Use clear and meaningful names for variables

One of the most important things when writing Java code is using clear and meaningful names for variables.

Let’s use this test as an example:

@Test
public void searchTest() {
    driver.get(url);

    Assert.assertEquals(driver.getCurrentUrl(), url);

    WebElement eleSearch = driver.findElement(search_By);
    eleSearch.sendKeys(keyword);

    WebElement eleButton = driver.findElement(searchBtn_By);
    eleButton.click();

    Assert.assertEquals(driver.getCurrentUrl(), resultsUrl);

    List<WebElement> listOfResultElements = driver.findElements(result_By);
    int numberOfResultElements = listOfResultElements.size();

    Assert.assertTrue(numberOfResultElements > 0);

    WebElement infoOnResultsPage = driver.findElement(pageInfo_By);
    String infoValue = infoOnResultsPage.getText();

    Assert.assertTrue(infoValue.contains(" 1 to 10"));

    WebElement booksOnlyElement = driver.findElement(booksOnly_By);
    booksOnlyElement.click();

    List<WebElement> listOfElements = driver.findElements(result_By);
    int numberOfElements = listOfElements.size();

    Assert.assertTrue(numberOfElements < numberOfResultElements);
}

I am not sure of how you see this but for me it is difficult to understand.

It is difficult to understand mostly because of the variable names.

Let’s look at a few of them:

• eleSearch - what does this mean?

• eleButton - what does it mean?

• listOfResultElements - it is obvious that this is a list because the variables uses the List<WebElement> type; it is also obvious that the list has elements; why using “list” and “element” then in the variable name?

• resultsUrl - results do not have a url, only pages have urls

• numberOfResultElements - this variable is clearly a number since it is declared as int

• infoOnResultsPage - it is easy to understand that we are on results page at this point, why use the page name then in the variable name? also, info? what info?

• infoValue - it is easy to see that this is a value, a string value is a value

• listOfElements - the type is List<WebElement> and the name of the variable is the same as the type

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Bad variable names like these are so common.

I see often variables with names as follows:

• String eleOwner;

• Boolean validateNames;

• boolean allElementsDisplayed;

• WebElement toggleIConOnEachOpenReport;

• List<Boolean> listOfBoolean = new ArrayList<>();

• WebElement date;

• List<String> arrayList = new ArrayList<String>();

• boolean flag;

• WebElement eleLoginWithUsername;

• String[] arr;

• Set<String> owner = new HashSet<>();

• WebElement element;

When using this type of names for variables, the code can only be very difficult to understand.

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The name of a variable should be

• descriptive

• unambiguous

• meaningful

• without prefixes or type information.

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Let’s see the same script with better names:

@Test
public void lessResultsAreDisplayedAfterFilteringByBooksTest() {
   driver.get(URL);

   Assert.assertEquals(driver.getCurrentUrl(), URL);

   WebElement searchBox = driver.findElement(SEARCH_BOX_ID);
   searchBox.sendKeys(keyword);

   WebElement searchButton = driver.findElement(SEARCH_BUTTON_ID);
   searchButton.click();

   Assert.assertEquals(driver.getCurrentUrl(), RESULTS_PAGE_URL);

   List<WebElement> results = driver.findElements(RESULT_BY);
   int resultsCount = results.size();

   Assert.assertTrue(resultsCount > 0);

   WebElement pagingInfoLabel = driver.findElement(PAGE_INFO_ID);
   String pagingInfo = pagingInfoLabel.getText();
   Assert.assertTrue(pagingInfo.contains(" 1 to 10"));

   WebElement booksOnlyFilter = driver.findElement(BOOKS_ONLY_ID);
   booksOnlyFilter.click();

   results = driver.findElements(RESULT_BY);
   int filteredResultsCount = results.size();

   Assert.assertTrue(resultsCount > filteredResultsCount);
}