WarpedJavaGuy

To know a programmer is to know their code.
 

Every Java programmer has their own coding style. The style and format of their written Java code is reflective of their own character and personality. It is an expression of their professional inner self in the form of Java, and as such is worthy of respect.

Many companies like to introduce and enforce coding standards and expect their programmers to conform to them. They do this in the interest of promoting quality, maintainability, consistency, and readability throughout all developed code. Coding standards are often desirable, but what about coding styles? What is the criteria for choosing one style over another and who decides what it will be? A governing party (or individual) will typically impose a coding style that they prefer.

An imposed coding style is a conformists coding style. It has no respect for programmer individuality. A strictly enforced style can actually impede the developmental progress of programmers as professional individuals and can also conceal their true programming abilities. In the absence of strict style checking mechanisms, the programmer is free to evolve their own style and their level of proficiency will be evident in their code. You can learn a lot about a programmer by looking at their code.