When to use Plural vs Collection word on Methods

Question

I'm creating an API for a module and after I created several methods inside my classes, I asked myself this question.

Right now, and as an example, I'm doing this:

public Company GetMonitoredCompany( String companyName ) { ... }
public List<Company> GetMonitoredCompanies( ) { ... }

But I realize that for several times that I use other API's / Services sometimes they have Collection in the name maybe like:

public List<Company> GetMonitoredCompanyCollection( ) { ... }

is there a rule for this? a pattern? or either way should be ok?

Answer 1

Use the shortest, simplest name that clearly shows the methods purpose. And be consistent within your project.

In this example, if there are no other considerations, I would use the name:

GetMonitoredCompanies

Because it's shorter and clearer.

(I would also return a read-only ICollection or IEnumerable unless you've got some specific reason not to.)