code readibility

Two definitions, from one of the best courses I’ve taken.¹

• syntax: the rules that say what counts as valid code. punctuation, keywords, structure
• semantics: what that code means. what it does, what it represents

So readability is syntax that makes semantics obvious.

• not imperative versus functional
• not tabs, spaces, or where the braces go
• whether a value is being moved or copied
• whether I’m holding a reference or the thing itself
• whether a loop mutates what it touches or leaves it alone

A good language makes semantics obvious. A good programmer does it anyway, when the language won’t.

¹ CS3110, Cornell’s OCaml course.