What is the name of this convention for curly braces?

Question

I'm a bit puzzled by the number of developers I see writing methods and classes with curly braces below the class name or the method. What convention are they following?

Sun clearly states that the correct declaration would be:

// this declaration follows sun's conventions
class Sample extends Object {

    Sample(int i, int j) {
        ....
    }
}

Yet more and more I see this declared as (even in books):

// this declaration follows a convention I cant identify
class Sample extends Object 
{

    Sample(int i, int j) 
    {
        ....
    }
}

And I know that a convention is just a convention and, as long as you follow one, all is good. I'm just looking for the answer on what convention does the latter declaration follow?

Despite the question clearly being just about the **convention name**, it's curious how eager people are to bring forth their opinions & preferences as off-topic answers (like [this](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4452288/java-conventions-for-curly-braces/4452360#4452360) and [this](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4452288/java-conventions-for-curly-braces/4452413#4452413)) or as votes on those answers. — Jonik, Dec 15 '10 at 16:42
Rule 0: Don't sweat the small stuff. All of the standard brace positions are equally valid. Use any of them you like. Mix and match. They have no significant impact on readability. They don't merit inclusion in a convention. — Andy Thomas, Dec 15 '10 at 16:43
@Andy: I agree about "don't sweat the small stuff", but still wouldn't recommend "mixing and matching". Rather, pick one and stick to it. Even small stuff can affect readability by being a distraction. — Jonik, Dec 15 '10 at 16:49
@Andy, it is struck on us all (StackOverflow in general), to be more or less curious about some tiny-ultra-micro-spec that doesn't matter a bit to the final outcome but satisfies our hunger for knowledge. Just as it is. Just as was asked. — Frankie, Dec 15 '10 at 17:09
Puzzles me why someone would downvote the question without dropping a comment or voting for close. Well... — Frankie, Dec 15 '10 at 17:11
I learned to place my braces that way from the book I learnt programming from (Java). I'm used to it now — jobukkit, Sep 11 '13 at 16:59

asthasr · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-17T16:43:23.590

30

This is a standard style convention called the ANSI style. It's common in other languages besides Java, as well.

edited Sep 17 '13 at 16:43

answered Dec 15 '10 at 16:30

asthasr

9,125
1
29
43

12

+1 because you answered the question that was actually asked instead of going off on a Jihad about your preferred style. – JeremyP Dec 15 '10 at 16:51
I always reckoned it was just the microsoft style :) – Joeri Hendrickx Dec 16 '10 at 08:18
3

I would like to add that this is called the "Allman style". It has been incorrectly attributed to the ANSI C documentation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indent_style#Allman_style – SirTophamHatt Oct 15 '13 at 20:12

Jon Skeet · Answer 2 · 2010-12-15T16:55:09.503

12

As you say, you've seen it quite a lot - doesn't that make it a convention in its own right, whether or not there's a single source or name for that convention? It's so easy to describe, I don't think it needs a particular attribution. Wikipedia's "indent style" page calls it the Allman Style or ANSI style, but frankly I've been using it for years without ever hearing that name, and I don't think knowing the name is going to change anything about the way I code :)

Unlike conventions such as the naming of public types and methods, brace location has no impact on developers using the compiled version of your code... so it's okay (IMO) for different projects and companies to have different takes on this... likewise whether to use spaces or tabs, the number of spaces to use for indentation etc. I suspect that's why you've seen more variation on bracing (and probably private variables) than on other aspects of convention.

edited Dec 15 '10 at 16:55

answered Dec 15 '10 at 16:38

Jon Skeet

1,421,763
867
9,128
9,194

3

The benefit is to make source control operations like diff and merge easier. When someone goes and reformats entire files simply because they prefer one style over another, it can make merging from the source control tool into a royal pain. – FrustratedWithFormsDesigner Dec 15 '10 at 16:40
@FrustratedWithFormsDesigner: That's the benefit of being consistent within a project - but it's *not* a benefit for a cross-project convention. If I use a 3rd party library, I wouldn't start reformatting its code even if I included the code within my own source control system. – Jon Skeet Dec 15 '10 at 16:42
@Jon I'm afraid, like several others on this thread, you've hit yourself on a soft-spot reading the question. I was looking for the name of the convention, only. With that knowledge I will eventually dig up other aspects of the convention (or not if there were none). Nevertheless, on broader terms, I subscribe to all of your answer. – Frankie Dec 15 '10 at 17:09
@Frankie: I agree, which is why I moved the first paragraph up from the middle to the top. I would suspect that the reason you got the reaction was the tone of the question - which I certainly initially read as *criticising* those developers (particularly due to the "Sun clearly states" etc). It was only when I reread the question that I change the tone of my answer. – Jon Skeet Dec 15 '10 at 17:11
@Jon yep. Being a non-native I may have sounded a bit passive-aggressive. Add that to the fact that I'm much cozier with `Allman indent style`. Ah! Doesn't that sound good? Putting words where your thoughts are? Keep it up. I'm cheering for your 250k! ;) – Frankie Dec 15 '10 at 17:16
@Frankie: I think it'll be a long time before the human race manages to express emotions accurately and unambiguously in text :) – Jon Skeet Dec 15 '10 at 17:18
@JonSkeet **I am thanking Jon Skeet forever that he uses Allman styles in his books.** For me, it's the one and only way to code. My desire for symmetry loves Allman and hates all other styles. – SQL Police May 25 '20 at 16:16

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 15 '10 at 16:32

5

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indent_style

Syrion has identified it as the ANSI style, Sun follows the K&R style of brace placement.

Tangent: and now I know that accursed style is called Whitesmiths style

answered Dec 15 '10 at 16:32

wkl

77,184
16
165
176

2

It may just be an urban legend, but I recall from somewhere that the K&R style originated to save space when the code was to be printed. – FrustratedWithFormsDesigner Dec 15 '10 at 16:36
... and saving screen space when all you got were 20 or 24 lines. Which is not an issue these days anymore. – foo Oct 18 '19 at 19:09

124697 · Answer 4 · 2010-12-15T16:39:29.027

5

I prefer the second convention because the closing bracket will be directly below the opening one, so it's easier to find.

edited Dec 15 '10 at 16:39

answered Dec 15 '10 at 16:33

124697

22,097
68
188
315

score 3 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 15 '10 at 16:33

3

The latter looks like the Allman indent style which is quite popular in C++ but I haven't seen it used often in Java.

answered Dec 15 '10 at 16:33

vitaut

49,672
25
199
336

score 3 · Answer 6 · answered Dec 15 '10 at 16:34

3

The second convention is also the default indentation style of Visual Studio (and therefore rather common) for C#

answered Dec 15 '10 at 16:34

Martijn

11,964
12
50
96

score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Dec 15 '10 at 16:37

1

The first convention saves precious space. The bracket matching is done by the editor anyway.

answered Dec 15 '10 at 16:37

Costis Aivalis

13,680
3
46
47

3

Space is not precious in this day and age. Vertical space increases readability. I like to be able to match braces by eye without having to place the cursor or caret over one or the other. – JeremyP Dec 15 '10 at 16:49
2

I was certainly not referring to disk space. You can see more code on your hi-res screen when using the first convention. – Costis Aivalis Dec 15 '10 at 16:54

What is the name of this convention for curly braces?

7 Answers7

Linked