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Based on SOC occupation classification
| description | Format source files to align with Liferay's coding standards. |
| name | format-source |
All the code is strictly formatted using the source formatter (Java, JavaScript, JSON, JSP, Markdown, properties, shell, XML, YAML, and others). This is how it works:
Run for a specific module:
cd <module-root> && <gradlew> formatSource
Run across the entire codebase:
cd <repo-root>/portal-impl && ant format-source-current-branch
ant format-source-current-branch only inspects committed files, so run it after creating the commit, and amend any formatter changes or fixes into that commit.
In both cases, if there are issues to be fixed, the formatter will list them. Fix them.
In addition to the automatic formatter, there is a set of manual rules that the formatter does not catch. The full workflow is to run the formatter, apply the manual rules, then rerun the formatter to clean up any fallout from the manual edits. When a manual rule conflicts with the automatic formatter, the formatter wins; leave the formatted code as it stands.
Skip generated files. The automatic formatter already does this via BaseSourceProcessor.hasGeneratedTag; apply the same rule to manual edits. A file is generated when it contains any of these unquoted markers:
@generated — Service Builder, REST Builder, taglib generator (Java, by far the most common; ~18k files)
$ANTLR — ANTLR-generated lexers and parsers
# This is a generated file. — generated scripts
## Autogenerated — generated Markdown and config
These files are overwritten on the next build, so manual edits are lost and only pollute the diff.
Shell scripts (*.sh) follow a separate style guide maintained in the liferay-docker repository, not the manual rules below. Defer their formatting to the format-bash-source skill and the CODE_STYLE.md it depends on. Resolve both files in this order:
Local Checkout — when liferay-docker sits beside this repository, read ../liferay-docker/.claude/skills/format-bash-source/SKILL.md and ../liferay-docker/.claude/CODE_STYLE.md.
Remote Fallback — when the local checkout is absent, download both files from raw.githubusercontent.com and read them from there:
temp_dir=$(mktemp -d)
curl \
--fail \
--output "${temp_dir}/format-bash-source.md" \
--silent \
--url "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/liferay/liferay-docker/refs/heads/master/.claude/skills/format-bash-source/SKILL.md"
curl \
--fail \
--output "${temp_dir}/CODE_STYLE.md" \
--silent \
--url "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/liferay/liferay-docker/refs/heads/master/.claude/CODE_STYLE.md"
For any *.sh file in scope, read the resolved format-bash-source SKILL.md and the CODE_STYLE.md it points to, then apply those rules in place of the manual rules in this document.
cloud/ Exit on First FailureEvery liferay-portal shell script follows the delegated Bash Code Style. Scripts under cloud/ must also satisfy the rule below, which is exclusive to liferay-portal and has no counterpart in liferay-docker's CODE_STYLE.md.
Why: Without an explicit fail-fast directive, a failing command silently passes through to the next; the set -o errexit / set -o nounset / set -o pipefail block at the top of the script makes failures, unset variables, and broken pipeline stages surface immediately.
Examples:
#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -o errexit
+set -o nounset
+set -o pipefail
+
_execute "step-1"
_execute "step-2"
Why: Consistent method order in chained calls makes it easier to scan for a specific call and reduces churn when new methods are added to the chain.
Examples:
Foo foo = builder.start(
arg
-).gamma(
- gammaArg
).alpha(
alphaArg
).beta(
betaArg
+).gamma(
+ gammaArg
).build();
Why: Consistent parameter order makes call sites easier to scan and reduces churn when new parameters are added.
Examples:
private void process(
- String charlie, long alpha, String beta,
+ long alpha, String beta, String charlie,
Object delta) {
Why: Consistent assertion order makes test failures easier to locate and reduces churn when new cases are added.
Examples:
Assert.assertEquals(1L, map.get("apple"));
-Assert.assertEquals(3L, map.get("cherry"));
Assert.assertEquals(2L, map.get("banana"));
+Assert.assertEquals(3L, map.get("cherry"));
Why: Consistent declaration order makes it easier to find a variable and reduces churn when new locals are added.
