{"id":16698846,"url":"https://github.com/rossant/programming-yin-yang","last_synced_at":"2026-02-15T16:05:21.378Z","repository":{"id":149419030,"uuid":"112608301","full_name":"rossant/programming-yin-yang","owner":"rossant","description":"A list of antonyms commonly used in programming","archived":false,"fork":false,"pushed_at":"2018-08-09T20:15:09.000Z","size":11,"stargazers_count":12,"open_issues_count":0,"forks_count":2,"subscribers_count":1,"default_branch":"master","last_synced_at":"2025-10-04T16:51:05.302Z","etag":null,"topics":["antonyms","bestpractices","codequality","glossary","naming-conventions","programming","words"],"latest_commit_sha":null,"homepage":"","language":null,"has_issues":true,"has_wiki":null,"has_pages":null,"mirror_url":null,"source_name":null,"license":null,"status":null,"scm":"git","pull_requests_enabled":true,"icon_url":"https://github.com/rossant.png","metadata":{"files":{"readme":"README.md","changelog":null,"contributing":null,"funding":null,"license":null,"code_of_conduct":null,"threat_model":null,"audit":null,"citation":null,"codeowners":null,"security":null,"support":null,"governance":null,"roadmap":null,"authors":null,"dei":null,"publiccode":null,"codemeta":null}},"created_at":"2017-11-30T12:22:33.000Z","updated_at":"2022-02-14T03:39:52.000Z","dependencies_parsed_at":null,"dependency_job_id":"861bc558-8343-4721-aa7c-502de90e70d3","html_url":"https://github.com/rossant/programming-yin-yang","commit_stats":null,"previous_names":[],"tags_count":0,"template":false,"template_full_name":null,"purl":"pkg:github/rossant/programming-yin-yang","repository_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/rossant%2Fprogramming-yin-yang","tags_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/rossant%2Fprogramming-yin-yang/tags","releases_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/rossant%2Fprogramming-yin-yang/releases","manifests_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/rossant%2Fprogramming-yin-yang/manifests","owner_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/owners/rossant","download_url":"https://codeload.github.com/rossant/programming-yin-yang/tar.gz/refs/heads/master","sbom_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/rossant%2Fprogramming-yin-yang/sbom","scorecard":null,"host":{"name":"GitHub","url":"https://github.com","kind":"github","repositories_count":286080680,"owners_count":29483382,"icon_url":"https://github.com/github.png","version":null,"created_at":"2022-05-30T11:31:42.601Z","updated_at":"2026-02-15T15:33:17.885Z","status":"ssl_error","status_checked_at":"2026-02-15T15:32:53.698Z","response_time":118,"last_error":"SSL_read: unexpected eof while reading","robots_txt_status":"success","robots_txt_updated_at":"2025-07-24T06:49:26.215Z","robots_txt_url":"https://github.com/robots.txt","online":false,"can_crawl_api":true,"host_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub","repositories_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories","repository_names_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repository_names","owners_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/owners"}},"keywords":["antonyms","bestpractices","codequality","glossary","naming-conventions","programming","words"],"created_at":"2024-10-12T18:04:16.913Z","updated_at":"2026-02-15T16:05:21.349Z","avatar_url":"https://github.com/rossant.png","language":null,"funding_links":[],"categories":[],"sub_categories":[],"readme":"# A list of antonyms commonly used in programming\n\n\u003e There are only two hard things in Computer Science: cache invalidation and naming things. ― Phil Karlton\n\nGood programmers name things well. Finding the most appropriate and common terms for complex concepts and abstractions may be difficult, especially for non-native English speakers. This page proposes English words and antonyms that are commonly used in programming.\n\nThis is a work in progress, feel free to open issues and propose pull requests.\n\nOne related effort is Microsoft's list of PowerShell verbs, \"Approved Verbs for PowerShell Commands\", https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/developer/cmdlet/approved-verbs-for-windows-powershell-commands\n\n\n## abstract / concrete\n\n[Abstract type](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abstract_type).\n\n\n## accept / reject\n\n\n\n## acquire / release\n\n[Concurrent computing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concurrent_computing).\n[Acquire and release semantics](http://preshing.com/20120913/acquire-and-release-semantics/).\n[Mutex](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_exclusion), [semaphores](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semaphore_(programming)).\n\n\n## add / remove\n\n\n\n## allocate / free\n\n[Memory management](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_management).\n\n\n## allow / deny\n\n\n\n## ancestor / descendent\n\n[Trees](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_(data_structure)).\n\n\n## and / or\n\n[Boolean algebra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boolean_algebra).\n\n\n## any / all\n\n[Quantifiers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantifier_(logic)).\n\n\n## assemble / disassemble\n\n[Assembly language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assembly_language).\n[Disassembler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disassembler).\n\n\n\n## assign / deassign\n\n\n\n## attach / detach\n\n\n\n## authorize / unauthorize\n\n\n\n## balance / unbalance\n\n\n\n## begin / end\n\n\n\n## best / worse\n\n\n\n## bind / unbind\n\n[Network socket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_socket).