Create style guide

[cletusc]

We need consistent formatting of code and we should define it very explicitly. We can always do cleanup commits, or even have someone specifically assigned to do code cleanup.

[jerone]

We can look at existing style guides, like the one from jQuery: http://contribute.jquery.org/style-guide/

[simonzack]

Something I'm not quite sure about is the use of camel case vs underscore, which I think carries over from java. Jquery has it in it's guidelines, but it's imo much harder to read. Which casing should we adopt?

[cletusc]

camel case vs underscore

IMO, camel case. Thinking in the future here, if we use underscore.js (_(stuff).func()) or some sort of i18n (usually seen as __('Some string here.')), the extra underscores from variable names might confuse some.

I would recommend basing a lot of it on idiomatic.js, which is what I kind of follow already albeit with some white space changes.

[jerone]

I don't mind which style guide we choose, as long as make use of tabs (instead of spaces). With tabs I can choose my own size (2, 4, 8, ...), which is 4 for me personally.

[cletusc]

make use of tabs (instead of spaces)

Agreed, I propose we use tabs for indentation, and spaces for alignment of anything else after the indentation is correct, should we need to align anything.

[simonzack]

make use of tabs (instead of spaces)

Agreed, I propose we use tabs for indentation, and spaces for alignment of anything else after the indentation is correct, should we need to align anything.

Same here, I absolutely love tabs.

[sizzlemctwizzle]

I despise tabs, and so does most of the open source community from my experience. Challenge: find a popular open source project that uses tabs for indentation. Also the tab width on GH is huge so our code will look like shit here. Also, this is another barrier to entry. Spaces work everywhere, but tab width must be set where ever (if even possible) you plan to view the code.

Find a proper source code editor that will add the appropriate number of spaces when you hit the tab button (I know Notepad++ supports this). If this is a must have for you guys, I will write a node script that converts tabs to spaces and vice versa.

Also, I vote for the Greasemonkey style guidelines, with a few exceptions for the parts that apply to Firefox addon development.

@joesimmons What do you think? (I hope tagging a user brings it to their attention)

[joesimmons]

Can we use Douglas Crockford's code conventions?
It's idiomatic, from what I understand of that word.

I'm for using spaces. I used to use tabs but spaces are actually better.
Notepad++, as sizzle said, can replace tabs (as you type them) with a certain # of spaces.
I really like indentation to be 4 spaces, as it's clear to me when a block is indented. I could use 2, but I'd have to switch back and forth all the time when developing for the site, and developing my own scripts.

[cletusc]

We could look into integrating an editor config to simplify things--there are plugins for all major text editors by the looks of it. This would fix any issues with tabs, line endings, and EOF newlines.

Most of all, I want to avoid any major debate between tabs and spaces. As we don't have a unified opinion, let's find a middle ground--editorconfig should help.

For clarification, I am OK with GM style guide aside from the space/tab issue.

[sizzlemctwizzle]

Can we use Douglas Crockford's code conventions?

I agree with all that, but it's very similar to the Greasemonkey style guide.

I really like indentation to be 4 spaces, as it's clear to me when a block is indented. I could use 2, but I'd have to switch back and forth all the time when developing for the site, and developing my own scripts.

I like using 2 spaces because you indent 4 spaces for a statement that continues onto the next line. If we use 4 spaces, that means 8 spaces on a continuation and it will quickly explode.

We could look into integrating an editor config to simplify things

So we just plug this into our editor of choice and it saves the files according to the defined guidelines? That page doesn't explain it very well.

[jerone]

And so starts the big spaces versus tabs discussion :)

As it stands now, we have:

• 3 users for tabs
• 1 user for using 2 spaces
• 1 user for using 4 spaces

[cletusc]

So we just plug this into our editor of choice and it saves the files according to the defined guidelines?

That's the idea I think. I'll look more into it when I get home, but jQuery uses it and I'm sure many others as well. It's a good idea if it works.

And so starts the big spaces versus tabs discussion :)

What I was trying to avoid... :P

[sizzlemctwizzle]

And so starts the big spaces versus tabs discussion :)

I thought this debate was settled before I was even born, but apparently I was wrong. I thought we were all spacemen by now.

That's the idea

Well if it works, then win-win.

[jerone]

Does Node.js has a style guide?

[sizzlemctwizzle]

It's written in C++.

[joesimmons]

I can do whatever is needed. I'd rather use spaces, though.

[jerone]

NPM has a small style guide: https://npmjs.org/doc/coding-style.html
A highly appriciated style guide has been made by Felix Geisendörfer: http://nodeguide.com/style.html
A good reason to use spaces over tabs has been posted here: http://stackoverflow.com/a/10503479/108448

[cletusc]

I've committed an initial draft of the style guide. Let's discuss it on the mailing list.

[joesimmons]

I just pushed a style guide created primarily from Douglas Crockford's code conventions, taking pieces from Cletus' initial guide.

It's not a verbatim copy of Doug's conventions, but many of those are included, except for a few.

[sizzlemctwizzle]

Well we have a style guide now, so I'm closing this issue.

[jerone]

Then we can close the branch too...