Examples:
-Map<X, Y> beta = new HashMap<>();
-
boolean alpha = check();
+Map<X, Y> beta = new HashMap<>();
Why: A type suffix makes the variable's type readable at the use site and prevents a generic local from shadowing a same-named string key, field, or call argument in scope.
Examples:
Strings and other reference types like Date, JSONObject get a type suffix.
-String foo = result.toString();
+String fooString = result.toString();
int, long, boolean keep descriptive names without a type suffix.
-int countInt = items.size();
-long timeLong = System.currentTimeMillis();
-boolean enabledBoolean = config.isEnabled();
+int count = items.size();
+long time = System.currentTimeMillis();
+boolean enabled = config.isEnabled();
Lists prefer a plural name; the List suffix is acceptable when no natural plural exists.
-List<Item> itemList = repository.findAll();
+List<Item> items = repository.findAll();
Maps prefer a descriptive name; the Map suffix is acceptable when no natural descriptor exists.
-Map<String, Item> itemMap = loadIndex();
+Map<String, Item> itemsByKey = loadIndex();
Why: Treating acronyms as fully uppercase tokens keeps method, field, and variable names visually consistent with the surrounding API and avoids drift between camelCase and CamelCase variants for the same concept.
Examples:
-public String getUrl() {
+public String getURL() {
return _url;
}
-foo.getHtmlContent();
-bar.parseXmlString();
+foo.getHTMLContent();
+bar.parseXMLString();
Why: Wrapping literal identifiers, header values, content types, and similar tokens in double quotes inside log and exception messages separates the literal from the surrounding prose, so a reader can tell at a glance which words come from the data and which from the sentence.
Examples:
throw new IllegalArgumentException(
- "Request body has no application/json content");
+ "Request body has no \"application/json\" content");
-_log.warn("Missing header X-Custom-Header for request");
+_log.warn("Missing header \"X-Custom-Header\" for request");
Use escaped double quotes, not single quotes, to wrap the token.
-throw new IllegalArgumentException("Missing 'paths' object");
+throw new IllegalArgumentException("Missing \"paths\" object");
Why: When a method scope holds a single int index returned from indexOf or similar, naming it plainly index is shorter than a qualified name and matches the dominant convention; reuse the same index slot for sequential lookups in the same scope rather than introducing parallel qualified names.
Examples:
-int spaceIndex = endpoint.indexOf(' ');
+int index = endpoint.indexOf(' ');
-String prefix = endpoint.substring(0, spaceIndex);
-String suffix = endpoint.substring(spaceIndex + 1);
+String prefix = endpoint.substring(0, index);
+String suffix = endpoint.substring(index + 1);
When the value is reused for a second lookup in the same scope, reassign index rather than introducing a new variable.
-int firstSlashIndex = path.indexOf('/', 1);
-int secondSlashIndex = path.indexOf('/', firstSlashIndex + 1);
+int index = path.indexOf('/', 1);
+index = path.indexOf('/', index + 1);
Why: Naming the loop variable entry and the extracted parts after the data they hold (typically key/name and value) keeps every map iteration readable in the same shape, regardless of the surrounding domain.
Examples:
-for (Map.Entry<String, Object> argumentEntry : arguments.entrySet()) {
- String paramName = argumentEntry.getKey();
- Object paramValue = argumentEntry.getValue();
+for (Map.Entry<String, Object> entry : arguments.entrySet()) {
+ String name = entry.getKey();
+ Object value = entry.getValue();
Why: Phrasing the predicate clause of a test method as <property>Is<state> rather than <subject>Has<state><property> makes a sorted method list group together by the property under test, and reads as a complete subject-verb-complement sentence.
Examples:
-public void testGetFooWhenBarHasNullBaz() throws Exception {
+public void testGetFooWhenBarBazIsNull() throws Exception {
-public void testGetFooWhenBarHasValidBaz() throws Exception {
+public void testGetFooWhenBarBazIsValid() throws Exception {
Why: A subsequent assertion that calls a method on the same reference would already throw a NullPointerException if the value were null, so the explicit nonnull check adds noise without adding coverage.
