.. _lblCodingStyle: ************ Coding Style ************ The SimCenter frontend applications are written in **C++**. The applications that run in the backend are written in a mixture of languages: **Python**, **C**, and **C++**. The SimCenter strives to use a standard style across the applications. This section outlines that style. Consistency is the most important aspect of style. The second most important aspect is following a style that the average programmer is used to reading. Not all code will follow the guide, Python Style ============ For code written in Python, SimCenter programmers follow the widely used `Guide PEP 8 `_ C/C++ Style =========== Unlike Python, C/C++ does not have a widely accepted style guideline. Some guidelines of note include the `Google Style `_, the `C++ Core Guidelines `_ (edited by Stroustrup and Sutter), and an older C++ Comments -------- It goes without saying that you must use them. Try to use :code:`//` as opposed to :code:`/* */`, making it easier to comment out a block of code when debugging. Naming Conventions ------------------ All names should be meaningful and Follow a camel case approach. For classes, the names start with an uppercase letter; all class methods, functions, and variables shall begin with a lowercase letter. The exception is constant variables, which should be all uppercase, e.g. :code:`const double PI=3.14159265358979323;` Files ----- #. Use a ``.cpp`` extension for code files and a ``.h`` extension for interface files. #. All files should include at the start the :ref:`lblLicense` #. All files should contain some comments about what the file contains and the name of the developers who worked substantially on the code. #. Use indentation to make the code easier to read; the **Qt** editor has a nice feature that will auto-indent code for you. #. In addition, when writing header files: #. Never ever ever use ``using namespace`` in a header. #. All header files should additionally include documentation as the purpose of the class and the methods. The returns and args to the functions should be documented. #. Header files **MUST** contain a distinctly named include guard to avoid problems with including the same header multiple times and to prevent conflicts with headers from other projects. #. The comments should be in a `Doxygen format `_. #. Assign default values with ``=`` or ``{}``, a C++11 feature. #. All variables defined in the header must be private. An example header file. .. literalinclude:: SimCenterWidget.h :language: c++ Variables --------- #. Initialize all variables #. When initializing float and double variables with values that could be read as integer always include a ``.0``, e.g. :code:`double a = 1.0;`