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.
  • Names in comments: Comments should help the reader. They are not for the glory of the writer. You can add a name if you are the maintainer aka gets the bug reports assigned or if the name is a good search term to find help on this topic.


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). You can use CamelCase for unit names.


Include files
  • should start with the {%MainUnit } directive


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


Main Menu Items
  • Should have a key in keymapping.pp

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

GUI

All dialogs and windows must not use fixed sizes. Keep in mind that font sizes and translated captions can vary. Use splitters and panels. You can expect a screen size of at least 1000x700.

Dialogs (modal forms)

    • Close on Escape (if key not used otherwise)
    • Define default button and Return activates it (if key not used)
    • If it has scrollable content (e.g. contains a TMemo, TListBox, TTreeView) it should be resizable and size is stored

See also