Examples:
Foo foo = service.findFoo();
-Assert.assertNotNull(foo);
Assert.assertEquals("expected", foo.getName());
Assert.assertEquals(1L, foo.getId());
Why: A local that is computed once and immediately handed to a single call site adds a name without adding meaning, so passing the expression directly removes a hop the reader otherwise has to follow.
Examples:
-Foo foo = makeFoo(arg);
-
-bar.consume(foo);
+bar.consume(makeFoo(arg));
-FooSchema fooSchema = computeSchema(args, root);
-
return Bar.builder(
).name(
"x"
).inputSchema(
- fooSchema
+ computeSchema(args, root)
).build();
Anonymous classes follow the same rule.
-FooDelegate fooDelegate = new FooDelegate() {};
-
-method.invoke(fooDelegate);
+method.invoke(new FooDelegate() {});
Why: A verbose explanatory message on Assert.assertTrue or Assert.assertFalse mostly restates what the predicate already shows; removing it lets the failing line and stack frame carry the diagnostic, and shortens the test.
Examples:
-Assert.assertTrue(
- StringBundler.concat(
- "Lookup must use the entity's ", id,
- ". Actual filter was: ", filterString),
- filterString.contains("(id=" + id + ")"));
+Assert.assertTrue(filterString.contains("(id=" + id + ")"));
Why: Declaring a local right before the statement that consumes it keeps related lines together and removes the need to scan back to a top-of-method block to recall what each value means. The same logic applies inside a try block: hoisting a local out of the try only makes sense when the catch or finally needs it; otherwise the wider scope adds visual noise and a reader has to confirm the local is not reused later.
Examples:
-long alpha = randomLong();
-String beta = "https://example.com";
-String gamma = randomString();
-
Foo foo = Mockito.mock(Foo.class);
+long alpha = randomLong();
+
Mockito.when(
foo.getAlpha()
).thenReturn(
alpha
);
+String beta = "https://example.com";
+
Mockito.when(
foo.getBeta()
).thenReturn(
beta
);
A local used only inside a try belongs inside the try:
-Foo foo = makeFoo();
-
-try {
- foo.consume();
-}
-catch (Exception exception) {
- _log.error("Failed", exception);
-}
+try {
+ Foo foo = makeFoo();
+
+ foo.consume();
+}
+catch (Exception exception) {
+ _log.error("Failed", exception);
+}
Why: Calling .longValue(), .intValue(), or similar on the actual value forces a chain on the line being asserted; matching the boxed type on the expected side keeps the comparison readable on a single call.
Examples:
-Assert.assertEquals(
- 0L,
- threadLocal.getValue(
- ).longValue());
+Assert.assertEquals(Long.valueOf(0), threadLocal.getValue());
Why: When a local is declared and then immediately patched if its initial value is null or otherwise unsuitable, keeping the if directly after the declaration treats the pair as one logical "compute alpha" step and avoids splitting it across an unrelated declaration block.
Examples:
String alpha = source.getAlpha();
+
+if (alpha == null) {
+ alpha = fallback.getAlpha();
+}
+
String beta = null;
String gamma = null;
Date delta = source.getDelta();
-
-if (alpha == null) {
- alpha = fallback.getAlpha();
-}
Why: When the same object is configured by a contiguous block of setter calls, ordering the calls alphabetically by method name (and then by argument) makes the configuration easier to scan and matches the convention used for assertions and declarations.
Examples:
Foo foo = new Foo();
-foo.setGamma(gamma);
foo.setAlpha(alpha);
foo.setBeta(beta);
+foo.setGamma(gamma);
Exception: When the receiver is a Service Builder entity (anything backed by a *ModelImpl — FragmentEntryVersion, User, Group, etc.), the automatic formatter's JavaServiceObjectCheck rewrites the setter block into model-field declaration order, not alphabetical order. Leave entity setter blocks as the formatter produces them; alphabetizing by hand will be reverted on the next formatSource run.
