What is the best way to name varables and...

Anon

What is the best way to name varables and database columns?

I used to name my variables with a begginers style of:

$name
$email
$file_number

Now I have just heard that its good practice to do it like this:

$sName
$sEmail
$iFileName

Using "s" for strings, "i" for ints. Im sure there are other for maybe, binary, double, float? Not sure on that.

I'm wondering if ppl have a better method or an idea to make it more professional and/or easier to understand.

I think this would benefit allot of ppl

Thanks, Phil G

Anon

You're not going to get any agreement on this topic.
However, let me at least say that it's not fair
to characterize your initial method as "beginner's"
and the sort-of-hungarian-notation as "advanced".
Some of the most important people in software
abominate Hungarian notation (rightly, in my book,
but as I said there are proponents and detractors
on all sides here.)

The only real bottom line is that your variable names
should be meaningful and honest--i.e. convey
to the reader an accurate significance of what it is they are
storing.

Meaningful implies that you don't don't create names
such as a1, a2, and so forth (though stereotypical uses such
as i for an array index are OK, as are even the briefest possible
names if it really makes sense in the problem domain, e.g. x, y,
and z as coordinates.)

Honest means that the name doesn't mislead the reader--
e.g. you don't want to do things like this:

$two = 1;

Anon

Also...they should be consistent. Pick one style and stick to it! Goes for comments/indentation too!

Just to add my two pennies in:

how about camel notation - $Name, $LastName etc.