filenaming

File naming refers to the practice of assigning descriptive, consistent names to digital files to improve organization, searchability, version control, and interoperability across systems. A file name typically consists of a base name and an extension. The base name is the human-readable part, while the extension indicates the file type and follows the final period. Some systems treat extensions as part of the type, others do not. File names may appear with path information that indicates their location in a filesystem.

Common conventions include using separators such as underscores, hyphens, or camelCase to improve readability. Spaces are supported by many systems but can complicate scripting and command-line use. Date formats such as YYYY-MM-DD and version indicators like v1, v2 help with sorting and tracking changes. Patterns such as project_report_2024-11-15_v2.docx or image-2024-11-15.jpg are typical. Extensions are generally case-insensitive on Windows but can be case-sensitive on Unix-like systems.

Cross-platform considerations include avoiding characters that are illegal in some environments (/:*?"<>|) and avoiding reliance on locale-specific characters unless properly encoded. Use Unicode or ASCII consistently and consider normalizing names for portability. On Unix, names beginning with a dot denote hidden files, so naming should avoid unintended concealment when sharing across systems.

Best practices include adopting a single convention per project, keeping names concise yet descriptive, and avoiding personal data in names. Use unique names to prevent collisions and document naming rules for teams. Automated tools and version-controlled workflows can help enforce consistency. Example: reports/project_sales_2024-11-15_v3.pdf.