Why: Status, error, and notification strings that omit the linking verb read as fragments and translate poorly; restoring the auxiliary (is, are, was, were) turns the message into a complete sentence and matches the dominant phrasing already used across language files, log statements, and shell echoes. For failure messages, prefer the Unable to <verb> form over Cannot <verb>, Failed to <verb>, or Error <verb>ing.
Examples:
The rule applies to language property values.
-foo-not-allowed=Foo not allowed.
+foo-is-not-allowed=Foo is not allowed.
It applies to shell script messages.
-_log "Resource ${name} created successfully."
+_log "Resource ${name} was created successfully."
It applies to workflow and other YAML scripted output.
-echo "No entries found for ${id}."
+echo "No entries were found for ${id}."
It applies to Java exception and log messages.
-throw new IllegalStateException("Foo not found for id " + id);
+throw new IllegalStateException("Foo was not found for id " + id);
-_log.warn("Cannot delete foo " + id);
+_log.warn("Unable to delete foo " + id);
Why: Liferay's persistence APIs spell entity destruction as delete* (deleteUser, deleteEntry); naming a private helper _delete* when its body calls a delete* service keeps the helper's verb aligned with the operation it performs.
Examples:
-private void _removeStaleFoos(Map<Long, List<String>> deletedIdsMap)
+private void _deleteStaleFoos(Map<Long, List<String>> deletedIdsMap)
throws Exception {
...
_fooLocalService.deleteFoo(foo);
}
Update the call sites at the same time.
-_removeStaleFoos(deletedIdsMap);
+_deleteStaleFoos(deletedIdsMap);
L Suffix on Long LiteralsWhy: When the receiving slot is already typed long, the L suffix on an integer literal adds visual noise without changing the value, since the integer is widened automatically.
Examples:
-public static final long TIMEOUT = 300000L;
+public static final long TIMEOUT = 300000;
iterator().next() for First-Element AccessWhy: A multimethod chain to reach the first element hides the intent behind two calls; pick the most direct accessor the type already offers so the call site reads as a single lookup.
Examples:
-Foo foo = page.getItems().iterator().next();
+Foo foo = page.getItems().get(0);
while Over do-whileWhy: A while loop checks its guard before the body, matching the dominant convention in the codebase; do-while belongs only to cases where the body genuinely must run before the first check.
Examples:
-do {
- advance();
-}
-while (!done());
+while (!done()) {
+ advance();
+}
Why: Blank lines mark the boundaries of a group; the statements inside a group read as one logical step. Within a group, ordering should be deterministic (alphabetical, argument order, call order); when the statements cannot be ordered, split them into separate groups with a blank line so the reader knows the order is intentional rather than arbitrary. Pairs that already read as one step (parallel setup, parallel assertions, paired declarations) should sit on adjacent lines without a blank line between them. Conversely, when one logical setup block finishes (configuring a context object, mocking a service, building a fixture), a single blank line marks the boundary so the next block reads as a new paragraph.
Examples:
Paired declarations:
Foo first = create("first");
-
Foo second = create("second");
Paired assertions on parallel results:
Assert.assertEquals("alpha", alpha.getName());
-
Assert.assertEquals("beta", beta.getName());
A blank line after a finished setup block separates it from the next:
themeDisplay.setSiteGroupId(siteGroupId);
themeDisplay.setUser(user);
+
ThemeRequest themeRequest = new ThemeRequest();
themeRequest.setLocale(locale);
Why: Two spaces after a period is a legacy typewriter convention; modern Liferay prose in comments, JSPs, language strings, and Markdown uses one.
Examples:
-// Compute the score. Cache it for next time.
+// Compute the score. Cache it for next time.
Why: A method that returns a collection should signal that in its name, so a reader can predict the return type without checking the signature; a singular-sounding name on a List return forces a second look.
Examples:
-public List<Foo> getFooOverview() {
+public List<Foo> getFoos() {
return _fooLocalService.findAll();
}
Why: When two methods are paired (data-fetch with count, get with getCount, by-key with by-key-count), they should differ only by the operation noun; a mismatched suffix hides the pairing from git grep and from the reader.