\n\n\n## blocking / non-blocking\n\n\n## break / continue\n\n[Control flow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_flow).\n\n\n## client / server\n\n[Client-server model](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client%E2%80%93server_model).\n\n\n## coalesce / fragment\n\n[Coalescing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalescing_(computer_science)).\n[Fragmentation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragmentation_(computing)).\n[Memory segmentation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_segmentation).\n[Memory management](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_management_(operating_systems)).\n\n\n## coarse / fine\n\n[Granular computing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granular_computing).\n[Granularity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granularity_(parallel_computing)).\n\n\n## commit / rollback\n\n[Rollback](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollback_(data_management)).\n[Database transaction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database_transaction).\n[Version control](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Version_control).\n\n\n## compile / decompile\n\n\n\n## compress / decompress\n\n[Data compression](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_compression).\n\n\n## confirm / cancel\n\n\n\n## conjunction / disjunction\n\n[Logical conjunction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_conjunction).\n[Logical disjunction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_disjunction).\n[Mathematical logic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_logic).\n\n\n## connect / disconnect\n\n\n\n## constant / variable\n\n\n\n## construct / destruct\n\n[Constructor (object-oriented programming)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructor_(object-oriented_programming)).\n[Destructor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destructor_(computer_programming)).\n[Creational pattern](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creational_pattern).\n\n\n## consume / produce\n\n[Producer-consumer problem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Producer%E2%80%93consumer_problem).\n\n\n## contiguous / noncontiguous\n\n[Difference Between Contiguous and Noncontiguous Memory Allocation](https://techdifferences.com/difference-between-contiguous-and-non-contiguous-memory-allocation.html).\n\n\n\n## continuous / discontinuous\n\n[Continuous function](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_function).\n\n\n## create / destroy\n\n\n\n## cyclic / acyclic\n\n[Cyclic graph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclic_graph).\n[Directed acyclic graph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directed_acyclic_graph).\n[Cycle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycle_(graph_theory)).\n[Cycle graph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycle_graph).\n[Graph theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graph_theory).\n\n\n## decidable / undecidable\n\n[Decidability](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decidability_(logic)).\n[Decision problem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_problem).\n\n\n## definite / indefinite\n\n\n## deterministic / stochastic\n\n[Deterministic system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deterministic_system).\n[Stochastic process](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stochastic_process).\n\n\n## digital / analog\n\n[Digital signal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_signal).\n[Analog signal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_signal).\n\n\n## direct / indirect\n\n\n\n## direct / inverse\n\n\n\n## dirty / clean\n\n[Dirty data](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_data)\n\n\n## divide / conquer\n\n[Divide and conquer algorithm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divide_and_conquer_algorithm)\n\n\n## download / upload\n\n\n\n## drag / drop\n\n\n\n## enable / disable\n\n\n\n## enlarge / narrow\n\n\n\n## enqueue / dequeue\n\n\n\n## enter / leave (exit)\n\n\n\n## expand / collapse\n\n[Accordion (UI)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accordion_(GUI)).\n\n\n## extend / shorten\n\n\n\n## FIFO / LIFO\n\n[Stack (abstract data type)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stack_(abstract_data_type))\n\n\n## finite / infinite\n\n\n\n## first / last\n\n\n\n## fold / unfold\n\n[Fold (higher-order function)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fold_(higher-order_function)).\n\n\n## forget / remember\n\n\n\n## forward / backward\n\n\n\n## free / bound\n\n[Free variables and bound variables](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_variables_and_bound_variables).\n\n\n## freeze / unfreeze\n\n\n\n## front / back\n\n[Front and back ends](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_and_back_ends).\n[Multiple buffering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_buffering).\n\n\n## gather / distribute\n\n\n\n## get / set\n\n\n\n## grant / revoke\n\n[SQL Security and privileges](http://www.cs.toronto.edu/~nn/csc309-20085/guide/pointbase/docs/html/htmlfiles/authorizationFIN.html).\n\n\n## greater / lower\n\n\n\n## greedy (eager) / lazy\n\n[Greedy algorithm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greedy_algorithm).\n[Lazy evaluation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazy_evaluation).\n[Greedy and lazy quantifiers in regular expressions](https://javascript.info/regexp-greedy-and-lazy).\n[Eager learning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eager_learning).\n[Lazy learning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazy_learning).