentation enhances readability and clearly communicates the structure and flow of the code.

• 1. Category
  • 1.1. Styles
  • 1.1.1. K\&R Style (Kernighan \& Ritchie)
  • 1.1.2. Allman Style (BSD Style)
  • 1.1.3. OTBS (One True Brace Style)
  • 1.1.4. GNU Style
  • 1.1.5. Whitesmiths Style
  • 1.1.6. Python Style (PEP 8)
  • 1.2. Whitespaces
  • 1.2.1. Tabs
  • 1.2.2. Spaces
• 2. Best Practices
• 3. References

1. Category

1.1. Styles

1.1.1. K&R Style (Kernighan & Ritchie)

The Kernighan & Ritchie (K&R) style is a indentation styles widely used in C, C++, Java. It was introduced by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie, the creators of the C programming language

1. Characteristics

   • Braces

     Opening brace { is placed on the same line as the control statement. Closing brace } is aligned with the control statement, on its own line.

   • Indentation

     Indentation typically uses 4 spaces or a tab.

2. Examples and Explanations

   #include <stdio.h>
   #include <stdbool.h>
   
   bool isPrime(int number) {
       if (number <= 1) return false;
       for (int i = 2; i < number; i++) {
           if (number % i == 0) return false;
       }
       return true;
   }
   
   int main() {
       int num = 29;
       if (isPrime(num)) {
           printf("%d is a prime number.\n", num);
       } else {
           printf("%d is not a prime number.\n", num);
       }
       return 0;
   }

1.1.2. Allman Style (BSD Style)

The Allman Style, also known as BSD Style, is an indentation style used primarily in programming. It is named after Eric Allman, a computer scientist who helped develop the style while working on the BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution) operating system. This style emphasizes readability and clarity by placing braces on separate lines, which helps to visually distinguish code blocks.

1. Characteristics

   • Braces

     The opening brace { of a code block (such as for loops, if statements, or function definitions) is placed on its own line directly below the control statement. The closing brace } is placed on a new line at the same indentation level as the control statement, matching the position of the corresponding opening brace.

   • Indentation

     The code within the block is indented, typically using either tabs or spaces (commonly 4 spaces), making the structure clear and organized.

2. Examples and Explanations

   #include <stdio.h>
   #include <stdbool.h>
   
   bool isPrime(int number)
   {
       if (number <= 1)
           return false;
       for (int i = 2; i < number; i++)
       {
           if (number % i == 0)
               return false;
       }
       return true;
   }
   
   int main()
   {
       int num = 29;
       if (isPrime(num))
       {
           printf("%d is a prime number.\n", num);
       }
       else
       {
           printf("%d is not a prime number.\n", num);
       }
       return 0;
   }

1.1.3. OTBS (One True Brace Style)

The One True Brace Style (OTBS), also known as 1TBS, is a variant of the Kernighan & Ritchie (K&R) brace style and is a widely used indentation style, especially in C, C++, Java, and JavaScript. It is designed to maximize readability while minimizing vertical space usage, which makes it an efficient style for writing concise and structured code.

1. Characteristics

   • Braces

     The opening brace { for control structures (e.g. if, for, while) is placed on the same line as the control statement. The closing brace } is aligned with the start of the control statement. The else or else if statements are placed on the same line as the closing brace of the preceding block.

   • Indentation

     Improves code maintainability and reduces the likelihood of introducing bugs.

2. Examples and Explanations

   #include <stdio.h>
   #include <stdbool.h>
   
   bool isPrime(int number) {
       if (number <= 1) {
           return false;
       }
       for (int i = 2; i < number; i++) {
           if (number % i == 0) {
               return false;
           }
       }
       return true;
   }
   
   int main() {
       int num = 29;
       if (isPrime(num)) {
           printf("%d is a prime number.\n", num);
       } else {
           printf("%d is not a prime number.\n", num);
       }
       return 0;
   }

1.1.4. GNU Style

GNU style is a indentation style that originates from the GNU project, primarily used in C and C++ programming. It focuses on providing clarity and readability, especially for large codebases.

1. Characteristics

   • Braces

     The opening brace { is placed on a new line, indented by two spaces. The closing brace } is aligned with the beginning of the statement that opens the block.

   • Indentation

     Indentation is typically 2 spaces per level. This minimizes excessive indentation while maintaining clear visual separation between code blocks.

