DesignGuidelines

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Coding Guidelines for Lazarus

Coding style

• Since one style is easier to read, Lazarus follows the CodeGear Coding Style Guide lines. Of course, almost anyone will find some points there, that are arguable less readable than other styles. That's ok, just try to follow at least 90%. See the LCL for examples.
• Try to avoid unit cycles (uses section in implementation sections). Reasons: 1. FPC has problems with them. 2. This allows to split units and packages when they have grown big.
• Minimize the number of calls from Interfaces to LCL, when performing an action requested by the LCL. The interfaces only notify the LCL, never forces something. The LCL decides.
• Naming convention, see Nomenclature
• All code must work with all checks (range, io, overflow, stack) on. Besides that this helps debugging, some users put these checks into their fpc.cfg, so they are applied to whole lazarus. Including packages and examples.

New files

• Every file should start with a header containing the license and a few lines describing the content.
• Pascal sources should have lowercase filenames (.pas, .pp, .inc, .lfm, .lrs)

Include files

• should start with the {%MainUnit } directive

Packages

• should have an .lpl entry in packager/globallinks/
• should have an author, description and license

Dialogs (modal forms)

• Close on Escape (if key not used otherwise)
• Define default button and Return activates it (if key not used)
• Medium to complex dialogs should be resizable and size is stored

Main Menu Items

• Should have a key in keymapping.pp

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Authoritive version can be found in svn. Proposals for improvement can be added to talk page (discussion).

See also

• Coding style