Examples:
public List<Foo> getFoosByGroupIds(long[] groupIds);
-public int getFoosCount(long[] groupIds);
+public int getFoosCountByGroupIds(long[] groupIds);
Why: Treating cleanup and clean up as interchangeable produces noise in symbols and prose; the noun form names a thing (a method, a phase, a section header), the verb form describes an action.
Examples:
The verb form belongs in imperative comments and method names.
-// Cleanup the cache after the test runs
+// Clean up the cache after the test runs
The noun form belongs in identifiers and section headers.
-public void runCleanUp() {
+public void runCleanup() {
Why: When a block of declarations feeds straight into a downstream call sequence, ordering them to match that sequence lets the eye match left-to-right and reduces the chance of swapping two same-typed values at the call site; alphabetical breaks ties.
Examples:
When a block of locals feeds straight into a multiarg call, declare them in the call's argument order.
-String beta = computeBeta();
-String alpha = computeAlpha();
-String gamma = computeGamma();
+String alpha = computeAlpha();
+String beta = computeBeta();
+String gamma = computeGamma();
invoke(alpha, beta, gamma);
The same applies to Mockito mock declarations: order them in the sequence the system under test exercises them, with alphabetical as the tie-breaker. When the system under test calls _serviceA first and _serviceB second:
-Mockito.when(_serviceB.findFoo(id)).thenReturn(foo);
Mockito.when(_serviceA.exists(id)).thenReturn(true);
+Mockito.when(_serviceB.findFoo(id)).thenReturn(foo);
Why: A bare k, v, or e lambda parameter forces the reader to scroll up to the enclosing call to know what it represents; a domain name reads on its own line.
Examples:
-fooMap.computeIfAbsent(name, k -> new HashSet<>());
+fooMap.computeIfAbsent(name, fooName -> new HashSet<>());
Why: Inverting the condition and exiting early flattens the indentation of the bulk of the method, so the reader follows one straight column instead of an arrow-shaped nest.
Examples:
for (Foo foo : foos) {
- if ((foo != null) && foo.isEnabled()) {
- // thirty lines of work
- }
+ if ((foo == null) || !foo.isEnabled()) {
+ continue;
+ }
+
+ // thirty lines of work
}
@Before and @After Over @BeforeClass and @AfterClassWhy: Instance-level setup gives each test a fresh state; class-level setup creates hidden coupling between tests that share the static fixture, and the failure mode is silent when one test mutates it.
Examples:
-@BeforeClass
-public static void setUpClass() throws Exception {
+@Before
+public void setUp() throws Exception {
_fixture = createFixture();
}
Exception: When the fixture is expensive to build (e.g. creating a new company), @BeforeClass can be the right call so the suite does not pay the cost per test.
Why: Interleaving categories scatters related members across the class; one blank-line-separated block per category, alphabetical within, keeps each group scannable and makes additions obvious in a diff. The same principle handles must-be-first or must-be-last entries (initialization, defaults, "all"): separate them from the sorted block with a blank line so the reader knows the leading or trailing position is intentional and the rest of the order has no further meaning.
Examples:
Group constants by category:
private static final String _ALPHA_X = "ax";
-private static final String _GAMMA_X = "gx";
private static final String _ALPHA_Y = "ay";
+
+private static final String _GAMMA_X = "gx";
private static final String _GAMMA_Y = "gy";
Separate must-be-first or must-be-last items from the sorted block:
public enum FooStep {
INIT,
+
ALPHA,
BETA,
GAMMA;
}
Why: When a local's name disagrees with the right-hand side, the reader has to verify which name is the truthful one at every use; pick the name from the expression so the two stay in sync.
Examples:
-long[] currentAndAncestorGroupIds = getReferencedGroupIds();
+long[] referencedGroupIds = getReferencedGroupIds();
@Override on Every Overriding MethodWhy: @Override makes the override explicit, lets the compiler catch signature drift in the supertype, and matches every other override in the codebase.
