1.\"- 2.\" Copyright (c) 1995-2019 The FreeBSD Project 3.\" 4.\" Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without 5.\" modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions 6.\" are met: 7.\" 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright 8.\" notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. 9.\" 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright 10.\" notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the 11.\" documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution. 12.\" 13.\" THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND 14.\" ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE 15.\" IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE 16.\" ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL [your name] OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE 17.\" FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL 18.\" DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS 19.\" OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) 20.\" HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT 21.\" LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY 22.\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF 23.\" SUCH DAMAGE. 24.\" 25.\" From: @(#)style 1.14 (Berkeley) 4/28/95 26.\" $FreeBSD$ 27.\" 28.Dd October 28, 2020 29.Dt STYLE 9 30.Os 31.Sh NAME 32.Nm style 33.Nd "kernel source file style guide" 34.Sh DESCRIPTION 35This file specifies the preferred style for kernel source files in the 36.Fx 37source tree. 38It is also a guide for the preferred userland code style. 39Many of the style rules are implicit in the examples. 40Be careful to check the examples before assuming that 41.Nm 42is silent on an issue. 43.Bd -literal 44/* 45 * Style guide for FreeBSD. Based on the CSRG's KNF (Kernel Normal Form). 46 * 47 * @(#)style 1.14 (Berkeley) 4/28/95 48 * $FreeBSD$ 49 */ 50 51/* 52 * VERY important single-line comments look like this. 53 */ 54 55/* Most single-line comments look like this. */ 56 57/* 58 * Multi-line comments look like this. Make them real sentences. Fill 59 * them so they look like real paragraphs. 60 */ 61.Ed 62.Pp 63The copyright header should be a multi-line comment, with the first 64line of the comment having a dash after the star like so: 65.Bd -literal 66/*- 67 * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause-FreeBSD 68 * 69 * Copyright (c) 1984-2025 John Q. Public 70 * 71 * Long, boring license goes here, but trimmed for brevity 72 */ 73.Ed 74.Pp 75An automatic script collects license information from the tree for 76all comments that start in the first column with 77.Dq Li "/*-" . 78If you desire to flag 79.Xr indent 1 80to not reformat a comment that starts in the first column which is not a 81license or copyright notice, change the dash to a star for those 82comments. 83Comments starting in columns other than the first are never 84considered license statements. 85Use the appropriate SPDX-License-Identifier line before the copyright. 86If the copyright assertion contains the phrase 87.Dq Li "All Rights Reserved" 88that should be on the same line as the word 89.Dq Li "Copyright" . 90You should not insert a new copyright line between an old 91copyright line and this phrase. 92Instead, you should insert a new copyright phrase after 93a pre-existing 94.Dq Li "All Rights Reserved" 95line. 96When making changes, it is acceptable to fold an 97.Dq Li "All Rights Reserved" 98line with each of the 99.Dq Li "Copyright" 100lines. 101For files that have the 102.Dq Li "All Rights Reserved" 103line on the same line(s) as the word 104.Dq Li "Copyright" , 105new copyright assertions should be added last. 106New 107.Dq Li "Copyright" 108lines should only be added when making substantial changes to the file, 109not for trivial changes. 110.Pp 111After any copyright and license comment, there is a blank line, and the 112.Li $\&FreeBSD$ 113for non C/C++ language source files. 114Version control system ID tags should only exist once in a file 115(unlike in this one). 116Non-C/C++ source files follow the example above, while C/C++ source files 117follow the one below. 118All VCS (version control system) revision identification in files obtained 119from elsewhere should be maintained, including, where applicable, multiple IDs 120showing a file's history. 121In general, do not edit foreign IDs or their infrastructure. 