Difference between revisions of "Programming guidelines"

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[[Category:Developers/General]]
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In a multi-programmer environment, it is important to follow common coding guidelines to make sure the code remains maintainable.
  
As more and more people start editing the code, we need to establish a few guidelines to make sure the code remains maintainable.
+
== Coding style ==
  
 +
=== PEP8 ===
 
* Write [http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/ PEP 8] compatible code! This is important to have a consistent, readable codebase.
 
* Write [http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/ PEP 8] compatible code! This is important to have a consistent, readable codebase.
 +
** it is not explicit in PEP8, but we like a space after a comma
  
* Do not use tabs. Use whitespace. If you use an editor with tabs, go into the preferences, and change the tab behavior to a number of spaces. In GRAMPS we use 4 spaces for indentation.
+
=== Tabs ===
 +
* Do not use TABs. Use space characters. In Gramps we use 4 spaces for indentation. This does not mean you must set your TAB stops to 4. TABs and indents are not the same thing. Most editors have a configuration option to set indentation and TAB stops. Be careful to just set the '''indentation''' to 4, which automatically means it has to be '''spaces'''. (TABs are still necessary, in Makefiles for example, and they '''have to''' be equivalent to 8 spaces, '''always'''.) To summarize:
 +
** uses spaces, no TABs
 +
** indentation is 4
 +
** TAB stops (if any) are at position 9,17,25,... (first column is 1)
  
* Class headers. Each class should have a simple header to help mark it in the file. This is not used for documentation - it is used to help find the class when multiple classes exist in the same file.
+
=== Members names ===
<code>
+
* Private class functions (functions that cannot be called outside the class) should be preceded with two underscores.
  #------------------------------------------------------------
+
* Protected functions (functions that can only be called by the class or derived classes) should be preceded with one underscore.
  #
+
<pre>
  # MyClass
+
def __private_function(self):
  #
+
    pass
  #------------------------------------------------------------
+
</code>
+
def _protected_function(self):
* Docstrings. Python provides a docstrings to document classes and functions. If the class is a class used by others (such as the RelLib classes), the docstrings should follow the [http://epydoc.sourceforge.net/manual-epytext.html epydoc] format. This allows us to extract [http://gramps-project.org/api3 API] documentation. Classes that are not core reusable classes do not have to follow this format, but should be documented using docstrings.
+
    pass
<code>
+
</pre>
  class MyClass:
+
 
      """
+
=== Callbacks ===
      MyClass is a sample class.
+
 
      """
+
Names of callbacks should be prefixed by 'cb_'.  For example, <code>cb_my_callback</code>.
   
+
 
      def my_function(self):
+
<code>pylint</code> does not check that arguments are used when methods are named in this way.  This is useful to avoid the <code>pylint</code> warning:  'W0613: Unused argument <arg>'.
          """
+
 
          The my_function task serves no purpose whatsoever.
+
=== Imports ===
          """
+
The top module is called gramps, and it has following submodules:
          pass
+
* gen
</code>
+
* cli
* Private class functions (functions that cannot be called outside the class) should be preceded with two underscores. Protected functions (functions that can only be called by the class or derived classes) should be preceded with one underscore.
+
* gui
<code>
+
* plugins
  def __private_function(self):
+
The other dirs should not contain code, or are for testing.
      pass
+
 
 +
Within a submodule, only relative imports are allowed of the own submodule (so starting with . or with a module of the own directory), and absolute imports of other submodules (so starting with <code>gramps.</code>)
 +
 
 +
{{man note|Important:|files in the gen submodule are '''not''' allowed to import files from the other submodules. So <code>gen</code> should be self-contained.}}
 +
 
 +
== Class headers ==
 +
* Each class should have a simple header to help mark it in the file. This is not used for documentation - it is used to help find the class when multiple classes exist in the same file.
 +
<pre>
 +
#------------------------------------------------------------
 +
#
 +
# MyClass
 +
#
 +
#------------------------------------------------------------
 +
</pre>
 +
 
 +
== Docstrings ==
 +
* Python provides a docstrings to document classes and functions. If the class is a class used by others (such as the [http://www.gramps-project.org/docs/gen/gen_lib.html#module-gen.lib gen lib] classes), the docstrings should follow the restructuredtext ([http://docutils.sourceforge.net/docs/user/rst/quickstart.html#structure rst]) format. This allows us to extract [http://www.gramps-project.org/docs/ API] documentation using sphinx.
 +
 
 +
* Apart from adding doc strings to classes and functions, also the api generating rst files must be edited so as to extract the documentation. These files are in the [http://gramps.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/gramps/trunk/docs/ docs directory], for info read the [http://svn.code.sf.net/p/gramps/code/trunk/docs/README.txt README.txt] file.
 +
 
 +
:More info
 +
:* [http://sphinx-doc.org/markup/desc.html sphinx for python]
 +
:* [http://sphinx-doc.org/rest.html doc with sphinx]
 +
 
 +
Classes that are not core reusable classes do not have to follow this format (although we encourage you do), but should be documented using docstrings.
 +
<pre>
 +
class MyClass:
 +
    """
 +
    MyClass is a sample class.
 +
    """
 
