README.md: Add a quick blurb on style

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 50273c02e19bf770f020756a320a338471b3db55..ba6929edb27e5d179410d32c327a3f83724f41ef 100644 (file)
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,3 +31,98 @@ To run just ostree's tests:
     gnome-desktop-testing-runner -p 0 ostree/
 
 
+Coding style
+------------
+
+Indentation is GNU.  Files should start with the appropriate mode lines.
+
+Use GCC `__attribute__((cleanup))` wherever possible.  If interacting
+with a third party library, try defining local cleanup macros.
+
+Use GError and GCancellable where appropriate.
+
+Prefer returning `gboolean` to signal success/failure, and have output
+values as parameters.
+
+Prefer linear control flow inside functions (aside from standard
+loops).  In other words, avoid "early exits" or use of `goto` besides
+`goto out;`.
+
+This is an example of an "early exit":
+
+    static gboolean
+    myfunc (...)
+    {
+        gboolean ret = FALSE;
+    
+        /* some code */
+    
+        /* some more code */
+    
+        if (condition)
+          return FALSE;
+    
+        /* some more code */
+    
+        ret = TRUE;
+      out:
+        return ret;
+    }
+
+If you must shortcut, use:
+
+    if (condition)
+      {
+        ret = TRUE;
+        goto out;
+      }
+
+A consequence of this restriction is that you are encouraged to avoid
+deep nesting of loops or conditionals.  Create internal static helper
+functions, particularly inside loops.  For example, rather than:
+
+    while (condition)
+      {
+        /* some code */
+        if (condition)
+          {
+             for (i = 0; i < somevalue; i++)
+               {
+                  if (condition)
+                    {
+                      /* deeply nested code */
+                    }
+    
+                    /* more nested code */
+               }
+          }
+      }
+
+Instead do this:
+    
+    static gboolean
+    helperfunc (..., GError **error)
+    {
+      if (condition)
+       {
+         /* deeply nested code */
+       }
+    
+      /* more nested code */
+    
+      return ret;
+    }
+    
+    while (condition)
+      {
+        /* some code */
+        if (!condition)
+          continue;
+    
+        for (i = 0; i < somevalue; i++)
+          {
+            if (!helperfunc (..., i, error))
+              goto out;
+          }
+      }
+