2. Examples and Explanations

   #include <stdio.h>
   #include <stdbool.h>
   
   bool isPrime(int number) {
       if (number <= 1)
           return false;
       for (int i = 2; i < number; i++) {
           if (number % i == 0)
               return false;
       }
       return true;
   }
   
   int main() {
       int num = 29;
       if (isPrime(num)) {
           printf("%d is a prime number.\n", num);
       }
       else {
           printf("%d is not a prime number.\n", num);
       }
       return 0;
   }

1.1.5. Whitesmiths Style

The Whitesmiths Style is an indentation style used in programming that places a strong emphasis on aligning the opening and closing braces {} with the indented code block rather than with the control structure or function header. Whitesmiths style is notable for its visual alignment, which is designed to make the start and end of code blocks very clear.

1. Characteristics

   • Braces

     The opening and closing braces {} are placed on new lines, and they are indented to the same level as the code inside the block. This means the braces appear aligned with the block of code they contain, rather than with the control structure or function header.

   • Indentation

     Code inside a block is indented further than the braces, usually with a standard indentation width (typically 4 spaces or a tab).

2. Examples and Explanations

   #include <stdio.h>
   #include <stdbool.h>
   
   bool isPrime(int number)
       {
           if (number <= 1)
               return false;
           for (int i = 2; i < number; i++)
               {
                   if (number % i == 0)
                       return false;
               }
           return true;
       }
   
   int main()
       {
           int num = 29;
           if (isPrime(num))
               {
                   printf("%d is a prime number.\n", num);
               }
           else
               {
                   printf("%d is not a prime number.\n", num);
               }
           return 0;
       }

1.1.6. Python Style (PEP 8)

Python's style guide, known as PEP 8, provides comprehensive guidelines for writing readable and maintainable Python code. Among its numerous recommendations, indentation is a fundamental aspect that ensures code structure is clear and consistent. Adhering to PEP 8's indentation rules not only enhances readability but also prevents common errors, especially in a language like Python where indentation defines code blocks.

1. Characteristics

   • Braces

     Python relies entirely on indentation for defining code blocks, without the use of braces {}.

   • Indentation

     Uses consistent indentation (commonly 4 spaces) to define blocks, tabs are discouraged. Python Style syntax requires proper indentation, incorrect indentation leads to errors.

2. Examples and Explanations

   def is_prime(number):
       if number <= 1:
           return False
       for i in range(2, number):
           if number % i == 0:
               return False
       return True
   
   def main():
       num = 29
       if is_prime(num):
           print(f"{num} is a prime number.")
       else:
           print(f"{num} is not a prime number.")
   
   if __name__ == "__main__":
       main()

1.2. Whitespaces

1.2.1. Tabs

In programming, tabs refer to the use of the tab character \t for indentation, typically to denote levels of nested code in many programming languages.

1. Characteristics

   • Character

     A single tab character \t represents an indentation level in the code. The width of a tab character is usually displayed as 4 or 8 spaces, depending on the configuration of the editor or environment in use.

   • Efficiency

     Tabs allow for quicker navigation since a single keypress inserts a full indentation level. This can be particularly convenient for developers working on large blocks of code.

   • Accessibility/Customizable Width

     Each developer can configure their editor to display tab widths according to personal preferences (e.g. 4 spaces or 8 spaces). This flexibility allows different users (e.g. visually impaired) to view the code in the way they find most readable without altering the underlying structure.

   • File Size

     Since tabs represent a single character, they can result in slightly smaller file sizes compared to spaces, where multiple space characters are required for the same indentation level.

2. Examples and Explanations

   if (condition)
   →do_something()

1.2.2. Spaces

Spaces refer to the use of space characters for code indentation, as opposed to using tab characters. Utilizing spaces for indentation is a widely adopted practice across many programming languages and is often preferred for its consistency and predictability in code formatting.

1. Characteristics

   • Fixed Width

     Each space character has a uniform width, making indentation levels predictable.

   • Configurable Indentation Levels

     Typically, developers use 2 or 4 spaces per indentation level, depending on the project's style guide.

   • Consistency

     Spaces eliminate discrepancies in indentation caused by different tab width settings across editors.

2. Examples and Explanations

   if (condition)
     do_something()

2. Best Practices

• Readability

  Code that's indented consistently is easier to read and understand.

• Maintainability

  Proper indentation makes code easier to debug and extend over time.

• Consistency

  Choose one style and stick with it throughout your project to maintain readability.

• Linters and Formatters

  Leverage tools like ESLint, Prettier, or clang-format can enforce indentation styles and other formatting rules automatically.

• Team Collaboration

  In a team, agree on a common indentation style to ensure uniformity across the codebase.

3. References

• JetBrain Tabs vs Spaces page.
• Reddit Tabs vs Spaces page.
• Medium Tabs vs Spaces page.

[sentenz]

Rename article tabs-vs-spaces.md to indentation.md.