5 Header files have the `.hh` extension, source files use the `.cc` extension. All files must have a license and copyright blurb. Use `#pragma once` instead of an include guard.
7 Header files which contain a public part of the interface of Seastar go in the `include` directory. Internal header and source files which are private to the implementation go in the `src` directory.
11 Use spaces only; NEVER tabs. Rationale: tabs render differently on each system.
13 An _indent_ is four spaces. A double indent is eight spaces, a half-indent is two spaces.
17 We follow the C++ and Boost naming conventions: class names, variables, functions, and concepts are `words_separated_by_whitespace`.
19 Private data members are prefixed by an underscore:
31 Think of the leading underscore as a shorthand for `this->`.
33 Template parameters use `CamelCase`
35 Note: because the Concept Technical Specification used CamelCase for concepts,
36 some Seastar concepts alse use CamelCase. These will be gradually deprecated
37 and replaced with snake_case names. New concepts should use snake_case.
39 ## Including header files
41 In any file, to include a public header file (one in the `include` directory), use an absolute path with `<>` like this:
44 #include <seastar/core/future.hh>
47 In any private file, to include a private header file (one in the `src` directory), use an absolute path with `""` like this:
50 #include "core/future_impl.hh"
55 All nested scopes are braced, even when the language allows omitting the braces (such as an if-statement), this makes patches simpler and is more consistent. The opening brace is merged with the line that opens the scope (class definition, function definition, if statement, etc.) and the body is indented.
67 An exception is namespaces -- the body is _not_ indented, to prevent files that are almost 100% whitespace left margin.
69 When making a change, if you need to insert an indentation level, you can temporarily break the rules by insering a half-indent, so that the patch is easily reviewable:
73 while (something) { // new line - half indent
83 A follow-up patch can restore the indents without any functional changes.
85 ## Function parameters
87 Avoid output parameters; use return values instead. In/out parameters are tricky, but in some cases they are relatively standard, such as serialization/deserialization.
89 If a function accepts a lambda or an `std::function`, make it the last argument, so that it can be easily provided inline:
92 template <typename Func>
93 void function_accepting_a_lambda(int a, int b, Func func);
96 return function_accepting_a_lambda(2, 3, [] (int x, int y) {
102 ## Complex return types
104 If a function returns a complicated return type, put its return type on a separate line, otherwise it becomes hard to see where the return type ends and where the function name begins:
107 template <typename T1, T2>
108 template <typename T3, T4>
109 std::vector<typename a_struct<T1, T2>::some_nested_class<T3, T4>> // I'm the return type
110 a_struct<T1, T2>::a_function(T3 a, T4 b) { // And I'm the function name
115 ## Whitespace around operators
117 Whitespace around operators should match their precedence: high precedence = no spaces, low precedency = add spaces:
120 return *a + *b; // good
121 return * a+* b; // bad
124 `if`, `while`, `return` (and `template`) are not function calls, so they get a space after the keyword.
128 If a line becomes excessively long (>120 characters?), or is just complicated, break it into two or more lines. The second (and succeeding lines) are _continuation lines_, and have a double indent:
131 if ((some_condition && some_other_condition)
132 || (more complicated stuff here...) // continuation line, double indent
133 || (even more complicated stuff)) { // another continuation line
134 do_something(); // back to single indent
138 Of course, long lines or complex conditions may indicate that refactoring is in order.
140 ## Generic lambdas and types
142 Generic lambdas (`[] (auto param)`) are discouraged where the type is known. Generic
143 lambdas reduce the compiler's and other tools' ability to reason about the code.
144 In case the actual type of `param` doesn't match the programmers expectations,
145 the compiler will only detect an error in the lambda body, or perhaps
146 even lower down the stack if more generic functions are called. In the case of an
147 IDE, most of its functionality is disabled in a generic lambda, since it can't
148 assume anything about that parameter.
150 Of course, when there is a need to support multiple types, genericity is the correct
151 tool. Even then, type parameters should be constrained with concepts, in order to
152 catch type mismatches early rather than deep in the instantiation chain.