checkswhether

Checkswhether is a term used in computing and software documentation to describe the action of verifying whether a given condition holds and returning a boolean result. In practice, checkswhether is often encountered as a naming convention for predicates or small helper functions that encapsulate a boolean test rather than performing side effects.

Origin and usage: The phrase mirrors the English expression “check whether X is true.” In codebases, a function or method named checkswhether may take inputs and a predicate, returning true when the predicate evaluates to true, and false otherwise. It is commonly used in data validation, configuration checks, and test automation to promote explicit, readable logic.

Semantics and patterns: A checkswhether construct can be implemented as a higher-order function or as part of a language’s standard library. Examples include checkswhether(x, isPositive) or checkswhether(password, isStrong). The name emphasizes that the primary purpose is evaluation of a condition, not mutating state or performing an action.

Alternatives and criticism: Other naming variants such as isX, hasX, or canX are often preferred for brevity. Checkswhether can be considered verbose and may clutter code when used excessively; careful naming helps readability.

See also: boolean predicate, predicate function, conditional expression, programming naming conventions, boolean logic.

References: Style guides and language design discussions discuss the merits of descriptive predicate names and the balance between readability and conciseness.