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spacemacs/doc/CONVENTIONS.md
2014-12-21 23:18:25 -05:00

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# Spacemacs conventions
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**Table of Contents**
- [Spacemacs conventions](#spacemacs-conventions)
- [Code guidelines](#code-guidelines)
- [Spacemacs core and layer](#spacemacs-core-and-layer)
- [All layers](#all-layers)
- [Key bindings conventions](#key-bindings-conventions)
- [Prefix reserved to the user](#prefix-reserved-to-the-user)
- [Prefix reserved to the current major mode](#prefix-reserved-to-the-current-major-mode)
- [Navigation between items](#navigation-between-items)
- [Interactions with REPLs](#interactions-with-repls)
- [Interactions with Tests](#interactions-with-tests)
- [For all languages](#for-all-languages)
- [Depending on the language](#depending-on-the-language)
- [Building and Compilation](#building-and-compilation)
- [Debugging](#debugging)
- [Code navigation](#code-navigation)
- [Getting Help or Documentation](#getting-help-or-documentation)
- [Evilify buffers](#evilify-buffers)
- [Navigation in `insert state` buffers](#navigation-in-insert-state-buffers)
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## Code guidelines
### Spacemacs core and layer
Function names follow these conventions:
- `spacemacs/xxx` is an interactive function called `xxx`
- `spacemacs//xxx` is a private function called `xxx` (implementation details)
- `spacemacs|xxx` is a _macro_ called `xxx`
Variables follow these conventions:
- `spacemacs-xxx` is a variable
- `spacemacs--xxx` is a private variable (implementation details)
### All layers
A package is initialized in a function with name `<layer>/init-xxx` where:
- `<layer>` is the layer name
- `xxx` is the package name
## Key bindings conventions
### Prefix reserved to the user
<kbd>SPC o</kbd> must not be used by any layer. It is reserved for the user.
### Prefix reserved to the current major mode
<kbd>SPC m</kbd> is reserved for the current major mode. Three keys bindings
are not an issue (ie. <kbd>SPC m h d</kbd>) since <kbd>SPC m</kbd> can be
accessed via <kbd>,</kbd>.
### Navigation between items
To be consistent with the Vim way, <kbd>n</kbd> and <kbd>N</kbd> are favored
over Emacs <kbd>n</kbd> and <kbd>p</kbd>.
Ideally a micro-state should be provided to smooth the navigation experience.
A micro-state allows to repeat key bindings without entering each time the
prefix commands.
More info on micro-states in the [documentation](DOCUMENTATION.md#micro-states).
### Interactions with REPLs
A lot of languages can interact with a REPL. To help keeping a consistent
behavior between those languages the following conventions should be
followed:
- `<SPC> m` is the prefix for sending code if there is any conflict with
other bindings then `<SPC> m s` is the prefered prefix. This allows fast
interaction with the REPL whenever it is possible.
- lower case key bindings keep the focus on the current buffer
- upper case key bindings move the focus to the REPL buffer
Key | Description
--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------
<kbd>m (s) b</kbd> | send buffer
<kbd>m (s) B</kbd> | send buffer and switch to REPL
<kbd>m (s) d</kbd> | first key to send buffer and switch to REPL to debug (step)
<kbd>m (s) D</kbd> | second key to send buffer and switch to REPL to debug (step)
<kbd>m (s) f</kbd> | send function
<kbd>m (s) F</kbd> | send function and switch to REPL
<kbd>m (s) l</kbd> | send line
<kbd>m (s) L</kbd> | send line and switch to REPL
<kbd>m (s) r</kbd> | send region
<kbd>m (s) R</kbd> | send region and switch to REPL
Note: we don't distinguish between the file and the buffer.
### Interactions with Tests
A lot of languages have their own test frameworks. These frameworks share
common actions that we can unite under the same key bindings:
- `<SPC> m t` is the prefix for test execution.
- `<SPC> m T` is the prefix for test execution in debug mode (if supported).
#### For all languages
Key | Description
------------------|------------------------------------------------------------
<kbd>m t a</kbd> | execute all the tests of the current project
<kbd>m t b</kbd> | execute all the tests of the current buffer
<kbd>m t t</kbd> | execute the current test (thing at point, function)
Note: we don't distinguish between the file and the buffer. We can implement
an auto-save of the buffer before executing the tests.
#### Depending on the language
Key | Description
------------------|------------------------------------------------------------
<kbd>m t m</kbd> | execute the tests of the current module
<kbd>m t s</kbd> | execute the tests of the current suite
Note that there are overlaps, depending on the language we will choose one
or more bindings for the same thing
### Building and Compilation
The base prefix for major mode specific compilation is <kbd>SPC m c</kbd>.
Key Binding | Description
---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------
<kbd>m c c</kbd> | compile
<kbd>m c r</kbd> | recompile
### Debugging
The base prefix for debugging commands is <kbd>SPC d</kbd>.
Key Binding | Description
---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------
<kbd>m d a</kbd> | abandon current process
<kbd>m d b</kbd> | toggle a breakpoint
<kbd>m d c</kbd> | continue current process
<kbd>m d d</kbd> | start debug process
<kbd>m d n</kbd> | next breakpoint
<kbd>m d N</kbd> | previous breakpoint
Notes:
- Ideally a micro-state for breakpoint navigation should be provided.
- If there is no toggle breakpoint function, then it should be implemented at
the spacemacs level and ideally the function should be proposed as a patch
upstream (major mode repository).
### Code navigation
Key | Description
------------------|------------------------------------------------------------
<kbd>m g</kbd> | go to definition of thing under point
### Getting Help or Documentation
The base prefix for help commands is <kbd>SPC h</kbd>. Documentation is
considered as an help command.
Key | Description
------------------|------------------------------------------------------------
<kbd>m h d</kbd> | documentation of thing under point
### Evilify buffers
`Spacemacs` offers convenient functions to _evilify_ a buffer.
_Evilifying_ a buffer is to:
- add `hjkl` navigation
- add incremental search with `/`, `n` and `N`
- add `visual state` and `visual line state`
- activate evil-leader key
- fix all bindings shadows by the above additions
To fix the shadowed bindings we capitalize them, for instance:
shadowed `h` is transposed to `H`, if `H` is taken then it is
transposed to `C-h` and so on...
Example of _evilified_ buffers are `magit status`, `paradox buffer`.
The related functions are:
- `spacemacs/activate-evil-leader-for-maps` and `spacemacs/activate-evil-leader-for-map`
- `spacemacs/evilify`
### Navigation in `insert state` buffers
Navigation in buffers like `Helm` and `ido` which are in `insert state` should
be performed with <kbd>C-j</kbd> and <kbd>C-k</kbd> bindings for vertical
movements.
Key | Description
----------------|------------------------------------------------------------
<kbd>C-j</kbd> | go down
<kbd>C-k</kbd> | go up
History navigation in shells or REPLs buffers should be bound as well to
<kbd>C-j</kbd> and <kbd>C-k</kbd>.
Key | Description
----------------|------------------------------------------------------------
<kbd>C-j</kbd> | next item in history
<kbd>C-k</kbd> | previous item in history