Examples:
+@Override
public void doSomething() {
super.doSomething();
}
Why: ASCII-art rules duplicate what indentation and blank lines already convey; matching the surrounding terse comment style keeps the file scannable and consistent.
Examples:
-/* ---------- Hide the column when narrow ---------- */
+/* Hide the column when narrow */
.foo .col {
display: none;
}
StringBundler.append of Literal StringsWhy: Two literal-only append calls collapse to one without changing behavior, and the merged form lets the reader see the full literal in a single line.
Examples:
-sb.append("<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>");
-sb.append("<foo><bar>");
+sb.append("<?xml version=\"1.0\"?><foo><bar>");
Why: Once a class is in the import block, the fully-qualified form at the use site adds noise and forces a line wrap; the simple name is what every other reference in the file already uses.
Examples:
import com.example.foo.FooResource;
// ...
-com.example.foo.FooResource fooResource = factory.create();
+FooResource fooResource = factory.create();
Why: Constants scattered between methods force the reader to scan the whole class to confirm what is and is not a constant; a single sorted block at the top, after fields, is the canonical place to look.
Examples:
public class Foo {
+ private static final String _ALPHA = "alpha";
+
+ private static final String _BAR = "bar";
+
public void doFirst() {
- }
-
- private static final String _BAR = "bar";
-
- public void doSecond() {
}
- private static final String _ALPHA = "alpha";
+ public void doSecond() {
+ }
}
privateWhy: Default or public visibility on a class-internal method overstates the contract; a reader cannot tell from the signature alone whether external callers exist, and tooling cannot prune the method when its callers go away.
Examples:
-void _doInternal() {
+private void _doInternal() {
// ...
}
Why: A method represents an action, so its name should begin with one (get, set, is, make, attach, verify, …); a noun-only name reads as a field, not a call.
Examples:
-private boolean _osgiAware() {
+private boolean _isOsgiAware() {
return _bundleContext != null;
}
Why: When constant names begin with their category (<PREFIX>_<KIND>_<VALUE>), an alphabetical sort places every member of the group together; leading with the value scatters the group across the file.
Examples:
-private static final String _DXP_ONLY_BUNDLE_NAME = "...";
-private static final String _ENTERPRISE_APP_BUNDLE_NAME = "...";
+private static final String _BUNDLE_NAME_DXP_ONLY = "...";
+private static final String _BUNDLE_NAME_ENTERPRISE_APP = "...";
try-With-ResourcesWhy: When a multiresource try mixes independent resources with one that consumes them, a blank line between the independent group and the consumer makes the dependency visible at the resource declaration level instead of forcing the reader to trace it through the body.
Examples:
try (
PreparedStatement preparedStatement1 = connection.prepareStatement(selectSQL);
PreparedStatement preparedStatement2 = connection.prepareStatement(updateSQL);
+
ResultSet resultSet = preparedStatement1.executeQuery()) {
Why: Wrapping a caught exception in a generic runtime exception (or a framework-specific equivalent) hides both the original type and the original stack frame; the first choice is to let the original propagate by declaring it on the method.
Examples:
-try {
- parser.read(input);
-}
-catch (IOException ioException) {
- throw new PortalException(ioException);
-}
+parser.read(input);
Exception: When the method signature cannot be changed (an interface override, a callback whose contract forbids the checked type), wrapping is the necessary escape hatch. Use a known utility (ReflectionUtil.throwException, _log.error plus a domain-specific runtime type) and keep the original as the cause so the stack frame survives.
Math.ceil on Whole-Unit DivisionWhy: When converting a whole-unit value (milliseconds to seconds, bytes to kilobytes) for an input whose realistic values are already multiples of the divisor, Math.ceil adds a double promotion and a primitive cast that all collapse for any actual input; integer division does the same job.
Examples:
-long seconds = (long)Math.ceil(milliseconds / 1000.0);
+long seconds = milliseconds / 1000;
Why: Grouping all declarations together and all configuration together — with the outermost/output object first — makes the purpose of a block visible upfront and eliminates "spaghetti" code where create-and-configure steps are interleaved as you descend the dependency chain.
