So here it is. Time to begin a new coding project. Do I worry about what framework I’m going to use? Do I consider defining a feature set? Do I even have a clue what I’m going to build? Or is all of that far less important than the choice of code name?
If you answered “far less important than the choice of code name” you’d be correct. After all, a code name follows you around throughout the entire coding process, which is pretty much when you’re living and breathing the project. More to the point, a code name allows you to have a handle by which you can refer to your project well before you worry about whether it is becoming a product or any issues of branding.
Given that my motivation for diving into code is less about what I’m going to build and more about a year and a half of APA-format compliance makes me want to stay away from academic writing for a while, the code name becomes even more important, because there may not be any other name.
Many developers choose code names from a taxonomy like, say, wines or planets. Others try to choose code names based on some characteristic of the project. In this case, my project (I think) is going to have something to do with strings, so I’m turning to string instruments for inspiration. Right now, the choice is between “zither” (for obvious ZATZonian reasons) and “hurdy gurdy” (because it makes me chuckle).
Stay tuned. Before there is code, there must be a code name.
