# Coding Standards

**URL:** <https://rubytalk.org/t/coding-standards/5407>\
**Category:** ruby-talk\
**Created:** [28 March 2003 21:00 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/coding-standards/5407 "2003-03-28T21:00:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mark\_Probert5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4da419/32.png) [@Mark\_Probert5](https://rubytalk.org/u/Mark_Probert5)\
**Post date:** [28 March 2003 21:00 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/coding-standards/5407/1 "2003-03-28T21:00:59Z")

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Hello, rubyists.

I am attempting to get a fairly major Ruby project off the ground  
here at work. Being the good software engineer (and project manager 😉  
I would like to have a formal coding standard in place.

Does anyone have such a beast for Ruby they are prepared to share?

TIA,

> **···**
>
> –  
> -mark.
> 
> * * *
> 
> ## Mark Probert probertm@NOSPAM\_nortelnetworks.com Nortel Networks ph. (613) 768-1082
> 
> All opinions expressed are my own and do not  
> reflect in any way those of Nortel Networks.

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**Author:** ![Jason\_Voegele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7bcc69/32.png) [@Jason\_Voegele](https://rubytalk.org/u/Jason_Voegele)\
**Post date:** [28 March 2003 21:46 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/coding-standards/5407/2 "2003-03-28T21:46:06Z")

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Mark Probert wrote:

> I am attempting to get a fairly major Ruby project off the ground  
> here at work. Being the good software engineer (and project manager 😉  
> I would like to have a formal coding standard in place.

Here’s a good place to start:

> **[WebMD - Better information. Better health.](https://www.webmd.com/?RubyStyleGuide)**
>
> The leading source for trustworthy and timely health and medical news and information. Providing credible health information, supportive community, and educational services by blending award-winning expertise in content, community services, expert...

> **···**
>
> –  
> Jason Voegele  
> “There is an essential core at the center of each man and woman that  
> remains unaltered no matter how life’s externals may be transformed  
> or recombined. But it’s smaller than we think.”  
> – Gene Wolfe, The Book of the Long Sun

---

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**Author:** ![Jim\_Weirich2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@Jim\_Weirich2](https://rubytalk.org/u/Jim_Weirich2)\
**Post date:** [29 March 2003 01:20 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/coding-standards/5407/3 "2003-03-29T01:20:10Z")

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Two pieces of advice …

(1) Keep it short. No more than page or two.  
(2) Get buy-in from the team. Have them help decide what gets put in  
the rules.

Good luck with your project!

> **···**
>
> On Fri, 2003-03-28 at 16:00, Mark Probert wrote:
> 
> > Hello, rubyists.
> > 
> > I am attempting to get a fairly major Ruby project off the ground  
> > here at work. Being the good software engineer (and project manager 😉  
> > I would like to have a formal coding standard in place.
> > 
> > Does anyone have such a beast for Ruby they are prepared to share?
> 
> ## – – Jim Weirich [jweirich@one.net](mailto:jweirich@one.net)[http://w3.one.net/~jweirich](http://w3.one.net/~jweirich)
> 
> “Beware of bugs in the above code; I have only proved it correct,  
> not tried it.” – Donald Knuth (in a memo to Peter van Emde Boas)