122Unless otherwise wrapped (such as 123.Dq Li "#if defined(LIBC_SCCS)" ) , 124enclose both in 125.Dq Li "#if 0 ... #endif" 126to hide any uncompilable bits 127and to keep the IDs out of object files. 128Only add 129.Dq Li "From: " 130in front of foreign VCS IDs if the file is renamed. 131.Bd -literal 132/* From: @(#)style 1.14 (Berkeley) 4/28/95 */ 133 134#include <sys/cdefs.h> 135__FBSDID("$FreeBSD$"); 136.Ed 137.Pp 138Leave one blank line before the header files. 139.Pp 140Kernel include files 141.Pa ( sys/*.h ) 142come first. 143If 144.In sys/cdefs.h 145is needed for 146.Fn __FBSDID , 147include it first. 148If either 149.In sys/types.h 150or 151.In sys/param.h 152is needed, include it before other include files. 153.Po 154.In sys/param.h 155includes 156.In sys/types.h ; 157do not include both. 158.Pc 159Next, include 160.In sys/systm.h , 161if needed. 162The remaining kernel headers should be sorted alphabetically. 163.Bd -literal 164#include <sys/types.h> /* Non-local includes in angle brackets. */ 165#include <sys/systm.h> 166#include <sys/endian.h> 167#include <sys/lock.h> 168#include <sys/queue.h> 169.Ed 170.Pp 171For a network program, put the network include files next. 172.Bd -literal 173#include <net/if.h> 174#include <net/if_dl.h> 175#include <net/route.h> 176#include <netinet/in.h> 177#include <protocols/rwhod.h> 178.Ed 179.Pp 180Do not include files from 181.Pa /usr/include 182in the kernel. 183.Pp 184Leave a blank line before the next group, the 185.Pa /usr/include 186files, 187which should be sorted alphabetically by name. 188.Bd -literal 189#include <stdio.h> 190.Ed 191.Pp 192Global pathnames are defined in 193.In paths.h . 194Pathnames local 195to the program go in 196.Qq Pa pathnames.h 197in the local directory. 198.Bd -literal 199#include <paths.h> 200.Ed 201.Pp 202Leave another blank line before the local include files. 203.Bd -literal 204#include "pathnames.h" /* Local includes in double quotes. */ 205.Ed 206.Pp 207Do not 208.Ic #define 209or declare names in the implementation namespace except 210for implementing application interfaces. 211.Pp 212The names of 213.Dq unsafe 214macros (ones that have side effects), and the names of macros for 215manifest constants, are all in uppercase. 216The expansions of expression-like macros are either a single token 217or have outer parentheses. 218Put a single space or tab character between the 219.Ic #define 220and the macro name, but be consistent within a file. 221If a macro is an inline expansion of a function, the function name is 222all in lowercase and the macro has the same name all in uppercase. 223.\" XXX the above conflicts with ANSI style where the names are the 224.\" same and you #undef the macro (if any) to get the function. 225.\" It is not followed for MALLOC(), and not very common if inline 226.\" functions are used. 227Right-justify the 228backslashes; it makes it easier to read. 229If the macro encapsulates a compound statement, enclose it in a 230.Ic do 231loop, 232so that it can safely be used in 233.Ic if 234statements. 235Any final statement-terminating semicolon should be 236supplied by the macro invocation rather than the macro, to make parsing easier 237for pretty-printers and editors. 238.Bd -literal 239#define MACRO(x, y) do { \e 240 variable = (x) + (y); \e 241 (y) += 2; \e 242} while (0) 243.Ed 244.Pp 245When code is conditionally compiled using 246.Ic #ifdef 247or 248.Ic #if , 249a comment may be added following the matching 250.Ic #endif 251or 252.Ic #else 253to permit the reader to easily discern where conditionally compiled code 254regions end. 255This comment should be used only for (subjectively) long regions, regions 256greater than 20 lines, or where a series of nested 257.Ic #ifdef 's 258may be confusing to the reader. 259The comment should be separated from the 260.Ic #endif 261or 262.Ic #else 263by a single space. 264For short conditionally compiled regions, a closing comment should not be 265used. 266.Pp 267The comment for 268.Ic #endif 269should match the expression used in the corresponding 270.Ic #if 271or 272.Ic #ifdef . 273The comment for 274.Ic #else 275and 276.Ic #elif 277should match the inverse of the expression(s) used in the preceding 278.Ic #if 279and/or 280.Ic #elif 281statements. 282In the comments, the subexpression 283.Dq Li defined(FOO) 284is abbreviated as 285.Dq Li FOO . 