I guess this is just a question out of interest in what people prefer to read and/or write code (we all want to read code that looks exactly like our style I'm sure).

Curly Braces. When do you use them? I know a lot of our personal coding styles can come from the places you learned from then we develop our own style later on. Maybe the curly braces is just something people use a certain way because it's how they were always taught so they always saw code that way.

I myself always tend to do the following:

void SomeFunction(int x)
{
     if( x > 10)
     {
          // Do something
     } 
}

Though I do a lot of times see the style of:

void SomeFunction(int x) {
     if( x > 10) {
          // Do something
     } 
}

I myself always seem to have "trouble" reading that if their is a lot going on. I'm sure it is mostly because I am still learning of course and developing my own styles that I am just not used to reading it like that.

I tend to use the first one because for me it helps me see and visualize the scope a lot better. I feel just by taking a quick glance at it I can tell you which scope I am in and have no problem.

What style do you tend to use and like better? What are you reasons you chose that specific style for curly braces?

The first style is my personal preference aswell. And for the reason you mentioned, it makes everything a bit clearer, adds that extra spacing between lines, and allows quick identification of which braces are paired, and where nesting occurs.

I did dabble in the second type, when I thought less lines = the way to go! But after a while it became a slight headache. Again, it's personal preference to the coder and one persons style may not suit another. But, think about people reading it later, I want them to be able to read it as clearly and concisely as possible.

There is also the usage of no braces being used. This occurs if an 'if' statement is only intended to trigger 1 function.

if(someClauseIsTrue)
      fireThisFunction();

I also used to do this, but again, it becomes a bit of a headache when you quickly skim it.

Regards,

Stitchs.

if(...) //simple single-line statement
if(...) //simple single-line statement

if(...)
{
    //...more complex statements....
}
else if(...)
{
    //...more complex statements....
}

if(x == foo && y == (N - 7)
|| z == PI)
{
    //Fully braced, because of non-simple conditional.
}

If I have code on multiple lines, I always use braces. But if the code can comfortably fit on one line, then I use no braces (and only one line). For example:

// The following comfortably fits in one line, so I put it on one line with no braces:
if (x < 0) x = 0;
else if (x > 100) x = 100;

// The following doesn't comfortably fit on one line, so it goes on multiple lines with braces:
if (someObject.getPosition().x < 0)
{
    someObject.setPosition(0, someObject.getPosition().y);
}
else if (someObject.getPosition().x > 100)
{
    someObject.setPosition(100, someObject.getPosition().y);
}

I also put braces on their own line.

But I don't get too religious about it, and if I'm working on a project that uses a different convention I'm fine doing it (like K&R style). I like the vertical real estate that putting braces on the same line as the code saves, but I also like the spacing/formatting that putting braces on their on line gives, which is why I think I can easily switch between styles depending on the conventions of each project. I've learned to find the positives in various styles, and if I'm working on a project where I can't set the coding conventions, I focus on the positives of the chosen style which has helped me get over the religiosity of braces.

I have noticed I too seem to use only one line if it can easily fit on one line and be easily read.

Thanks for the reply everyone. I know I just need to use what I like for personal projects find a consistent convention when working with teams. Just interested what people used for their convention for curly braces since I see a lot of different styles for them. Not meaning to start flame war.

@EddieV223:

Either my humor-detector broke again (very likely!), or you misread the book.

Code Complete 2nd Edition says your first method is the good one, and the other two are bad, and explains why.

*pulls down the book to double-check*

Huh, I'm mistaken - It does seem to say that (page 742).

I'll have to reread the book soon - it's been several years.