Coding standards are very important when typing code. It can not only visibly be easier to read (which is also very important), but it also helps the code writer to learn the language. When using an IDE such as Eclipse or IntelliJ, there are certain coding standards to follow, so that the code can run properly. In our ICS 314 class, we are using ESLint in IntelliJ for our coding standard. Other courses such as ICS 211 have a similar process for checking coding standards as well.
If you imagine a world without coding standards, coding would be a complete chaos. Not only would the code be nearly impossible for anyone to read (unless they’re the person who wrote the code themselves, or know the person and their writing style), everyone would have a different way of writing the same code. Either that, or it would be impossible to actually even code anything, because there are no rules to begin with. This goes back to the fact that coding standards help people to learn the language, because every language has a certain structure to it, with how to write certain things properly.
These coding standards help to not only debug problems in our code, but once we get used to these coding standards, it eventually saves time when coding, because there will be less errors, which means less time spent fixing code. Starting from the small things such as indentation, adding semicolons, and even adding a new line at the end of the code, to missing brackets or unused variables, the ESLint coding errors are very helpful. Because there’s a built-in error finder, it’s easier to fix code. However, as you do this, you will learn over time what your mistakes are, and it helps you build on that. I find the ESLint coding standards to be very helpful because of the very specific errors it gives, and it gives a little green check mark at the top right corner when everything is up to the standards.