286For the purposes of comments, 287.Dq Ic #ifndef Li FOO 288is treated as 289.Dq Ic #if Li !defined(FOO) . 290.Bd -literal 291#ifdef KTRACE 292#include <sys/ktrace.h> 293#endif 294 295#ifdef COMPAT_43 296/* A large region here, or other conditional code. */ 297#else /* !COMPAT_43 */ 298/* Or here. */ 299#endif /* COMPAT_43 */ 300 301#ifndef COMPAT_43 302/* Yet another large region here, or other conditional code. */ 303#else /* COMPAT_43 */ 304/* Or here. */ 305#endif /* !COMPAT_43 */ 306.Ed 307.Pp 308The project prefers the use of 309.St -isoC-99 310unsigned integer identifiers of the form 311.Vt uintXX_t 312rather than the older 313.Bx Ns -style 314integer identifiers of the form 315.Vt u_intXX_t . 316New code should use the former, and old code should be converted to 317the new form if other major work is being done in that area and 318there is no overriding reason to prefer the older 319.Bx Ns -style . 320Like white-space commits, care should be taken in making 321.Vt uintXX_t 322only commits. 323.Pp 324Similarly, the project prefers the use of 325ISO C99 326.Vt bool 327rather than the older 328.Vt int 329or 330.Vt boolean_t . 331New code should use 332.Vt bool , 333and old code may be converted if it is 334reasonable to do so. 335Literal values are named 336.Dv true 337and 338.Dv false . 339These are preferred to the old spellings 340.Dv TRUE 341and 342.Dv FALSE . 343Userspace code should include 344.In stdbool.h , 345while kernel code should include 346.In sys/types.h . 347.Pp 348Likewise, the project prefers 349ISO C99 350designated initializers when it makes sense to do so. 351.Pp 352Enumeration values are all uppercase. 353.Bd -literal 354enum enumtype { ONE, TWO } et; 355.Ed 356.Pp 357The use of internal_underscores in identifiers is preferred over 358camelCase or TitleCase. 359.Pp 360In declarations, do not put any whitespace between asterisks and 361adjacent tokens, except for tokens that are identifiers related to 362types. 363(These identifiers are the names of basic types, type 364qualifiers, and 365.Ic typedef Ns -names 366other than the one being declared.) 367Separate these identifiers from asterisks using a single space. 368.Pp 369When declaring variables in structures, declare them sorted by use, then 370by size (largest to smallest), and then in alphabetical order. 371The first category normally does not apply, but there are exceptions. 372Each one gets its own line. 373Try to make the structure 374readable by aligning the member names using either one or two tabs 375depending upon your judgment. 376You should use one tab only if it suffices to align at least 90% of 377the member names. 378Names following extremely long types 379should be separated by a single space. 380.Pp 381Major structures should be declared at the top of the file in which they 382are used, or in separate header files if they are used in multiple 383source files. 384Use of the structures should be by separate declarations 385and should be 386.Ic extern 387if they are declared in a header file. 388.Bd -literal 389struct foo { 390 struct foo *next; /* List of active foo. */ 391 struct mumble amumble; /* Comment for mumble. */ 392 int bar; /* Try to align the comments. */ 393 struct verylongtypename *baz; /* Does not fit in 2 tabs. */ 394}; 395struct foo *foohead; /* Head of global foo list. */ 396.Ed 397.Pp 398Use 399.Xr queue 3 400macros rather than rolling your own lists, whenever possible. 401Thus, 402the previous example would be better written: 403.Bd -literal 404#include <sys/queue.h> 405 406struct foo { 407 LIST_ENTRY(foo) link; /* Use queue macros for foo lists. */ 408 struct mumble amumble; /* Comment for mumble. */ 409 int bar; /* Try to align the comments. */ 410 struct verylongtypename *baz; /* Does not fit in 2 tabs. */ 411}; 412LIST_HEAD(, foo) foohead; /* Head of global foo list. */ 413.Ed 414.Pp 415Avoid using typedefs for structure types. 416Typedefs are problematic because they do not properly hide their 417underlying type; for example you need to know if the typedef is 418the structure itself or a pointer to the structure. 419In addition they must be declared exactly once, whereas an 420incomplete structure type can be mentioned as many times as 421necessary. 422Typedefs are difficult to use in stand-alone header files: 423the header that defines the typedef must be included 424before the header that uses it, or by the header that uses 425it (which causes namespace pollution), or there must be a 426back-door mechanism for obtaining the typedef. 