diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index b2a7730880334d9b106dea637075e2151d09be09..43b00f2c44ada674a650b7a00534fe21983da09d 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@  > Ion is still a WIP, and both it's syntax and rules are subject to change over time. It is -> still quite a ways from becoming stabilized, but we are getting close. Changes to the +> still quite a ways from becoming stabilized, but we are getting very close. Changes to the > syntax at this time are likely to be minimal. # Ion Manual @@ -18,23 +18,83 @@ We are providing our manual for Ion in the form of a markdown-based book, which - Building and serving the book in the **manual** directory yourself with [mdBook](https://github.com/azerupi/mdBook) > Note, however, that the manual is incomplete, and does not cover all of Ion's functionality -> at this time. Anyone willing to help with documentation should request to do so in the chatroom. +> at this time. Anyone willing to help with documentation should simply do so and submit a pull +> request. If you have any questions regarding certain implementation details, feel free to +> ask in whichever venue you are most comfortable with. # Contributors +## Guidelines + +### Code Formatting + +When submitting a pull request, be sure to run `cargo +nightly fmt` on your project with a +nightly version of **rustfmt**. This will prevent me from having to push PR's specifically +to format the code base from time to time. To install **rustfmt-nightly**, simply run +`cargo install rustfmt-nightly --force`. + +### On Unit & Integration Tests + +If you see an area that deserves a test, feel free to add extra tests in your pull requests. +When submitting new functionality, especially complex functionality, try to write as many +tests as you can think of to cover all possible code paths that your function(s) might take. +Integration tests are located in the **examples** directory, and are the most important place +to create tests -- unit tests come second after the integration tests. + +Integration tests are much more useful in general, as they cover real world use cases and +stress larger portions of the code base at once. Yet unit tests still have their place, as +they are able to test bits of functionality which may not necessarily be covered by existing +integration tests. + +> In order to create unit tests for otherwise untestable code that depends on greater runtime +> specifics, you should likely write your functions to accept generic inputs, where unit +> tests can pass dummy types and environments into your functions for the purpose of testing +> the function, whereas in practice the function is hooked up to it's appropriate types. + +## Issue Board + +Please visit the [issue board](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/issuesi) for a list of curated +issues that need to be worked on. If an issue has the **WIP** tag, then that issue is currently +being worked on. Otherwise, the issue is free game. Issues are also labeled to guide contributors +into finding problems to tackle at a given skill level. Not to worry though, because most issues +within Ion are relatively simple **C-Class** issues. The most difficult issues are marked as +**A-Class**. + +## Chatroom + Send an email to [info@redox-os.org](mailto:info@redox-os.org) to request invitation for joining the developer chatroom for Ion. Experience with Rust is not required for contributing to Ion. There are ways to contribute to Ion at all levels of experience, from writing scripts in Ion and reporting issues, to seeking mentorship on how to implement solutions for specific issues on the issue board. +## Discussion + +In addition to the chatroom, there's a [thread in the Redox forums](https://discourse.redox-os.org/t/ion-shell-development-discussion/682) +that can be used for discussions relating to Ion and Ion shell development. These are mostly served +by the GitHub issue board, but general discussions can take place there instead. + # Introduction Ion is a modern system shell that features a simple, yet powerful, syntax. It is written entirely in Rust, which greatly increases the overall quality and security of the shell, eliminating the -possibilities of a [ShellShock](http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Shellshock_(software_bug))-like vulnerability, and making development easier. It also -offers a level of performance that exceeds that of Dash, when taking advantage of Ion's features. -While it is developed alongside, and primarily for, RedoxOS, it is a fully capable on other *nix -platforms, and we are currently searching for a Windows developer to port it to Windows. +possibilities of a [ShellShock](http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Shellshock_(software_bug))-like vulnerability +, and making development easier. It also offers a level of performance that exceeds that of Dash, +when taking advantage of Ion's features. While it is developed alongside, and primarily for, RedoxOS, +it is a fully capable on other \*nix platforms. + +## Why Not Windows Support? + +Windows is not, and may never be supported due to certain limitations in the NT kernel. Namely, +where in all non-Windows operating systems, the kernel takes an array of strings that defines +the command to execute, and all of that command's arguments; Windows instead takes a single +string that contains both the command and all of it's arguments. This pushes the job of parsing +arguments from the system shell onto the individual program, and may account for why the command-line +in Windows is so funky. + +In addition, Windows does not support forking, a concept by which a new sub-process is spawned with +the same state as the parent, for the purpose of continuing execution down a different path from the +parent. This enables for subshells to be spawned, as commonly seen by process expansions (**$()**), +among piping builtins and functions. # Goals