\n\n\n## group / divide\n\n\n\n## head / tail\n\n[14 tail and head commands in Linux/Unix](https://www.linux.com/blog/14-tail-and-head-commands-linuxunix)\n[Linked list](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linked_list).\n\n\n## heap / stack\n\n[Heap data structure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heap_(data_structure)).\n[Stack (abstract data type)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stack_(abstract_data_type)).\n[Memory management](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_management).\n\n\n## hit / miss\n\n[Cache](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cache_(computing)).\n\n\n## homogeneous / heterogeneous\n\n\n\n## horizontal / vertical\n\n\n\n## implicit / explicit\n\n[Explicit and implicit methods in numerical analysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explicit_and_implicit_methods).\n[Zen of Python](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_of_Python).\n\n\n## import / export\n\n\n\n## inbound / outbound\n\n\n\n## include / exclude\n\n\n\n## increase / decrease\n\n\n\n## increment / decrement\n\n\n\n## indent / dedent\n\n[Indentation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indentation_(typesetting)).\n\n\n## inflate / deflate\n\n[DEFLATE data compression algorithm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEFLATE).\n\n\n## initial / final\n\n\n\n## inner / outer\n\n\n\n## input / output\n\n\n\n## insert (create) / delete\n\n\n\n## intended / unintended\n\n\n\n## internal / external\n\n\n\n## intersection / union\n\n[Intersection](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersection_(set_theory)).\n[Union](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_(set_theory)).\n[Set theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_theory).\n\n\n## join (merge) / split\n\n[Join in SQL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join_(SQL)).\n[Joining lists and splitting strings in Python](http://www.diveintopython.net/native_data_types/joining_lists.html).\n\n\n## key / value\n\n[Key-value database](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key-value_database).\n[Associative array](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associative_array).\n[Attribute-value pair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attribute%E2%80%93value_pair).\n\n\n## label / unlabel\n\n[Labeled data in machine learning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labeled_data).\n\n\n## linear / nonlinear\n\n[Linearity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linearity).\n[Nonlinear system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonlinear_system).\n\n\n## link / unlink\n\n\n\n## load / dump (store)\n\n[Load/store architecture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load/store_architecture).\n[Load-store unit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load%E2%80%93store_unit).\n\n\n## local / global\n\n[Global variable](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_variable).\n\n\n## local / remote (distant)\n\n\n\n## lower / upper\n\n\n\n## major / minor\n\n[Semantic versioning](https://semver.org/).\n[Software versioning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_versioning).\n\n## map / reduce\n\n[MapReduce](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MapReduce).\n\n\n## master / slave\n\n[Master/slave configuration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master/slave_(technology)).\n\nNote: prefer the terms *primary / secondary*.\n\n\n## minimal / maximal\n\n\n\n## named / unnamed\n\n\n\n## next / previous\n\n\n\n## open / close\n\n\n\n## optimal / suboptimal\n\n\n\n## ordered / disordered\n\n\n\n## pack / unpack\n\n[Pack and unpack in Perl](https://www.stat.berkeley.edu/~spector/extension/perl/notes/node87.html).\n[Pack and unpack in MPI](http://mpi-forum.org/docs/mpi-2.2/mpi22-report/node84.htm).\n\n\n## parent / child\n\n[Parent process](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parent_process).\n[Child process](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_process).\n[Fork](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fork_(system_call)).\n[Tree data structure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_(data_structure)).\n[Document Object Model (DOM)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Document_Object_Model).\n\n\n## passive / active\n\n\n\n## pending / finished\n\n\n\n## positive / negative\n\n\n\n## postfix (suffix) / prefix\n\n\n\n## precede / follow\n\n\n\n## press / release\n\n\n\n## primary / secondary\n\n\n\n## public / private\n\n[Access modifiers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Access_modifiers).\n\n\n## push / pop\n\n[Stack (abstract data type)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stack_(abstract_data_type))\n\n\n## push / pull\n\n\n\n## read / write\n\n\n\n## record / retrieve\n\n\n\n## recover / lose\n\n\n\n## reference / dereference\n\n\n\n## register / unregister\n\n\n\n## request / response\n\n[Request-response communication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Request%E2%80%93response).\n\n\n## restricted / unrestricted\n\n\n\n## run time / compile time\n\n[Compile time](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compile_time).\n[Run time](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run_time_(program_lifecycle_phase)).\n[Runtime system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runtime_system).\n\n\n## search / find\n\n\n\n## select / deselect\n\n\n\n## send / receive\n\n\n\n## sequential / parallel\n\n[Sequential algorithm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequential_algorithm).