https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjnSE99-cz0 This video explains the **five essential rules for naming files and directories**, especially valuable for coding, IT, and automation: ### 1. **No Spaces**: - Spaces in file or folder names can break commands and code, especially in terminals or programming. Use underscores, hyphens, camelCase, or PascalCase to separate words instead. ### 2. **Avoid Special Characters**: - Stick to letters (A-Z), numbers (0-9), underscores (_), and sometimes hyphens (-). Avoid risky characters like !, $, %, etc., unless required by a specific application. Dots (.) are only for extensions and hidden files. ### 3. **Be Descriptively Concise**: - Strive for names that are clear but not too long. Good naming is an art—choose names that make it easy to know the file's purpose while keeping typing practical. ### 4. **Case Sensitivity**: - Assume that file and folder names are case-sensitive, especially on servers. Lowercase names are the most common and safest convention. ### 5. **Dates and Sorting**: - When including dates, use the format **YYYY-MM-DD** (with leading zeros if needed). This ensures files sort correctly and consistently. ### **Bonus Rule: Be Consistent** - Stick to a naming pattern throughout your projects for easier collaboration and maintenance. Follow style guides if working in a team. ### **Overall:** These practices not only minimize errors but also make your future work, backups, and collaboration much simpler. Adopting them from the start will save you and your peers lots of time and headaches later on.[](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjnSE99-cz0)​