STYLE_GUIDE.md

This is the style guide to keep consistency in this project. All pull requests should adhere to it in order to be accepted.

Style Guide

1. Use consistent indenting. Indent using four spaces.
2. print and println statements should never use parenthesis.
3. Use single quotes ' when quoting string literals. Use double quotes " when quoting strings that require string interpolation.
4. Every conditional and loop requires curly brackets. Even if it is only enclosing one statement.
5. Opening curly brackets must be on the same line as the conditional or loop. Closing curly brackets must be alone on the line.
6. Opening curly brackets must have a single space between the conditional and the curly bracket.
7. Comma separated values must have a single space before the next value.
8. When setting variables there must be a space on either side of the equal sign.
9. Use specific type definitions as much as possible and only use generic type definitions where appropriate.
10. No semicolons at the end of code lines. Keep lack of using semicolons consistent.

Style guide examples.

Point 1. consistent indenting example.

if(x) {
    println "Value of x: ${x}"  //<--- indented using 4 spaces
}
else {
    println 'False'             //<--- indented using 4 spaces
}

Point 2. Print statements should never use parenthesis.

println 'This is a print statement without parens'

Point 3. Single quotes when quoting string literals and double quotes when quoting strings that need string interpolation.

if(x) {
    println "Value of x: ${x}"  //<--- double quoted string interpolation
}
else {
    println 'False'             //<--- single quoted literal string
}

Point 4. Every conditional loop requires curly brackets.

if(x) {                         //<--- using curly brackets
    println "Value of x: ${x}"
}
else {                          //<--- using curly brackets
    println 'False'
}

Point 5. Opening curly brackets must be on same line as conditional or loop. Closing curly brackets must be alone on the line.

if(x) {                         //<--- curly bracket on the same line
    println "Value of x: ${x}"
}                               //<--- lone curly bracket
else {
    println 'False'
}

Point 6. Opening curly brackets must have a single space between the conditional and the curly bracket.

//  notice the space
//   |
//   |
//   V
if(x) {
    println "Value of x: ${x}"
}
else {
    println 'False'
}

Point 7. Comma separated values must have a single space before the next value.

//               notice the space after comma
//                |
//                |
//                V
somefunction(arg1, arg2, arg3)

Point 8. When setting variables there must be a space on either side of the equal sign.

//            space before
//             |
//             |
//             V
String mystring = ""
//               ^
//               |
//               |
//            space after

Point 9. Use specific type definitions as much as possible and only use generic type definitions where appropriate. i.e. use int mynum = 3 instead of def mynum = 3 if mynum will always be an integer.