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Appendix: Style guides

Our coding standards are mostly based on those at se-education.org/guides.

Note on Ternary Operators:

Ternary operators can be used to shorten if-else blocks such as this:

LocalDateTime min = ARBITRARY_FIRST_COMMIT_DATE_UTC.withZoneSameInstant(zoneId).toLocalDateTime();
if (!commitInfos.isEmpty()) {
    min = commitInfos.get(0).getTime();
}
return min;

The result would look something like this:

return (commitInfos.isEmpty())
        ? ARBITRARY_FIRST_COMMIT_DATE_UTC.withZoneSameInstant(zoneId).toLocalDateTime()
        : commitInfos.get(0).getTime();

To preserve readability, it is recommended that if-else blocks should only be converted to ternary operators if the resultant code can be kept at most 3 lines long (in accordance to the coding standard).

Additional Javadoc requirements:

In addition to what has been mentioned in the Java coding standard (SE-EDU) and Google Java Style Guide, we also stipulate the following standards for Javadoc:

  • If Javadoc is written for a method, all input parameters should be described in the Javadoc, either in the description with @code tags or through @param block tags.
    • If @param block tags are used, they must be used for all parameters.
    • This is not necessary (although still recommended) for methods with @Override annotations if Javadoc is used. However, if the method that is being overriden is part of your code and has Javadoc, all parameters must be described.

Negative Examples:

// Not okay (Only mentions zoneId parameter):
/**
 * Returns a {@link LocalDateTime} object adjusted for timezone given by {@code zoneId}.
 */
public LocalDateTime adjustTimeZone(LocalDateTime sinceDate, ZoneId zoneId) {
    //Code here
}

// Not okay (@param tag used only for zoneId)
/**
 * Returns a {@link LocalDateTime} object by adjusting {@code sinceDate}
 * to the timezone given by {@code zoneId}.
 *
 * @param zoneId The timezone ID to adjust the sinceDate to.
 */
public LocalDateTime adjustTimeZone(LocalDateTime sinceDate, ZoneId zoneId) {
    //Code here
}

Positive Example #1:

// Okay (No @param tags):
/**
 * Returns a {@link LocalDateTime} object by adjusting {@code sinceDate}
 * to the timezone given by {@code zoneId}.
 */
public LocalDateTime adjustTimeZone(LocalDateTime sinceDate, ZoneId zoneId) {
    //Code here
}

Positive Example #2:

// Okay (@param tags used for all inputs):
/**
 * Returns a {@link LocalDateTime} object by adjusting {@code sinceDate}
 * to the timezone given by {@code zoneId}.
 *
 * @param sinceDate The date prior to the timezone conversion.
 * @param zoneId The timezone ID to adjust the sinceDate to.
 */
public LocalDateTime adjustTimeZone(LocalDateTime sinceDate, ZoneId zoneId) {
    //Code here
}
  • Within the main code, if an exception is thrown in a method (both header and body) for which Javadoc is written, a @throws tag must be used to describe how the exception is likely to arise.
    • This requirement does not apply to test code.
    • One @throws tag per unique exception.
    • The order of exceptions in the @throws tag block should match that of the method's throws statement.
// Not okay (order of exceptions in tag block and method signature do not match):
/**
 * Returns a {@link LocalDateTime} object from {@code dateString}.
 *
 * @throws ParseException if {@code dateString} cannot be parsed.
 * @throws NullPointerException if {@code dateString} is null.
 */
public LocalDateTime parseDate(String dateString) throws NullPointerException, ParseException {
    String trimmedString = dateString.toUpperCase(); // NullPointerException may happen here.
    // Code here
}

// Should be:
/**
 * Returns a {@link LocalDateTime} object from {@code dateString}.
 *
 * @throws NullPointerException if {@code dateString} is null.
 * @throws ParseException if {@code dateString} cannot be parsed.
 */
public LocalDateTime parseDate(String dateString) throws NullPointerException, ParseException {
    String trimmedString = dateString.toUpperCase(); // NullPointerException may happen here.
    // Code here
}

TypeScript specific formatting

For TypeScript specific code, such as within an interface or type annotations, we also stipulate the following standards:

  • Use semicolons as delimiters for TypeScript interfaces and types.

Negative Examples:

// missing semicolon delimiter
interface Foo {
    name: string
    greet(): string
}

// using incorrect delimiter
interface Foo {
    name: string,
    greet(): string,
}

Positive Example:

// semicolon delimiter
interface Foo {
    name: string;
    greet(): string;
}
  • For type annotations, use a space after but not before.

Negative Examples:

let foo:string = "bar";
let foo :string = "bar";
let foo : string = "bar";

function foo():string {}
function foo() :string {}
function foo() : string {}

class Foo {
    name:string;
}

class Foo {
    name :string;
}

class Foo {
    name : string;
}

Positive Examples:

let foo: string = "bar";

function foo(): string {}

class Foo {
    name: string;
}