doc/coding_standards.txt

Coding Standards
================

shFlags is more than just a simple 20 line shell script. It is a pretty
significant library of shell code that at first glance is not that easy to
understand. To improve code readability and usability, some guidelines have
been set down to make the code more understandable for anyone who wants to read
or modify it.

Function Documentation
----------------------

Each function should be preceded by a header that provides the following:

#. A one-sentence summary of what the function does
#. (optional) A longer description of what the function does, and perhaps some
   special information that helps convey its usage better.
#. Args: a one-line summary of each argument of the form:
   ``name: type: description``
#. Output: a one-line summary of the output provided. Only output to STDOUT
   must be documented, unless the output to STDERR is of significance (i.e. not
   just an error message). The output should be of the form:
   ``type: description``
#. Returns: a one-line summary of the value returned. Returns in shell are
   always integers, but if the output is a true/false for success (i.e. a
   boolean), it should be noted. The output should be of the form:
   ``type: description``

Here is a sample header: ::

  # Return valid getopt options using currently defined list of long options.
  #
  # This function builds a proper getopt option string for short (and long)
  # options, using the current list of long options for reference.
  #
  # Args:
  #   _flags_optStr: integer: option string type (__FLAGS_OPTSTR_*)
  # Output:
  #   string: generated option string for getopt
  # Returns:
  #   boolean: success of operation (always returns True)

Variable and Function Names
---------------------------

All shFlags specific constants, variables, and functions will be prefixed
appropriately with 'flags'. This is to distinguish usage in the shFlags code
from users own scripts so that the shell name space remains predictable to
users. The exceptions here are the standard ``assertEquals``, etc. functions.

All non built-in constants and variables will be surrouned with squiggle
brackets, e.g. '${flags_someVariable}' to improve code readability.

Due to some shells not supporting local variables in functions, care in the
naming and use of variables, both public and private, is very important.
Accidental overriding of the variables can occur easily if care is not taken as
all variables are technically global variables in some shells.

================================  ========================
**type**                          **sample**
global public constant            ``FLAGS_TRUE``
global private constant           ``__FLAGS_SHELL_FLAGS``
global public variable            ``flags_variable``
global private variable           ``__flags_variable``
global macro                      ``_FLAGS_SOME_MACRO_``
public function                   ``flags_function``
public function, local variable   ``flags_variable_``
private function                  ``_flags_function``
private function, local variable  ``_flags_variable_``
================================  ========================

Where it makes sense to improve readability, variables can have the first
letter of the second and later words capitalized. For example, the local
variable name for the help string length is ``flags_helpStrLen_``.

There are three special-case global public variables used. They are used due to
overcome the limitations of shell scoping or to prevent forking. The three variables are:

  - flags_error
  - flags_output
  - flags_return

Local Variable Cleanup
----------------------

As many shells do not support local variables, no support for cleanup of
variables is present either. As such, all variables local to a function must be
cleared up with the ``unset`` command at the end of each function.

Indentation
-----------

Code block indentation is two (2) spaces, and tabs may not be used. ::

  if [ -z 'some string' ]; then
    someFunction
  fi

Lines of code should be no longer than 80 characters unless absolutely
necessary. When lines are wrapped using the backslash character '\', subsequent
lines should be indented with four (4) spaces so as to differentiate from the
standard spacing of two characters, and tabs may not be used. ::

  for x in some set of very long set of arguments that make for a very long \
      that extends much too long for one line
  do
    echo ${x}
  done

When a conditional expression is written using the builtin [ command, and that
line must be wrapped, place the control || or && operators on the same line as
the expression where possible, with the list to be executed on its own line. ::

  [ -n 'some really long expression' -a -n 'some other long expr' ] && \
      echo 'that was actually true!'

.. vim:spell
.. $Id$