427.Pp 428When convention requires a 429.Ic typedef , 430make its name match the struct tag. 431Avoid typedefs ending in 432.Dq Li _t , 433except as specified in Standard C or by POSIX. 434.Bd -literal 435/* Make the structure name match the typedef. */ 436typedef struct bar { 437 int level; 438} BAR; 439typedef int foo; /* This is foo. */ 440typedef const long baz; /* This is baz. */ 441.Ed 442.Pp 443All functions are prototyped somewhere. 444.Pp 445Function prototypes for private functions (i.e., functions not used 446elsewhere) go at the top of the first source module. 447Functions 448local to one source module should be declared 449.Ic static . 450.Pp 451Functions used from other parts of the kernel are prototyped in the 452relevant include file. 453Function prototypes should be listed in a logical order, preferably 454alphabetical unless there is a compelling reason to use a different 455ordering. 456.Pp 457Functions that are used locally in more than one module go into a 458separate header file, e.g., 459.Qq Pa extern.h . 460.Pp 461Do not use the 462.Dv __P 463macro. 464.Pp 465In general code can be considered 466.Dq "new code" 467when it makes up about 50% or more of the file(s) involved. 468This is enough 469to break precedents in the existing code and use the current 470.Nm 471guidelines. 472.Pp 473The kernel has a name associated with parameter types, e.g., in the kernel 474use: 475.Bd -literal 476void function(int fd); 477.Ed 478.Pp 479In header files visible to userland applications, prototypes that are 480visible must use either 481.Dq protected 482names (ones beginning with an underscore) 483or no names with the types. 484It is preferable to use protected names. 485E.g., use: 486.Bd -literal 487void function(int); 488.Ed 489.Pp 490or: 491.Bd -literal 492void function(int _fd); 493.Ed 494.Pp 495Prototypes may have an extra space after a tab to enable function names 496to line up: 497.Bd -literal 498static char *function(int _arg, const char *_arg2, struct foo *_arg3, 499 struct bar *_arg4); 500static void usage(void); 501 502/* 503 * All major routines should have a comment briefly describing what 504 * they do. The comment before the "main" routine should describe 505 * what the program does. 506 */ 507int 508main(int argc, char *argv[]) 509{ 510 char *ep; 511 long num; 512 int ch; 513.Ed 514.Pp 515For consistency, 516.Xr getopt 3 517should be used to parse options. 518Options 519should be sorted in the 520.Xr getopt 3 521call and the 522.Ic switch 523statement, unless 524parts of the 525.Ic switch 526cascade. 527Elements in a 528.Ic switch 529statement that cascade should have a 530.Li FALLTHROUGH 531comment. 532Numerical arguments should be checked for accuracy. 533Code which is unreachable for non-obvious reasons may be marked /* 534.Li NOTREACHED 535*/. 536.Bd -literal 537 while ((ch = getopt(argc, argv, "abNn:")) != -1) 538 switch (ch) { /* Indent the switch. */ 539 case 'a': /* Do not indent the case. */ 540 aflag = 1; /* Indent case body one tab. */ 541 /* FALLTHROUGH */ 542 case 'b': 543 bflag = 1; 544 break; 545 case 'N': 546 Nflag = 1; 547 break; 548 case 'n': 549 num = strtol(optarg, &ep, 10); 550 if (num <= 0 || *ep != '\e0') { 551 warnx("illegal number, -n argument -- %s", 552 optarg); 553 usage(); 554 } 555 break; 556 case '?': 557 default: 558 usage(); 559 } 560 argc -= optind; 561 argv += optind; 562.Ed 563.Pp 564Space after keywords 565.Pq Ic if , while , for , return , switch . 566Two styles of braces 567.Ql ( \&{ 568and 569.Ql \&} ) 570are allowed for single line statements. 571Either they are used for all single statements, or 572they are used only where needed for clarity. 573Usage within a function should be consistent. 574Forever loops are done with 575.Ic for Ns 's , 576not 577.Ic while Ns 's . 578.Bd -literal 579 for (p = buf; *p != '\e0'; ++p) 580 ; /* nothing */ 581 for (;;) 582 stmt; 583 for (;;) { 584 z = a + really + long + statement + that + needs + 585 two + lines + gets + indented + four + spaces + 586 on + the + second + and + subsequent + lines; 587 } 588 for (;;) { 589 if (cond) 590 stmt; 591 } 592 if (val != NULL) 593 val = realloc(val, newsize); 594.Ed 595.Pp 596Parts of a 597.Ic for 598loop may be left empty. 