    
 
    
  def _protected_function(self):
+
    def my_function(self):
      pass
+
        """
</code>
+
        The my_function task serves no purpose whatsoever.
* Run <code>pylint</code> on your code before checking in, and use the output to reasonably clean up the code. Note that you must run <code>pylint</code> in the <code>src</code> directory.
+
        """
 +
        pass
 +
</pre>
 +
 
 +
== Pylint ==
 +
* Run <code>pylint</code> on your code before checking in.
 +
* New files shall have a Pylint score of 9 or higher. New files will not be accepted if they have a Pylint score lower than 9.
 +
* Any changes to existing files with a Pylint score lower than 9 shall not reduce the Pylint score. It is expected that over time, this policy will cause all files to eventually have a score of 9 or higher.
 +
 
 +
Note that you must run <code>pylint</code> in the <code>gramps</code> directory. If import errors still occur, add a PYTHONPATH. Example usage:
 +
  me@laptop:~/programs/trunk/src$ PYTHONPATH=plugins/lib/ pylint --include-ids=y --reports=y plugins/mapservices/googlemap.py
 +
Set reports to n to have less output. Info on the codes can be found here: [http://pylint-messages.wikidot.com/all-codes]
  
* Always develop with [http://www.gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php?title=Coding_for_translation language translation] in mind  
+
== Best practices ==
 +
* Always develop with [[Coding_for_translation|language translation]] in mind  
  
 
* Reduce dependencies (imports) between files.
 
* Reduce dependencies (imports) between files.
 +
 +
* Think on [[Accessibility]].
 +
 +
[[Category:Developers/General]]
 +
[[Category:Developers/Quality Assurance]]

Revision as of 06:25, 11 January 2015

In a multi-programmer environment, it is important to follow common coding guidelines to make sure the code remains maintainable.

Coding style

PEP8

  • Write PEP 8 compatible code! This is important to have a consistent, readable codebase.
    • it is not explicit in PEP8, but we like a space after a comma

Tabs

  • Do not use TABs. Use space characters. In Gramps we use 4 spaces for indentation. This does not mean you must set your TAB stops to 4. TABs and indents are not the same thing. Most editors have a configuration option to set indentation and TAB stops. Be careful to just set the indentation to 4, which automatically means it has to be spaces. (TABs are still necessary, in Makefiles for example, and they have to be equivalent to 8 spaces, always.) To summarize:
    • uses spaces, no TABs
    • indentation is 4
    • TAB stops (if any) are at position 9,17,25,... (first column is 1)

Members names

  • Private class functions (functions that cannot be called outside the class) should be preceded with two underscores.
  • Protected functions (functions that can only be called by the class or derived classes) should be preceded with one underscore.
def __private_function(self):
    pass
 
def _protected_function(self):
    pass

Callbacks

Names of callbacks should be prefixed by 'cb_'. For example, cb_my_callback.

pylint does not check that arguments are used when methods are named in this way. This is useful to avoid the pylint warning: 'W0613: Unused argument <arg>'.

Imports

The top module is called gramps, and it has following submodules:

  • gen
  • cli
  • gui
  • plugins

The other dirs should not contain code, or are for testing.

Within a submodule, only relative imports are allowed of the own submodule (so starting with . or with a module of the own directory), and absolute imports of other submodules (so starting with gramps.)

Gramps-notes.png
Important:

files in the gen submodule are not allowed to import files from the other submodules. So gen should be self-contained.

Class headers

  • Each class should have a simple header to help mark it in the file. This is not used for documentation - it is used to help find the class when multiple classes exist in the same file.
#------------------------------------------------------------
#
# MyClass
#
#------------------------------------------------------------

Docstrings

  • Python provides a docstrings to document classes and functions. If the class is a class used by others (such as the gen lib classes), the docstrings should follow the restructuredtext (rst) format. This allows us to extract API documentation using sphinx.
  • Apart from adding doc strings to classes and functions, also the api generating rst files must be edited so as to extract the documentation. These files are in the docs directory, for info read the README.txt file.
More info

Classes that are not core reusable classes do not have to follow this format (although we encourage you do), but should be documented using docstrings.

class MyClass:
    """
    MyClass is a sample class.
    """
   
    def my_function(self):
        """
        The my_function task serves no purpose whatsoever.
        """
        pass

Pylint

  • Run pylint on your code before checking in.
  • New files shall have a Pylint score of 9 or higher. New files will not be accepted if they have a Pylint score lower than 9.
  • Any changes to existing files with a Pylint score lower than 9 shall not reduce the Pylint score. It is expected that over time, this policy will cause all files to eventually have a score of 9 or higher.

Note that you must run pylint in the gramps directory. If import errors still occur, add a PYTHONPATH. Example usage:

 me@laptop:~/programs/trunk/src$ PYTHONPATH=plugins/lib/ pylint --include-ids=y --reports=y plugins/mapservices/googlemap.py

Set reports to n to have less output. Info on the codes can be found here: [1]

Best practices

  • Reduce dependencies (imports) between files.