eden/docs/Coding.md

Coding guidelines

These are mostly "suggestions", if you feel like your code is readable, comprehensible to others; and most importantly doesn't result in unreadable spaghetti you're fine to go.

But for new developers you may find that following these guidelines will make everything x10 easier.

Naming conventions

Simply put, types/classes are named as PascalCase, same for methods and functions like AddElement. Variables are named like_this_snake_case and constants are IN_SCREAMING_CASE.

Except for Qt MOC where functionName is preferred.

Template typenames prefer short names like T, I, U, if a longer name is required either Iterator or perform_action are fine as well.

Macros must always be in SCREAMING_CASE. Do not use short letter macros as systems like Solaris will conflict with them; a good rule of thumb is >5 characters per macro - i.e THIS_MACRO_IS_GOOD, AND_ALSO_THIS_ONE.

Try not using hungarian notation, if you're able.

Formatting

Do not put if/while/etc braces after lines:

// no dont do this
if (thing)
{
    some(); // ...
}

// do this
if (thing) {
    some(); // ...
}

// or this
if (thing)
    some(); // ...

// this is also ok
if (thing) some();

Brace rules are lax, if you can get the point across, do it:

// this is fine
do {
    if (thing) {
        return 0;
    }
} while (other);

// this is also ok --- albeit a bit more dense
do if (thing) return 0; while (other);

// ok as well
do {
    if (thing) return 0;
} while (other);

There is no 80-column limit but preferably be mindful of other developer's readability (like don't just put everything onto one line).

// someone is going to be mad due to this
SDL_AudioSpec obtained;
device_name.empty() ? device = SDL_OpenAudioDevice(nullptr, capture, &spec, &obtained, false) : device = SDL_OpenAudioDevice(device_name.c_str(), capture, &spec, &obtained, false);

// maybe consider this
SDL_AudioSpec obtained;
if (device_name.empty()) {
    device = SDL_OpenAudioDevice(nullptr, capture, &spec, &obtained, false);
} else {
    device = SDL_OpenAudioDevice(device_name.c_str(), capture, &spec, &obtained, false);
}

// or this is fine as well
SDL_AudioSpec obtained;
device = SDL_OpenAudioDevice(device_name.empty() ? nullptr : device_name.c_str(), capture, &spec, &obtained, false);