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Development Prefixes: get, find, fetch, load, retrieve - Understanding Differences and Usage Rules

  • When using programming languages, prefixes like get, find, fetch, load, and retrieve are often used in method or function names. They are commonly used when retrieving data from databases, external files, or APIs.
  • As I've been developing, I wanted to write code with consistency, so I became curious about the differences and use cases of these prefixes. I researched the differences and use cases of these prefixes.
  • Naming conventions can vary by company or developer. In this case, I tried to find commonly used rules, but in practice, they may differ depending on the use case.
  • While these prefixes may seem similar, each has slightly different meanings and contexts in which they are used. Let's explore their differences.
  • I haven't had the opportunity to work with established development conventions at large companies, so my knowledge on this topic is somewhat limited. The content may not be entirely accurate, so please read it as a reference only.

1. get​

The get prefix is commonly used for retrieving or accessing specific values. This implies that the operation returns a single result or a specific item from a collection. For example:

  • getUser() - Retrieves a single user object.
  • getProductById(id) - Retrieves a product object corresponding to the provided ID.
  • getUsers() - Retrieves all user objects.

2. find​

The find prefix is generally used for searching and finding items or items that match certain conditions. The difference from get is that find seems to focus more on searching and finding. This implies that the operation returns multiple results or a collection of items. For example:

  • findUsersByRole(role) - Finds all users with a specific role.
  • findProductsByCategory(category) - Finds all products belonging to a specific category.
  • findUsersByAge(age) - Finds all users of a specific age.

2.1. find vs get​

  • While this isn't officially defined, based on discussions from various people on the internet, the differences between find and get are as follows:
    • get: Focuses on retrieving something that is definitively determined. Returns a single result or item, and is typically not used when there might be no result.
    • find: Focuses on searching and finding. Returns multiple results or a collection of items, and search results may be empty.
  • The example from the blog post How do you use "find" vs "get" prefix? can help understand this concept. Below is an example from that post:
    • getOneById: Throws an error if there is no result for that ID.
    • findOneById: Returns null if there is no result for that ID.
public async getOneById(id: number): Promise<User> {
    const user = await this.userRepository
        .createQueryBuilder("u")
        .where("u.id = :id", {id})
        .getOne();

    if (!user)
        throw new Error(`User with ID "${id.toString()}" not found.`);

    return user;
}
public async findOneById(id: number): Promise<User> {
    const user = await this.userRepository
        .createQueryBuilder("u")
        .where("u.id = :id", {id})
        .getOne();

    return user;
}

3. fetch vs load vs retrieve​

  • The fetch, load, and retrieve prefixes are other prefixes used for retrieving data. They are mainly used for fetching data from networks or databases. While their differences are not clear-cut, they are generally used as follows:
    • fetch: Used for retrieving data from networks. Mainly associated with API calls.
    • load: Commonly used for retrieving external data such as databases or file data from S3.
    • retrieve: Used for retrieving data. Seems to be used less frequently than fetch and load.

4. Summary​

  • get is used for retrieving a single result or item, while find is used for searching multiple results or items.
  • fetch, load, and retrieve are used for retrieving data. fetch is used for retrieving data from networks, load is used for retrieving database or file data, and retrieve is used for retrieving data.
    • However, the usage frequency of fetch, load, and retrieve is lower than get and find, and the distinctions are relatively less clear.
  • These prefixes are general usage rules, and in practice, they may vary depending on where they are used, the programming language, or the framework. For accurate usage, please refer to project-specific documentation or coding standards.

References​