Reading both add and create as “put something in” can hide whether a method inserts an item into an existing collection or makes a new resource. remove, delete, and clear may also leave different things behind. Check the target before and after the call to understand each verb.
Key terms
In this diagram, add and remove change a collection's members; create and delete refer to making or removing a resource itself. Actual API behavior depends on the library.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
add / remove | Insert or take an item out of a collection. append commonly adds at the end; prepend commonly adds at the beginning. |
push / pop | Add to and remove from a stack, often at the same end. The exact end depends on the API. |
push / pull | In Git, push sends local commits to a remote; pull fetches remote changes and integrates them into a local branch. |
enqueue / dequeue | Add an item to a queue and remove an item from it, usually at opposite ends. |
open / close | Open or close a file, socket, or other resource. |
connect / disconnect | Establish or end a network or service connection. |
input / output | Data entering or leaving a program, device, or process. |
import / export | Bring data or configuration in, or send it out in a supported format. |
Terms to distinguish
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
read / write | Obtain data from a source or send data to a destination, such as a file. |
save / load | Persist data or retrieve it for use. |
create / destroy | Make an entity or tear it down; destroy often emphasizes disposal of an existing resource. |
find / search | Both can mean looking for something. find often suggests locating a match, while search emphasizes the process; method names do not guarantee different success behavior. |
toXXX / parseXXX / convertXXX | Names often used for conversion. parse commonly interprets text or another representation according to a grammar; check the API's contract. |
tryParseXXX | Often attempts parsing without throwing on an ordinary invalid input, but the failure result is API-specific. |
fromXXX | Often names a factory or conversion from another representation. It need not be a verb if the API uses it as a constructor-style name. |
clear / delete | clear often empties contents while retaining a container; delete often removes a resource or entry. Confirm the actual API behavior. |
Terms in code
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
create / make / generate | Verbs for producing something. generate often implies deriving output from inputs; there is no universal rule that fixes which verb must construct an instance. |
exclude / ignore | exclude leaves something out of a selected set; ignore proceeds without acting on it. The difference depends on context. |
fix | Repair an error or problem; in other contexts, hold a position or value constant or settle a decision. |
apply | Put a setting, rule, patch, or change into effect on a target. |
flush | Force buffered data toward its destination or clear a cache or queue, depending on the API. It does not always mean simple deletion or guaranteed durable storage. |
validate / verify | Both involve checking. validate often checks rules or fitness for an intended use; verify often confirms a stated property or result. Use the domain's exact definition. |
Reading a technical document
For insertion, removal, file access, and data transfer, first identify the direction of the action and the object it changes.
With several unfamiliar verbs in one sentence, find the subject and target. A method name is a clue, but the return value, side effects, and API documentation determine what it actually does.
Key takeaways
Read what changes and in which direction.
- add / remove — Usually change membership in an existing collection; append and prepend specify an end.
- find / search — Both look for something; do not assume a fixed difference without the API contract.
- validate / verify — Both check, but their precise roles depend on the domain's rules.
