Naming "class" and "id" HTML attributes - dashes vs. underlines
For HTML class and id attributes, always lean towards dashes over underscores to ensure readability, enhance SEO, and maintain compatibility with CSS and JavaScript. Dashes are perceived as delimiters making your code effortlessly understandable, while underscores connecting words may obstruct the smooth reading flow. Here's a robust example:
Adopting dashes promotes a more streamlined and intuitive coding design.
Decoding the impact of dashes and underscores
Why dashes?
Opting for dashes in class and id names makes the splitting of words crystal clear. This division aids not only readability but also SEO, as search engines like Google interpret dashes as spaces. Pure semantics!
In the world of coding
Dashes serve as a protective barrier between the realms of HTML/CSS and JavaScript. Hyphens in HTML ids prevent any uninvited conflicts with the naming conventions of JavaScript objects:
Guiding the path
Following well-respected style guides like Google HTML/CSS Style Guide can save you a headache, ensuring you align with the best practices of the industry.
Interaction with editors
Different text editors have their unique ways of interpreting hyphens and underscores. Some might not recognize underscores as word separators, which might become a speedbump in your smooth coding journey.
Are hyphens or underscores better? The ultimate showdown!
SEO-friendly
Want to improve your site's visibility? Hyphens are your best friend; they are recognized as word separators, making your site easier to find. Underscores, on the other hand, might link your words, giving SEO a hard time.
Painless programming
Typing dashes can be a breeze in comparison with underscores, reducing typing fatigue and keeping coders in good spirits!
Aesthetic consistency
Keeping up with the aesthetic beauty of large-scale projects requires you to stick with a consistent convention for delimiters. Choosing hyphens ensures uniformity across HTML, CSS, and JavaScript codes.
Say no to concatenation
Merged words like "errorstatus" can take readability down many notches. Up the game with dashes offering a clear separation:
Hyphens and beyond
Bear in mind, W3C spec allows for using colons and periods too. Although not as widely used, they might come in handy for namespaced components or BEM notation.
Alternatives like CamelCase
CamelCase, though less frequent, can be a refreshing alternative for HTML and CSS, particularly when they need to match JavaScript object properties. Key is to keep it consistent!
Was this article helpful?