C Variable Names (Identifiers): Best Practices

Discover the importance of unique variable names, or identifiers, in C programming. Learn how to choose effective and descriptive names like age and totalVolume to enhance code readability and maintainability.

C Variable Names (Identifiers)

C Variable Names

All C variables must be identified with unique names, known as identifiers. These identifiers can be short names (like x and y) or more descriptive names (such as age, sum, or totalVolume).

It is recommended to use descriptive names to create understandable and maintainable code:

Example

// Good variable name
int minutesPerHour = 60;

// OK, but not so easy to understand what m actually is
int m = 60;

Rules for Naming Variables

The general rules for naming variables are:

  • Names can contain letters, digits, and underscores.
  • Names must begin with a letter or an underscore (_).
  • Names are case-sensitive (e.g., myVar and myvar are different variables).
  • Names cannot contain whitespaces or special characters like !, #, %, etc.
  • Reserved words (such as int) cannot be used as names.