599.Bd -literal 600 for (; cnt < 15; cnt++) { 601 stmt1; 602 stmt2; 603 } 604.Ed 605.Pp 606A 607.Ic for 608loop may declare and initialize its counting variable. 609.Bd -literal 610 for (int i = 0; i < 15; i++) { 611 stmt1; 612 } 613.Ed 614.Pp 615Indentation is an 8 character tab. 616Second level indents are four spaces. 617If you have to wrap a long statement, put the operator at the end of the 618line. 619.Bd -literal 620 while (cnt < 20 && this_variable_name_is_too_long && 621 ep != NULL) 622 z = a + really + long + statement + that + needs + 623 two + lines + gets + indented + four + spaces + 624 on + the + second + and + subsequent + lines; 625.Ed 626.Pp 627Do not add whitespace at the end of a line, and only use tabs 628followed by spaces 629to form the indentation. 630Do not use more spaces than a tab will produce 631and do not use spaces in front of tabs. 632.Pp 633Closing and opening braces go on the same line as the 634.Ic else . 635Braces that are not necessary may be left out. 636.Bd -literal 637 if (test) 638 stmt; 639 else if (bar) { 640 stmt; 641 stmt; 642 } else 643 stmt; 644.Ed 645.Pp 646No spaces after function names. 647Commas have a space after them. 648No spaces 649after 650.Ql \&( 651or 652.Ql \&[ 653or preceding 654.Ql \&] 655or 656.Ql \&) 657characters. 658.Bd -literal 659 error = function(a1, a2); 660 if (error != 0) 661 exit(error); 662.Ed 663.Pp 664Unary operators do not require spaces, binary operators do. 665Do not use parentheses unless they are required for precedence or unless the 666statement is confusing without them. 667Remember that other people may 668confuse easier than you. 669Do YOU understand the following? 670.Bd -literal 671 a = b->c[0] + ~d == (e || f) || g && h ? i : j >> 1; 672 k = !(l & FLAGS); 673.Ed 674.Pp 675Exits should be 0 on success, or 1 on failure. 676.Bd -literal 677 exit(0); /* 678 * Avoid obvious comments such as 679 * "Exit 0 on success." 680 */ 681} 682.Ed 683.Pp 684The function type should be on a line by itself 685preceding the function. 686The opening brace of the function body should be 687on a line by itself. 688.Bd -literal 689static char * 690function(int a1, int a2, float fl, int a4, struct bar *bar) 691{ 692.Ed 693.Pp 694When declaring variables in functions declare them sorted by size, 695then in alphabetical order; multiple ones per line are okay. 696If a line overflows reuse the type keyword. 697Variables may be initialized where declared especially when they 698are constant for the rest of the scope. 699Declarations may be placed before executable lines at the start 700of any block. 701Calls to complicated functions should be avoided when initializing variables. 702.Bd -literal 703 struct foo one, *two; 704 struct baz *three = bar_get_baz(bar); 705 double four; 706 int *five, six; 707 char *seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve; 708 709 four = my_complicated_function(a1, f1, a4); 710.Ed 711.Pp 712Do not declare functions inside other functions; ANSI C says that 713such declarations have file scope regardless of the nesting of the 714declaration. 715Hiding file declarations in what appears to be a local 716scope is undesirable and will elicit complaints from a good compiler. 717.Pp 718Casts and 719.Ic sizeof Ns 's 720are not followed by a space. 721Note that 722.Xr indent 1 723does not understand this rule. 724.Ic sizeof Ns 's 725are written with parenthesis always. 726The redundant parenthesis rules do not apply to 727.Fn sizeof var 728instances. 729.Pp 730.Dv NULL 731is the preferred null pointer constant. 732Use 733.Dv NULL 734instead of 735.Vt ( "type *" ) Ns 0 736or 737.Vt ( "type *" ) Ns Dv NULL 738in contexts where the compiler knows the 739type, e.g., in assignments. 740Use 741.Vt ( "type *" ) Ns Dv NULL 742in other contexts, 743in particular for all function args. 744(Casting is essential for 745variadic args and is necessary for other args if the function prototype 746might not be in scope.) 747Test pointers against 748.Dv NULL , 749e.g., use: 750.Bd -literal 751(p = f()) == NULL 752.Ed 753.Pp 754not: 755.Bd -literal 756!(p = f()) 757.Ed 758.Pp 759Do not use 760.Ic \&! 761for tests unless it is a boolean, e.g., use: 762.Bd -literal 763if (*p == '\e0') 764.Ed 765.Pp 766not: 767.Bd -literal 768if (!*p) 769.Ed 770.Pp 771Routines returning 772.Vt "void *" 773should not have their return values cast 774to any pointer type. 775.Pp 776Values in 777.Ic return 778statements should be enclosed in parentheses. 