Camel Case vs Pascal Case vs Snake Case vs Kebab Case: Naming Conventions Explained

In programming and web development, naming conventions play a vital role in code readability and consistency. Among the most commonly used styles are camelCase, PascalCase, snake_case, and kebab-case. Understanding the difference between these styles and when to use each can improve your code quality and help you collaborate more effectively with other developers.

What Are Naming Conventions?

Naming conventions are standardized ways to write identifiers such as variable names, function names, and file names. Following these conventions improves code readability, maintainability, and consistency across your project.

1. Camel Case (camelCase)

Camel case starts with a lowercase letter, and each subsequent word begins with an uppercase letter. No spaces or underscores are used.

Example: userProfileImage, getUserInfo

Common Usage:

• JavaScript: Variables and functions
• Java: Method names
• Swift and Kotlin: Function and variable names

2. Pascal Case (PascalCase)

Pascal case is similar to camel case, but the first word also starts with an uppercase letter. Each word in the identifier is capitalized.

Example: UserProfileImage, LoginForm

Common Usage:

• C#: Classes, Interfaces, and Enums
• TypeScript: Class and interface names
• .NET and object-oriented languages

3. Snake Case (snake_case)

Snake case uses only lowercase letters and separates words with underscores.

Example: user_profile_image, api_response_code

Common Usage:

• Python: Variables, functions
• Databases: Table or column names
• Ruby, PHP: Sometimes used for file or function names

4. Kebab Case (kebab-case)

Kebab case uses lowercase letters and hyphens to separate words. It's not typically used in most programming languages but is common in other areas.

Example: user-profile-image, main-header-section

Common Usage:

• CSS: Class and ID names
• HTML: Attributes or custom data attributes
• URLs and web slugs

Quick Comparison Table

Which Naming Convention Should You Use?

There’s no single rule for all projects. The best naming convention depends on the language, framework, or team style guide you're working with. Consistency is more important than the specific style.

Tips:

• Always follow the language or framework’s official naming standards.
• Be consistent throughout your codebase.
• Use clear and descriptive names.
• If working with a team, agree on a naming convention early.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're writing JavaScript functions or styling a webpage with CSS, knowing when and how to use camelCase, PascalCase, snake_case, and kebab-case is a small but important part of writing clean, professional code. These conventions not only make your code more readable but also help you collaborate better with other developers.