> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://documentation.tjhsst.edu/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://documentation.tjhsst.edu/services/ion/development/style-guide.md).

# Style Guide

The Ion code base generally follows the guidelines as set forth by [PEP8](https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/).

## Main Points

* Indent using 4 spaces.
* Use underscores in favor of camel case for all names except the names of classes.
* Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.
* Limit the line length of docstrings or comments to 72 characters.
* Separate top-level functions and class definitions with two blank lines.
* Separate method definitions inside a class with a single blank line.
* Use two spaces before inline comment and one space between the pound sign and comment/
* Use a plugin for your text editor to check for/remind you of PEP8 conventions.
* Capitalize and punctuate comments and git commit messages properly.

## Imports

* Group imports in the following order:
  1. Standard library imports
  2. Imports from core Django
  3. Related third-party imports
  4. Local application or library specific imports, imports from Django apps
* Avoid using `import *`
* Explicitly import each module used

#### Examples

Standard library imports:

```
from math import sqrt
from os.path import abspath
```

Core Django imports:

```
from django.db import models
```

Third-party app imports

```
from django_extensions.db.models import TimeStampedModel
```

Imports from your apps

```
from intranet.models import User
```

Explicit relative imports:

Used to avoid hardcoding a module's package. This greatly improves portability. Use these when importing from another module in the current app.

Absolute imports:

Used when importing outside the current app.

Implicit relative imports:

Don't use these. Using them makes it very difficult to change the name of the app, reducing portability.

Good:

```
from .models import SomeModel  # explicit relative import
from  otherdjangoapp.models import OtherModel  # absolute import
```

Bad:

```
from currentapp.models import MyModel  # implicit relative import
```

### References

* [Google Python Style Guide](https://google.github.io/styleguide/pyguide.html).
* [Google HTML/CSS Style Guide](https://google.github.io/styleguide/htmlcssguide.xml).
* [Google Javascript Style Guide](https://google.github.io/styleguide/javascriptguide.xml).
* [PEP8 Official Python Style Guide](https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/).