bc-code-intelligence-mcp/embedded-knowledge/domains/sam-coder/al-formatting-consistency-patterns.md

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---

title: "AL Formatting Consistency Patterns"
domain: "sam-coder"
difficulty: "intermediate"
bc_versions: "14+"
tags: ["formatting", "consistency", "code-standards"]
type: "improvement-pattern"
category: "code-quality"
pattern_type: "good"
severity: "medium"
impact_level: "medium"
improvement_suggestion: "Apply consistent formatting patterns across all AL code to improve maintainability"
implementation_steps: ["establish-formatting-standards", "apply-consistent-patterns", "validate-uniformity"]
validation_criteria: ["consistent-formatting-application", "improved-code-uniformity"]
technical_areas: ["al-code"]
---


# AL Formatting Consistency Patterns

## Overview

Consistent formatting patterns across AL code improve maintainability, reduce cognitive load, and enhance team collaboration. Establishing and applying uniform formatting standards creates professional, readable code that supports effective development workflows.

**Key Principle**: Apply consistent formatting patterns uniformly across all AL objects to create predictable, maintainable code structure.

## Strategic Framework

### Consistency Benefits
- **Reduced Cognitive Load**: Predictable formatting reduces mental effort
- **Improved Collaboration**: Team members can focus on logic rather than style
- **Enhanced Maintainability**: Consistent patterns support easier code updates
- **Professional Quality**: Uniform appearance reflects development maturity

### Code Quality Impact
Consistent formatting directly impacts code quality by making code easier to read, review, and maintain. It supports effective development practices and reduces errors.

## Architecture Focus

### Formatting Domains
- **Indentation Standards**: Consistent spacing and alignment patterns
- **Keyword Formatting**: Uniform keyword placement and casing
- **Comment Styles**: Standardized documentation formatting
- **Expression Layout**: Consistent operator and expression formatting

### Pattern Application
Establish comprehensive formatting standards that cover all aspects of AL code appearance and apply them consistently across entire codebase.

## Best Practices

### Standards Development
- **Comprehensive guidelines** covering all AL language elements
- **Team agreement** on formatting preferences and standards
- **Tool integration** for automated formatting enforcement
- **Regular validation** of consistency across codebase
- **Documentation** of formatting decisions and rationale

### Implementation Strategy
Use automated formatting tools where possible, establish clear team guidelines for manual formatting decisions, and regularly review code for consistency compliance.

### Maintenance Approach
Integrate formatting standards into development workflow through code review processes, automated validation, and team training on consistency importance.

## Anti-Patterns

### Avoid These Approaches
- **Mixed formatting styles** within single project
- **Inconsistent indentation** across AL objects
- **Random keyword casing** without standards
- **Varied comment formatting** creating visual inconsistency
- **No formatting guidelines** leading to style conflicts

Inconsistent formatting creates unnecessary cognitive overhead and makes code harder to maintain and review effectively.

*Related patterns: al-readability-optimization.md, al-blank-line-organization.md*
*Cross-references: See samples in other formatting topics for consistency examples*