779.Pp 780Use 781.Xr err 3 782or 783.Xr warn 3 , 784do not roll your own. 785.Bd -literal 786 if ((four = malloc(sizeof(struct foo))) == NULL) 787 err(1, (char *)NULL); 788 if ((six = (int *)overflow()) == NULL) 789 errx(1, "number overflowed"); 790 return (eight); 791} 792.Ed 793.Pp 794When converting K&R style declarations to ANSI style, preserve 795any comments about parameters. 796.Pp 797Long parameter lists are wrapped with a normal four space indent. 798.Pp 799Variable numbers of arguments should look like this: 800.Bd -literal 801#include <stdarg.h> 802 803void 804vaf(const char *fmt, ...) 805{ 806 va_list ap; 807 808 va_start(ap, fmt); 809 STUFF; 810 va_end(ap); 811 /* No return needed for void functions. */ 812} 813 814static void 815usage(void) 816{ 817 /* Optional blank line goes here. */ 818.Ed 819.Pp 820Optionally, insert a blank line at the beginning of functions with no local 821variables. 822Older versions of this 823.Nm 824document required the blank line convention, so it is widely used in existing 825code. 826.Pp 827Do not insert a blank line at the beginning of functions with local variables. 828Instead, these should have local variable declarations first, followed by one 829blank line, followed by the first statement. 830.Pp 831Use 832.Xr printf 3 , 833not 834.Xr fputs 3 , 835.Xr puts 3 , 836.Xr putchar 3 , 837whatever; it is faster and usually cleaner, not 838to mention avoiding stupid bugs. 839.Pp 840Usage statements should look like the manual pages 841.Sx SYNOPSIS . 842The usage statement should be structured in the following order: 843.Bl -enum 844.It 845Options without operands come first, 846in alphabetical order, 847inside a single set of brackets 848.Ql ( \&[ 849and 850.Ql \&] ) . 851.It 852Options with operands come next, 853also in alphabetical order, 854with each option and its argument inside its own pair of brackets. 855.It 856Required arguments 857(if any) 858are next, 859listed in the order they should be specified on the command line. 860.It 861Finally, 862any optional arguments should be listed, 863listed in the order they should be specified, 864and all inside brackets. 865.El 866.Pp 867A bar 868.Pq Ql \&| 869separates 870.Dq either-or 871options/arguments, 872and multiple options/arguments which are specified together are 873placed in a single set of brackets. 874.Bd -literal -offset 4n 875"usage: f [-aDde] [-b b_arg] [-m m_arg] req1 req2 [opt1 [opt2]]\en" 876"usage: f [-a | -b] [-c [-dEe] [-n number]]\en" 877.Ed 878.Bd -literal 879 (void)fprintf(stderr, "usage: f [-ab]\en"); 880 exit(1); 881} 882.Ed 883.Pp 884Note that the manual page options description should list the options in 885pure alphabetical order. 886That is, without regard to whether an option takes arguments or not. 887The alphabetical ordering should take into account the case ordering 888shown above. 889.Pp 890New core kernel code should be reasonably compliant with the 891.Nm 892guides. 893The guidelines for third-party maintained modules and device drivers are more 894relaxed but at a minimum should be internally consistent with their style. 895.Pp 896Stylistic changes (including whitespace changes) are hard on the source 897repository and are to be avoided without good reason. 898Code that is approximately 899.Fx 900KNF 901.Nm 902compliant in the repository must not diverge from compliance. 903.Pp 904Whenever possible, code should be run through a code checker 905(e.g., various static analyzers or 906.Nm cc Fl Wall ) 907and produce minimal warnings. 908.Pp 909New code should use 910.Fn _Static_assert 911instead of the older 912.Fn CTASSERT . 913.Sh FILES 914.Bl -tag -width indent 915.It Pa /usr/src/tools/tools/editing/freebsd.el 916An Emacs plugin to follow the 917.Fx 918.Nm 919indentation rules. 920.It Pa /usr/src/tools/tools/editing/freebsd.vim 921A Vim plugin to follow the 922.Fx 923.Nm 924indentation rules. 925.El 926.Sh SEE ALSO 927.Xr indent 1 , 928.Xr err 3 , 929.Xr warn 3 , 930.Xr style.Makefile 5 , 931.Xr style.mdoc 5 , 932.Xr style.lua 9 933.Sh HISTORY 934This manual page is largely based on the 935.Pa src/admin/style/style 936file from the 937.Bx 4.4 Lite2 938release, with occasional updates to reflect the current practice and 939desire of the 940.Fx 941project. 942.Pa src/admin/style/style 943is a codification by the CSRG of the programming style of Ken Thompson and 944Dennis Ritchie in 945.At v6 . 946