\n[Parallel computing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_computing).\n\n\n## set up / tear down\n\n[Unit testing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_testing).\n\n\n## show / hide\n\n\n\n## silent / verbose\n\n\n\n## single / multiple\n\n\n\n## soft / hard\n\n\n\n## solvable / unsolvable\n\n[Turing degree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_degree).\n\n\n## sort / unsort\n\n[Sorting algorithm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorting_algorithm).\n\n\n## source (origin) / destination\n\n\n\n## sparse / dense\n\n[Sparse matrix](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparse_matrix)\n\n\n## stable / unstable\n\n[Stability in sorting algorithms](https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/stability-in-sorting-algorithms/).\n[Stable-unstable semantics](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/theory-and-practice-of-logic-programming/article/stable-unstable-semantics-beyond-np-with-normal-logic-programs/DC9BB0EED8EBCC6D7BE30C0FA62A1BB5).\n\n\n## start / stop\n\n\n\n## stateful / stateless\n\n[Stateless protocol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stateless_protocol).\n\n\n## static / dynamic\n\n[Type system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_system).\n[Static analysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static_analysis).\n\n\n## strong / weak\n\n[Strong and weak typing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_and_weak_typing).\n\n\n## sub / super\n\n\n\n## subscribe / unsubscribe\n\n\n\n## subset / superset\n\n[Subset](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subset).\n\n\n## superclass / subclass\n\n[Object-oriented programming](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object-oriented_programming).\n\n\n## supervised / unsupervised\n\n[Supervised learning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supervised_learning).\n[Unsupervised learning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsupervised_learning).\n\n\n## symmetric / asymmetric\n\n\n\n## synchronous / asynchronous\n\n[Synchronization](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronization_(computer_science)).\n[Synchronous programming language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronous_programming_language).\n[Asynchrony](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asynchrony_(computer_programming)).\n[Futures and promises](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futures_and_promises).\n\n\n## top / bottom\n\n\n\n## top-down / bottom-up\n\n[Top-down and bottom-up design](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top-down_and_bottom-up_design).\n\n\n## total / partial\n\n[Total order](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_order).\n[Partially ordered set](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partially_ordered_set).\n\n\n## tractable / intractable\n\n[Parameterized complexity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parameterized_complexity).\n[Computational complexity theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_complexity_theory).\n\n\n## trim / expand\n\n\n\n## true / false\n\n[Boolean data type](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boolean_data_type).\n\n\n## up / down\n\n\n\n## validate / invalidate\n\n[Cache invalidation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cache_invalidation).\n\n\n## value / reference\n\n[Evaluation strategy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaluation_strategy).\n\n\n## virtual / real\n\n[Virtual class](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_class).\n[Virtual reality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality).\n\n\n## visible / invisible\n\n\n\n## wait / resume\n\n[Wait system call](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wait_(system_call)).\n\n\n## weighted / unweighted\n\n[Graph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graph_(discrete_mathematics)).\n\n\n\n# Sources\n\nProgramming antonyms:\n\n* [Antonym list](https://gist.github.com/maxtruxa/b2ca551e42d3aead2b3d)\n\nProgramming glossaries:\n\n* [Dictionary of Algorithms and Data Structures (NIST)](https://xlinux.nist.gov/dads/)\n* [Design and Analysis of Algorithms](https://www.ics.uci.edu/~eppstein/161/glossary.html)\n* [Programming glossary](http://whatis.techtarget.com/glossary/Programming)\n* [Glossary of computer programming](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Glossary_of_computer_programming)\n* [Programming terms](https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/program.htm)\n* [Mathematical Programming Glossary](https://glossary.informs.org/ver2/mpgwiki/index.php?title=Main_Page)\n\nNaming things well:\n\n* [How to name things](http://hilton.org.uk/presentations/naming) (Peter Hilton)\n* [Why naming things is hard](http://hilton.org.uk/blog/why-naming-things-is-hard) (Peter Hilton)\n* [How to get better at naming things](http://hilton.org.uk/blog/how-to-get-better-at-naming) (Peter Hilton)\n* [Naming things](https://24ways.org/2014/naming-things/) (Paul Lloyd)\n\n\n# License\n\n[![CC0](http://i.creativecommons.org/p/zero/1.0/88x31.png)](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)\n\nTo the extent possible under law, [Cyrille Rossant](http://cyrille.rossant.net) has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this work.\n","project_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/projects/github.com%2Frossant%2Fprogramming-yin-yang","html_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/projects/github.com%2Frossant%2Fprogramming-yin-yang","lists_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/projects/github.com%2Frossant%2Fprogramming-yin-yang/lists"}