# Unity Naming Conventions

Using consistent naming conventions in [Unity](https://unity.com) projects helps keep everything organized and easy to work with.
Below is a list of recommended conventions for naming components, scripts, variables, methods, folders, and game objects in a Unity project.

---

## General Rules
1. **PascalCase for Classes**:
   - Use **PascalCase** for class names (e.g., `PlayerController`, `GameManager`).
   - Example:
     ```csharp
     public class PlayerController : MonoBehaviour { }
     ```

2. **camelCase for Variables**:
   - Use **camelCase** for variables and private fields.
   - Prefix private fields with `_` (e.g., `_playerHealth`, `_isJumping`).
   - Example:
     ```csharp
     private int _playerHealth;
     public float movementSpeed;
     ```

3. **CONSTANT_CASE for Constants**:
   - Use all-uppercase with underscores for constants.
   - Example:
     ```csharp
     private const int MAX_HEALTH = 100;
     ```

4. **k_Prefix for Static Variables**:
   - Prefix static fields with `k_`.
   - Example:
     ```csharp
     private static int k_MaxEnemies = 10;
     ```

5. **Descriptive Names**:
   - Use clear and meaningful names to describe the purpose of a component or variable.
   - Avoid generic names like `temp`, `value`, or `object`.

---

## Scripts and Components
| **Category**           | **Convention**                    | **Example**             |
|-------------------------|------------------------------------|-------------------------|
| Manager Classes         | Suffix with `Manager`             | `GameManager`, `UIManager` |
| Player-Specific Classes | Prefix with `Player`              | `PlayerController`, `PlayerStats` |
| Singleton Classes       | Suffix with `Instance`            | `AudioManagerInstance` |
| Physics-Related Classes | Suffix with `Physics`             | `RigidbodyPhysics`, `ProjectilePhysics` |
| UI Components           | Prefix with `UI`                 | `UIButton`, `UIHealthBar` |
| System Helpers          | Suffix with `Helper` or `Utility` | `MathHelper`, `InputUtility` |

---

## Variables
| **Type**         | **Convention**               | **Example**            |
|-------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------|
| Private Fields    | `camelCase` with `_` prefix | `_playerScore`, `_isPaused` |
| Public Fields     | `camelCase`                | `movementSpeed`, `health` |
| Properties        | `PascalCase`               | `PlayerName`, `IsAlive` |
| Constants         | `CONSTANT_CASE`            | `MAX_HEALTH`, `GRAVITY_FORCE` |

---

## Folders
Organise folders with a naming structure that reflects their purpose:
| **Folder**       | **Convention**                | **Example**              |
|-------------------|-------------------------------|--------------------------|
| Scripts           | `Scripts` or `[Feature]/Scripts` | `Player/Scripts`, `UI/Scripts` |
| Prefabs           | `Prefabs`                   | `Player/Prefabs`, `Environment/Prefabs` |
| Materials         | `Materials`                 | `Player/Materials`, `UI/Materials` |
| Animations        | `Animations`                | `Player/Animations`      |
| Audio             | `Audio`                     | `Audio/Music`, `Audio/SFX` |

---

## GameObjects
| **Category**      | **Convention**                  | **Example**                |
|--------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------|
| Root Objects       | Descriptive PascalCase          | `PlayerCharacter`, `MainCamera` |
| UI Elements        | Prefix with `UI`               | `UICanvas`, `UIHealthBar`  |
| Lights             | Suffix with `Light`            | `DirectionalLight`, `Spotlight` |
| Environment Objects| Descriptive PascalCase          | `Tree`, `RockLarge`, `HouseSmall` |
| Enemy Objects      | Prefix with `Enemy`            | `EnemyGoblin`, `EnemyBoss` |
| Spawners           | Suffix with `Spawner`           | `EnemySpawner`, `ItemSpawner` |

### Additional Rules for GameObjects:
1. **Consistent Naming**:
   - Name objects based on their role and type.
   - Avoid names like `GameObject1` or `Untitled`.

2. **Hierarchy Organisation**:
   - Group related GameObjects under empty parent GameObjects with descriptive names (e.g., `Environment`, `Enemies`, `UI`).

3. **Instance-Specific Names**:
   - Append instance identifiers when duplicating objects (e.g., `Tree_01`, `Tree_02`).

---

## Public Methods
| **Action**       | **Convention**               | **Example**              |
|-------------------|-------------------------------|--------------------------|
| Actions           | Use verbs in `PascalCase`    | `MovePlayer`, `AttackEnemy` |
| Getters/Setters   | Prefix with `Get` or `Set`   | `GetHealth`, `SetName`   |
| Events            | Use `On` Prefix             | `OnPlayerDeath`, `OnButtonClicked` |

---

## Example Component
```csharp
using UnityEngine;

public class PlayerController : MonoBehaviour
{
    // Private fields
    private float _speed = 5f;
    private int _health = 100;

    // Public properties
    public int Health
    {
        get { return _health; }
        set { _health = Mathf.Clamp(value, 0, 100); }
    }

    // Constants
    private const int MAX_ENEMIES = 10;

    // Methods
    private void MovePlayer()
    {
        float horizontal = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");
        float vertical = Input.GetAxis("Vertical");
        Vector3 direction = new Vector3(horizontal, 0, vertical);
        transform.Translate(direction * _speed * Time.deltaTime);
    }

    private void OnPlayerDeath()
    {
        Debug.Log("Player has died!");
    }
}
```

---

## Additional Tips
- **Abbreviations**: Avoid unclear abbreviations. Use full words (e.g., `HealthBar` instead of `HB`).
- **Hierarchy Naming**: Name GameObjects with descriptive names to match their role (e.g., `PlayerCharacter`, `EnemySpawner`).
- **Grouping**: Use folders in the project and GameObject hierarchy to keep related components together.

---

## Additional Resources

- [A script to initialize a well-organized Unity project](https://gist.github.com/habedi/c6bbe3cd3351c32c592a19314cf34e14); works on Windows, macOS, and Linux

## Changelog

- 2024-12-13: The first version of this document was created.