This page defines the filename and directory naming conventions used in lab repositories.

• Use descriptive names.
• Avoid spaces in filenames and directory names.
• Use lowercase letters.
• Use hyphens (-) by default.
• Use underscores (_) only for software source code files.

Documentation files, manuscripts, figures, tables, LaTeX macros, and other document-related files use hyphens to separate words.

Examples:

main.tex
cover-letter.tex
cover-letter.pdf
review-response.tex
response-macros.tex
fig-study-basin.tex
tab-algorithms.tex
software-availability.tex

Hyphens improve readability and match conventions commonly used in documentation, URLs, and open-source repositories.

Command-line interface (CLI) programs use hyphens in executable names because they are user-facing commands.

Examples:

flow-direction
longest-flow-path
mesh-builder

Software source code files use underscores to separate words. This ensures compatibility with programming identifiers and module imports.

Examples:

flow_direction.py
longest_flow_path.py
mesh_builder.cpp
grid_utils.h

Directory names use hyphens, unless the directory represents a software package that must follow programming naming rules.

Examples:

submission-docs/
review-response/
fig-study-area/
build-scripts/

Generated files should normally keep the same base name as their source files.

Example:

cover-letter.tex → cover-letter.pdf