Let's pretend we aren't going to argue Tabs vs. Spaces. Is 4 spaces really more legible than 2 spaces? It seems to be the default everywhere I look, and I suspect it has to do with Tab size.
I've always preferred two spaces.
Jesse M. Holmes @wolfhoundjesse
About: I follow new coders. Brass-bander. ADHD Avenger. Lover of giant hounds. Believer in the impossible.
Location:
Annapolis, Maryland, United States
Joined:
Jul 27, 2018
4 Spaces or 2?
Publish Date: Jan 30 '19
10 44Comments 44 total
Tyler V.Jan 30, 2019My preference for 4 spaces comes from starting out with Python.
Since starting to use Prettier in VS Code, I've been having issues with the setting being changed to 4 spaces in the interaction with the Rainbow Indent extension, and as such have been moving to using 2 space instead.
I don't think either is "more readable" than the other. When there's a bunch of indent widths, even the rainbow indent/bracket colorizer isn't enough to stop me from needing to use my finger/piece of paper to figure out where the matching curly brace is/should be.
Mikael KlagesJan 30, 2019I doubt anybody has done actual research on which is more legible, though I assume whatever one is used to will be the most legible to them.
Grzegorz ZiemonskiJan 30, 2019Tabs, people, use tabs. Then you can choose however many spaces you wish.
Jesse M. HolmesJan 30, 2019In VSCode there are options like setting the tabs equal to a number of spaces, or you can even have tab insert spaces, I believe.
In other words, I’m not sure what you mean. 😂
AvalanderJan 30, 2019If the line starts with the tab character, I can configure VS Code to show it as either two or four (or any other number) spaces, so the same code can have different indentation space in your machine than in mine.
If I configure VS Code to set two spaces every time I press tab, it is unfortunately not possible for somebody who prefers four spaces indentation to visualise the code that way.
- Jesse M. HolmesJan 30, 2019
This is the first time any part of this discussion has made sense to me. 🤩
- Jesse M. HolmesJan 30, 2019
I started contributing to a project last night, and after asking this question an issue appeared a few hours ago that is pretty relative to your point!
edA‑qa mort‑ora‑yJan 31, 2019This is unfortunate that YAML chose not to accept tabs. There's no practical reason not to allow it.
- AvalanderJan 30, 2019
I prefer 4 spaces because they take up more screen space, which means that I can fit fewer indentation levels before it starts to feel uncomfortable, so in general it means that I start addressing some potential spaghetti code issues earlier.
(although tabs are better because anybody can configure their editor to show as many or as few spaces as they want to, I had to say it)
- edA‑qa mort‑ora‑yJan 31, 2019
The argument about "how many spaces" is really an argument in favour of tabs.
It goes beyond how many as well, since the moment you use spaces, you start having people align code with them as well. :/
- Meghan (she/her)Feb 4, 2019
vs code can auto format an entire file to use the number of spaces one desires, and always uses spaces
- AvalanderFeb 4, 2019
Yeah but at my work we use two spaces, can I configure vscode to display four spaces but actually save the file with two?
- edA‑qa mort‑ora‑yFeb 4, 2019
Auto-formatting causes trouble with source control. You end up having large patch-sets than desired. It can be hard to locate what was actually changed in a file.
Sifatul RabbiOct 25, 2021@avalander
You can use prettier cli to format the files. Install prettier dependency and add this script in package.json of any javascript/typescript projects
{
"scripts" : {
"format:two": "prettier --tab-width 2 --write \"src//*.ts\" \"test//.ts\",
"format:four": "prettier --tab-width 2 --write \"src//.ts\" \"test/*/.ts\"
}
}then run:
$ npm run format:two
or
$ yarn run format:twofor more info you can checkout prettier official website
Daniel J DominguezJan 30, 20198
I used to prefer 4, but I figured, if I find myself indenting too much, then it should probably be refactored. Sort of learned about this by reading about the Linux style guide.
JavaScript JoelJan 31, 2019We will argue 4 vs 2 spaces until we are blue in the face. God forbid someone to suggest a compromise of 3 spaces, for they will be murdered before they finish their sentence.
3 spaces is the most logical compromise. But because humans are illogical, we'll never see a 3 spaced code file.
Three DogsMay 3, 2020The reason volume is adjusted in increments of 3dB is bc changes less than 3dB are imperceptible to the human ear.
dev-headFeb 2, 2019we tried that at a previous gig; made everyone unhappy and uncomfortable. if it's code, IMHO, it's a tab (4 spaces!); if it's markup or documentation or config, two is perfect.
Lars Klopstra ⚡Jan 31, 2019Most often I use 2 spaces, but it really depends on the language. And I auto refactor tabs to spaces ;)
Curtis FennerJan 31, 2019I prefer four because its much easier to quickly scan for what braces match and where blocks end and begin.
Deeply nested code is usually to be avoided, so I don't miss the space is takes up.
JaakiFeb 1, 2019Oh god, that question will break us all.
Golden Ratio, the deeper you go, the more space, as well as above and below.
Until your code turns around on itself, then you're next level...
Does depend on the font though, monospace, bold etc.
Mihail MaloFeb 3, 2019Am I the only person that Bracket Pair Colorizer just annoys and distracts?
I'm not sure if I should set violent colors or something, but any time I try it it only harms me.
I just have"editor.renderWhitespace": "boundary"and the default indent guides and it seems enough for me.
Ditto for Indenticator and indent-rainbow.
indent-rainbow also doesn't autodetect the tab settings, which are a builtin VSCode thing, why this :v
morganaFeb 3, 2019Either works for me.
It's when I have to open up some C or Java that has mixed spacing that I start spewing profanities.
2