Naming Convention

Python has a relatively strict coding style guide as prescribed in the famous PEP8 document.

Since lifelib models are written in Python, it is tempting to apply the naming convention in PEP8 to lifelib as well. However, in actuarial models, variable names, especially cells names tend to be longer. For example, it is impractical to type a cell name like this:

directly_attributable_acquisition_expense_per_sumassured

In addition, lifelib spaces contain much more cells with similar names than ordinary Python modules would contain variables.

To address these issues, the naming convention original to lifelib is set up as prescribed below.

Naming style

For space and cells names, UpperCamelCase should be used. However, when an abbreviation ending with an upper case letter needs to be concatenated, _ may be placed after the letter to improve readability, such as PV_Cashflow

Concatenation order

When the name of a cells is made up of two or more words, the words(or their abbreviations) should be concatenated in the natural order, i.e. modifiers followed by their modificand, such as NetInsurCF and AccDeath. However, when a modifier indicates that the cells is a sub item of the cells without the modifier, the oder should be reversed, i.e. the modificand comes first followed by its modifier, such as BenefitMat, BenefitDeath, BenefitSurr.

Abbreviation list

Below is the list of abbreviations for words that are commonly used as names of cells and spaces in lifelib projects.

Word Abbreviation
Accidental Acc
Accreted Accr
Acquisition Acq
Actual Act
Adjustment Adj
After Aft
Amortization Amort
Annual(ized) Ann
Annuity Ann
Asset Ast
Assumption Asmp
Attained Att
Before Bfr
Begin(ning) Beg
Cashflow CF
Catastrophe Cat
Change Chg
Charge Chrg
Commission Comm
Commutation Comm
Consumption Cnsmp
Correlation Corr
Coverage Cov
Death Dth
Decrease Decr
Disability Disab
Discount Disc
Dividend Div
Economic Econ
Estimated Est
Expected Expct
Expense Exps
Factor Fac
Finance Fin
Financial Fin
Frequency Freq
Fulfilment Fluf
Generation Gen
Hospitalization Hosp
Income Incm
Increase Incr
Incurred Incur
Inflation Infl
In-force IF
Initial Init
Insurance Insur
Interest Int
Investment Invst
Issue Iss
Loading Load
Longevity Longev
Maintenance Maint
Maturity Mat
Morbidity Morbid
Mortality Mort
Multiplier Mult
Policy Pol
Policies Pols
Premium Prem
Present Value PV
Product Prod
Projection Proj
Release Rels
Reserve Rsrv
Return Ret
Revision Rev
Scenario Scen
Sickness Sick
Sum Assured SA
Surgery Surg
Surrender Surr
Table Tbl
Transfer Trans
Unearned Uern