Best Practices for Naming and Grouping Columns in Glide

Key Takeaways

• Glide developers should use descriptive, prefix-based naming schemas (e.g., "User/Full Name") and logical grouping to ensure data is organized, scalable, and easy to maintain.
• Good examples like "Order/Total Amount" contrast with bad ones like "OrdTot" by providing self-explanatory clarity, reducing errors in app development.
• These practices yield strategic benefits, such as faster collaboration and fewer maintenance issues, making them vital for business-level app projects.

The Challenge We Face

Poor column naming and grouping in Glide create confusion and inefficiencies, especially in complex apps with growing data.

• Vague or abbreviated names lead to misinterpretation, wasting time on debugging and updates.
• Ungrouped related columns scatter information, complicating navigation and increasing error risks in large tables.
• Inconsistent schemas hinder team handoffs, slowing down strategic projects and scalability.

Why This Is the Solution

The recommended schema for Glide developers is a descriptive, prefix-based naming system where columns use clear, full words with category prefixes (e.g., "Category/Field Name") for logical grouping. This ensures columns are intuitive and organized, with related fields clustered together. Avoid abbreviations or redundancy to maintain brevity without sacrificing clarity.

Descriptive Naming with Prefixes

• Benefit: Creates self-explanatory columns that are easy to understand at a glance.
• Reason: Reduces cognitive load and errors by making intent obvious, supporting scalability as apps expand.
• Good Example: "User/Email Address" – Clearly indicates the category (User) and purpose, aiding quick navigation.
• Bad Example: "UEml" – Too abbreviated and cryptic; why it's bad: Forces users to guess meaning, leading to mistakes in relations or computations.

Logical Grouping via Prefixes

• Benefit: Visually clusters related data, simplifying reviews and edits in the Data view.
• Reason: Enhances maintainability for teams, preventing clutter in large datasets and streamlining collaboration.
• Good Example: Grouping as "Order/ID", "Order/Status", "Order/Total" under an "Order/" prefix – Keeps related fields together logically.
• Bad Example: Scattered names like "OrdID", "Stat", "Tot" without prefixes – Why it's bad: No visual connection, making it hard to spot relationships and increasing oversight risks.

Balancing Clarity and Brevity

• Benefit: Avoids overly long names while ensuring usability, with optional repetition for complex structures.
• Reason: Promotes long-term efficiency, especially in shared projects where quick comprehension is key.
• Good Example: "Customer/Order/Amount" – Uses nested prefixes for hierarchy without excess length.
• Bad Example: "CustomerOrderAmountField" – Why it's bad: Overly concatenated and redundant; becomes unreadable and hard to parse in lists.

What This Means for Us

• Quicker app development and fewer errors, translating to higher productivity and lower costs for teams.
• Improved scalability for business apps, supporting growth without constant restructuring.
• Better decision-making through clear data views, empowering managers to focus on strategy rather than technical hurdles.

Our Recommendation

Implement this prefix-based naming schema across all Glide projects starting now, incorporating training on good vs. bad examples to ensure consistent adoption and maximize benefits.