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author Karl Berry <karl@freefriends.org>
date Fri, 19 Jul 2013 15:08:53 -0700
parents 8826dc2ee3ee
children 09c1c72dfe80
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17453:d6a1c46258ab 17454:9b8de09b2e2e
1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*- 1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c %**start of header 2 @c %**start of header
3 @setfilename standards.info 3 @setfilename standards.info
4 @settitle GNU Coding Standards 4 @settitle GNU Coding Standards
5 @c This date is automagically updated when you save this file: 5 @c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:
6 @set lastupdate April 27, 2013 6 @set lastupdate July 19, 2013
7 @c %**end of header 7 @c %**end of header
8 8
9 @dircategory GNU organization 9 @dircategory GNU organization
10 @direntry 10 @direntry
11 * Standards: (standards). GNU coding standards. 11 * Standards: (standards). GNU coding standards.
289 @node Source Language 289 @node Source Language
290 @section Which Languages to Use 290 @section Which Languages to Use
291 @cindex programming languages 291 @cindex programming languages
292 292
293 When you want to use a language that gets compiled and runs at high 293 When you want to use a language that gets compiled and runs at high
294 speed, the best language to use is C. Using another language is like 294 speed, the best language to use is C. C++ is ok too, but please don't
295 using a non-standard feature: it will cause trouble for users. Even if 295 make heavy use of templates. Other languages commonly used in the
296 GCC supports the other language, users may find it inconvenient to have 296 free software community, such as Java, Python and Ruby, are ok too.
297 to install the compiler for that other language in order to build your 297 Please implement the GNU configure and make interface no matter which
298 program. For example, if you write your program in C++, people will 298 language you use.
299 have to install the GNU C++ compiler in order to compile your program.
300
301 C has one other advantage over C++ and other compiled languages: more
302 people know C, so more people will find it easy to read and modify the
303 program if it is written in C.
304
305 So in general it is much better to use C, rather than the
306 comparable alternatives.
307
308 But there are two exceptions to that conclusion:
309
310 @itemize @bullet
311 @item
312 It is no problem to use another language to write a tool specifically
313 intended for use with that language. That is because the only people
314 who want to build the tool will be those who have installed the other
315 language anyway.
316
317 @item
318 If an application is of interest only to a narrow part of the community,
319 then the question of which language it is written in has less effect on
320 other people, so you may as well please yourself.
321 @end itemize
322 299
323 Many programs are designed to be extensible: they include an interpreter 300 Many programs are designed to be extensible: they include an interpreter
324 for a language that is higher level than C. Often much of the program 301 for a language that is higher level than C. Often much of the program
325 is written in that language, too. The Emacs editor pioneered this 302 is written in that language, too. The Emacs editor pioneered this
326 technique. 303 technique.
331 (@uref{http://www.gnu.org/@/software/@/guile/}), which implements the 308 (@uref{http://www.gnu.org/@/software/@/guile/}), which implements the
332 language Scheme (an especially clean and simple dialect of Lisp). 309 language Scheme (an especially clean and simple dialect of Lisp).
333 Guile also includes bindings for GTK+/GNOME, making it practical to 310 Guile also includes bindings for GTK+/GNOME, making it practical to
334 write modern GUI functionality within Guile. We don't reject programs 311 write modern GUI functionality within Guile. We don't reject programs
335 written in other ``scripting languages'' such as Perl and Python, but 312 written in other ``scripting languages'' such as Perl and Python, but
336 using Guile is very important for the overall consistency of the GNU 313 using Guile is the path that will lead to overall consistency of the
337 system. 314 GNU system.
338 315
339 316
340 @node Compatibility 317 @node Compatibility
341 @section Compatibility with Other Implementations 318 @section Compatibility with Other Implementations
342 @cindex compatibility with C and POSIX standards 319 @cindex compatibility with C and POSIX standards