classnavn

Classnavn refers to the identifier given to a class in object-oriented programming languages. It serves as the unique name by which the class is referenced throughout the source code, enabling developers to declare objects, inherit from other classes, and perform type checking. The term is commonly encountered in Norwegian, Danish and Swedish contexts where the literal translation is “class name”.

In most mainstream languages the class name must start with a letter or underscore, may contain letters, digits, and optionally underscores, but cannot begin with a digit. Many languages enforce that the first character be uppercase (PascalCase) as a convention that distinguishes class names from other identifiers such as variables or functions. Exceptions exist: in JavaScript, class names may be written in camelCase, and in languages like Rust the convention is snake_case for structs.

Class names are used in several syntactic constructs. In Java, a class definition begins with the keyword "class" followed by the class name, e.g. "class MyClass {}". In C#, the same occurs with the "class" keyword but type names are often grouped in namespaces and may include generic type parameters, e.g. "public class List<T> {}". In languages with single inheritance, a class name immediately follows "extends" or "inherits". In C++ the keyword "class" or "struct" precedes the name, and access specifiers can follow the name to specify default visibility.

Naming conventions differ across ecosystems. Java encourages simple, descriptive names with no abbreviations; the Eclipse and Google Java conventions also recommend avoiding ambiguous acronyms and ensuring each letter capitalized. C# follows Microsoft’s guidelines, which include pluralization for collections and interface naming with a leading “I”. Following these guidelines improves readability, reduces naming collisions, and enhances code maintenance.

Because a class name is part of the public interface, it is common to change it gradually through deprecation notices rather than outright renaming, especially in library code. Modern IDEs and build tools offer refactoring utilities that automatically update references to a renamed class, minimizing human error. Understanding class names and their correct usage is a foundational skill for any developer engaged in object‑oriented software design.