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diff --git a/HACKING/code-style.md b/HACKING/code-style.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..077bc49 --- /dev/null +++ b/HACKING/code-style.md @@ -0,0 +1,62 @@ +The style guidelines aren't terribly strict. As long as things are +consistent per-file, I'm pretty happy. + +Style guidelines +================ + +Unless you have a good reason, use `[[ ... ]]` instead of `[ ... ]`; +they work similarly, but `[[ ... ]]` is sometimes more readable (fine, +rarely, but never less), and is harder to make mistakes with quoting, +because it is syntactic magic, as opposed to `[ ... ]` which is an +executable which just happens to be implemented as a builtin. + +Use a litteral tab for indent. When indenting line-wrapped text, such +as that for `prose`, do it like this: (» indicates tab, · indicates +space) + + func() { + » prose "This is the first line. This paragraph is going to be + » ·······wrapped." + } + +The `; then` and `; do` should go on the same line as +`if`/`elif`/`for`/`while`. Also, there is no space before the `;`. + +Prefer the `for VAR in LIST` syntax over the `for ((init; cond; inc))` +syntax, when possible. For example (heh, `for` example): + + local i + for (( i = 1 ; i <= 10 ; i++ )); do + +should be + + local i + for i in {1..10}; do + +Of course, if the upper bound is a variable, the C-like syntax is +the better option, as otherwise you would have to use `seq` (calling +an external), or `eval` (gross, easy to mess up royally). + +Indent comments like you would code; don't leave them at the beginning +of the line. Example: + + for item in "${list[@]}"; do + if [[ $item == foo ]]; then + # BAD + foobar + fi + if [[ $item == bar ]]; then + # GOOD + barbaz + fi + done + +Fauno, I'm sorry. But I don't know how you can read your own code :P. + +Some people argue in favor of the useless use of cat, because data +should flow from left to right. However, the input redirection +doesn't have to go on the right side of a command: + + cat file | program # useless use of cat + program < file # data flows right to left + < file program # just right |