<!--
title: Self-explanatory identifier names
domain: devtools
topic: Naming Conventions
language: Json
source: zed-industries/zed
updated: 2025-06-11
url: https://awesomereviewers.com/reviewers/zed-self-explanatory-identifier-names/
-->

Choose identifier names that clearly convey their purpose without requiring users to understand implementation details. If reviewers struggle to understand what a name means, it likely needs improvement.

When naming functions or settings:
1. Favor descriptive clarity over excessive brevity
2. Remove redundant parts while maintaining meaning
3. When boolean names become awkward, consider using enums instead

**Examples:**
```
// Less clear
"line_number_base_width": 4

// Better - describes what it actually means
"min_line_number_digits": 4
```

```
// Unclear boolean (what does "true" actually mean?)
"focus_skip_active_file": true

// Better as an enum
enum AutoFocus {
    First,
    SkipActive
}
```

```
// Unnecessarily verbose
"workspace::IncreaseOpenDocksSizeByOffset"

// Better - removes redundancy while preserving meaning
"workspace::IncreaseDocksSize"
```