Examples:
Output/accumulator declared first. When a block builds a collection and returns or passes it on, declare the output variable at the top — before the input and source variables — even though it is populated later in the loop. As Brian Chan put it: "the clue is that you are returning X, so we want to wrap the vars around this."
+List<OutputType> results = new ArrayList<>();
+
InputType input = fetchInput(arg);
List<SourceType> sources = service.getSources(input.getId());
-List<OutputType> results = new ArrayList<>();
-
for (SourceType source : sources) {
results.add(transform(source));
}
return results;
The same applies to Map, Set, and JSONObject accumulators — whatever is being built and returned goes to the top.
Outer objects declared first, then configured inner-to-outer. When setting up a containment hierarchy (A wraps B wraps C), declare all objects upfront in outer-to-inner order, then configure them from innermost to outermost. Do not interleave declaration and configuration as you traverse the chain.
+ContainerA containerA = new ContainerA();
+ContainerB containerB = new ContainerB();
+
ContainerC containerC = new ContainerC();
containerC.setContent(content);
-ContainerB containerB = new ContainerB();
-
containerB.setContainerC(containerC);
-ContainerA containerA = new ContainerA();
-
containerA.setContainerB(containerB);
In Mockito-based tests the same rule applies: declare all mocks first in outer-to-inner order (the mock that wraps or receives others comes first), then write the Mockito.when() stubs from innermost to outermost.
+OuterMock outerMock = Mockito.mock(OuterMock.class);
+
InnerMock innerMock = Mockito.mock(InnerMock.class);
Mockito.when(
innerMock.getValue()
).thenReturn(
value
);
-OuterMock outerMock = Mockito.mock(OuterMock.class);
-
Mockito.when(
outerMock.getInner()
).thenReturn(
innerMock
);
This is the complement of Rule 14: intermediate input variables move down (next to first use), while output and wrapping variables move up (declared before the code that feeds them).
Why: When a local variable carries a value directly into a method call, naming it after the method's parameter makes the call site self-documenting and eliminates the translation overhead for the reader who must otherwise reconcile a synonym with the method signature.
Examples:
When a local is passed as a specific named parameter, adopt the parameter's name rather than an alternative description of the same value.
-boolean httpsEnabled = _isHttpsEnabled();
+boolean secure = _isSecure();
String baseURL = _portal.getPortalURL(
company.getVirtualHostname(),
- _portal.getPortalServerPort(httpsEnabled), httpsEnabled);
+ _portal.getPortalServerPort(secure), secure);
The same applies when renaming a method or its parameter to match the vocabulary of the API it delegates to.
private Map<Locale, String> _getLocalizedMap(
- String value, Map<String, String> i18nMap) {
+ String defaultValue, Map<String, String> i18nMap) {
Map<Locale, String> localizedMap = LocalizedMapUtil.getLocalizedMap(
- contextAcceptLanguage.getPreferredLocale(), value, i18nMap);
+ contextAcceptLanguage.getPreferredLocale(), defaultValue, i18nMap);
Page<T> variables use the plural form of the method that returned them. If the method is getItemsPage(...), name the variable itemsPage, not itemPage.
-Page<OrderItem> orderItemPage =
+Page<OrderItem> orderItemsPage =
service.getOrderIdOrderItemsPage(orderId, pagination);
-for (OrderItem orderItem : orderItemPage.getItems()) {
+for (OrderItem orderItem : orderItemsPage.getItems()) {
When you rename a local, propagate the new name to every call site, every parameter that passes it on, and every private helper that receives it.
Why: Titles in Language.properties — labels, headings, button text, dropdown options, filter values — follow the Chicago Manual of Style: capitalize the first word, the last word, and every major word (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns), and keep articles, coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions lowercase. Sentences and inline phrases stay in sentence case; full sentences fall under Rule 18.
Examples:
-some-key=Alpha of the bravo
+some-key=Alpha of the Bravo