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Regarding F# self-identifier's as in:
type MyClass2 =
let data = 123
member whateverYouWant.PrintMessage() =
printf "MyClass2 with Data %d" data
The F# class documentation says:
Unlike in other .NET languages, you can name the self identifier however you want; you are not restricted to names such as self, Me, or this.
(The answer to the question What are the benefits of such flexible "self-identifiers" in F#? explains the possible usefulness of this.)
My question is, is there perhaps an unofficial standard of what to name the self-identifier? That is, while there may not be a prescriptive convention, is there a descriptive convention of what are F# programmers doing in the wild? this? x? self?
Update
Well looks like this may get closed, but the answer to the other question is hardly an answer as it's just showing multiple options which I'm already aware of. I'm looking for a consensus. Also, that question was asked in 2009 and there might not have been a consensus at that time, while there may be one now.
Also interesting is the book Expert F# 3.0 authored by Don Syme does not use a consistent self-identifier in the examples. Rather it seems to favor single letter self identifiers especially the letter x.
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In computer programming, a naming convention is a set of rules for choosing the character sequence to be used for identifiers which denote variables, types, functions, and other entities in source code and documentation.
A naming convention is a convention (generally agreed scheme) for naming things. Conventions differ in their intents, which may include to: Allow useful information to be deduced from the names based on regularities.
All identifiers should begin with a letter (A to Z or a to z), currency character ($) or an underscore (_). After the first character, identifiers can have any combination of characters. A keyword cannot be used as an identifier.
Unified Style Enhances Readability Imagine a large project with hundreds of developers who participate. If every developer decided to name variables and functions with their own style, the project is going to be a mess. Developers who follow the same naming convention across the project contribute to its readability.
In addition to the rules, there are many identifier naming conventions used throughout the .NET APIs. By convention, C# programs use PascalCase for type names, namespaces, and all public members.
The @ is not part of the identifier name. For example, @if declares an identifier named if. These verbatim identifiers are primarily for interoperability with identifiers declared in other languages. For a complete definition of valid identifiers, see the Identifiers topic in the C# Language Specification.
— Robert C. Martin The naming convention is a very contentious topic. Everyone has their own style when it comes to naming variables, functions, classes, and even documentation. There is no single or standard way to name your code parts.
An identifier is the name you assign to a type (class, interface, struct, delegate, or enum), member, variable, or namespace. Valid identifiers must follow these rules: Identifiers must start with a letter, or _.
type MyClass2 as self =
let data = 123
let privatePrintMessage() = self.PrintMessage()
member this.PrintMessage() =
printf "MyClass2 with Data %d" data
Some people use member x.Name, but that is faulty because x does not explain what it is, and for one of the most used names in F# - the self identifier should be self-explanatory!
Some people also choose to write member __.Name when the self identifier is unnecessary. Those are usually the same people who make sure there are no unused identifiers (easy to do with --warnon:1182). Other people say that this is weird or that it leads to inconsistency - choose what you like.
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