Requirements for all programs

All programs that I am marking carefully need to have the following things. Note: this means all programs except those in green boxes

Checklist (we haven't learned all of these yet)

-------- comments and formatting -------
• comments at the top with:
  • your full name
  • date
  • brief line saying what the program does
• ★ major methods have comments describing what they do (including parameters)
• correct indentation
• vertical spacing
  (blank lines are used to ideas or separate sections of code)
-------- variables -------
• class name (and filename) starts with Capital letter
• all variable names are lower case (any rare exception to this must be justified)
• variables are of the correct type
• variables have names that make sense
• important variables have comments explaining them
• global variables are as few as possible
• (it is especially important that global variables are well named and have a comment saying what each is used for
• constants, when used, are in ALL CAPS
------- program functionality & style --------
• no && or || in for loops. e.g. NOT: for (int i=0; i >=0 && i < 20; i++)
• no comma operators in for loops unless absolutely required
• no else if () unless absolutely required
• input is checked to make sure that it is the correct type (and range if applicable)
• the program can't be crashed by typing in the wrong thing
• long sections of code are split up into methods (functions or subroutines)
• large repeated sections of code are refactored to use for-loops, arrays, and/or arraylists
• methods (as well as classes) have names that make sense and are helpful/descriptive
• code is easy to follow.
• code is efficient and works well (nothing convoluted or unnecessary)
• variables and methods (and imports) that are no longer used have been removed
• comments that are no longer applicable have been removed (don't have "TODO" or "FIXME" in a final version of a program!)
• error messages are clear and understandable
• no magic numbers! Use constants instead.