==== Overview ====

Python is the main language used in Autosubmit. This style guide is a list of //dos// and //don'ts// for Autosubmit code based on the [[https://google.github.io/styleguide/pyguide.html|Google's Python style guide]].

In order to format the code correctly you can use [[https://google.github.io/styleguide/google_python_style.vim|the settings file for Vim]] created by Google.


==== Variables, properties and accessor-setter methods ====


  *  Use public variables for accessing or setting data where accessor or setter methods would be trivial, avoiding the extra cost of function calls in Python. 
  *  Use properties for accessing or setting data where you would normally have used simple, lightweight accessor or setter methods. More about properties [[https://google.github.io/styleguide/pyguide.html#Properties|here]].
  *  Use accessor or setter methods where you would require heavy processing. 


==== Python Language Rules ====

  *  Run [[http://www.pylint.org/|pylint]] over the code
  *  **Tabnanny:** Tool to check tabs [[https://docs.python.org/3/library/tabnanny.html|tabnanny]]:
    * Command line: python -m tabnanny -v file.py
    * Code:

      import tabnanny
      tabnanny.check('file.py')



==== Python Style Rules ====

  *  Maximum line length is 120 characters.
  *  Do not use parenthesis in return statements or conditional statements.
  *  Indent your code blocks with 4 spaces.
  *  Two blank lines between top-level definitions, one blank line between method definitions
  *  Use doc strings for module, function, method, class and attributes comments in the format explained [[https://google.github.io/styleguide/pyguide.html#Comments|here]] and in-line explanations using "#" for tricky or non-obvious operations.
  *  If a class inherits from no other base classes, explicitly inherit from object. This also applies to nested classes.
  *  Use TODO comments for code that is temporary, a short-term solution, or good-enough but not perfect.
  *  Imports should be on separate lines.
  *  Refer to https://google.github.io/styleguide/pyguide.html#Naming for naming rules and conventions.