GNU coding standards: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:39, 22 July 2016

Revision as of 03:43, 13 August 2016

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The '''GNU Coding Standards''' are a set of rules and guidelines for writing [[computer program|program]]s that work consistently within the [[GNU]] system. The GNU Coding Standards were written by [[Richard Stallman]] and other GNU Project volunteers. The standards document is part of the [[GNU Project]] and is available from the GNU website [https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/]. Though it focuses on writing [[free software]] for GNU in [[C (programming language)|C]], much of it can be applied more generally. In particular, the GNU Project encourages its contributors to always try to follow the standards—whether or not their programs are implemented in C. The C code formatting style is well-known within the [[free software community]], but of course, anyone can choose to follow it.

Notably, the [[Linux kernel]] strongly discourages this style for kernel code, and refers to the style pejoratively.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/CodingStyle|title=Linux kernel coding style|website=kernel.org|access-date=12 August 2016|quote=First off, I'd suggest printing out a copy of the GNU coding standards, and NOT read it. Burn them, it's a great symbolic gesture.}} [[Steve McConnell]], in his book [[Code Complete]], also advises against using this style; he marks a code sample which uses it with a "Coding Horror" icon, symbolizing especially dangerous code, and states that it impedes readability.<ref>{{cite book |title=Code Complete: A practical handbook of software construction |last=McConnell |first=Steve |publisher=Microsoft Press |year=2004 |isbn=0-7356-1967-0 |___location=Redmond, WA |pages=746–747 |authorlink=Steve McConnell}}</ref>

==Code formatting==