comparison lispref/tips.texi @ 70969:044c7ca7a4ff

(Coding Conventions): Advise against using eval-after-load in packages. Add an index entry.

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@end menu

@node Coding Conventions
@section Emacs Lisp Coding Conventions

  Here are conventions that you should follow when writing Emacs Lisp
code intended for widespread use:

@itemize @bullet
@item

don't postpone it.

@item
Since all global variables share the same name space, and all
functions share another name space, you should choose a short word to
distinguish your program from other Lisp programs.@footnote{The
benefits of a Common Lisp-style package system are considered not to
outweigh the costs.}  Then take care to begin the names of all global
variables, constants, and functions in your program with the chosen
prefix.  This helps avoid name conflicts.

Occasionally, for a command name intended for users to use, it is more
convenient if some words come before the package's name prefix.  And

@end example

@item
Redefining (or advising) an Emacs primitive is discouraged.  It may do
the right thing for a particular program, but there is no telling what
other programs might break as a result.

@item
If a file does replace any of the functions or library programs of
standard Emacs, prominent comments at the beginning of the file should
say which functions are replaced, and how the behavior of the

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@end menu

@node Coding Conventions
@section Emacs Lisp Coding Conventions

@cindex coding conventions in Emacs Lisp
  Here are conventions that you should follow when writing Emacs Lisp
code intended for widespread use:

@itemize @bullet
@item

don't postpone it.

@item
Since all global variables share the same name space, and all
functions share another name space, you should choose a short word to
distinguish your program from other Lisp programs@footnote{The
benefits of a Common Lisp-style package system are considered not to
outweigh the costs.}.  Then take care to begin the names of all global
variables, constants, and functions in your program with the chosen
prefix.  This helps avoid name conflicts.

Occasionally, for a command name intended for users to use, it is more
convenient if some words come before the package's name prefix.  And

@end example

@item
Redefining (or advising) an Emacs primitive is discouraged.  It may do
the right thing for a particular program, but there is no telling what
other programs might break as a result.  In any case, it is a
maintenance burden because the two packages become highly dependent on
each other.

@item
Likewise, avoid using @code{eval-after-load} (@pxref{Hooks for
Loading}) in libraries and packages.  This feature is meant for
personal customizations; using it in a Lisp package increases the
coupling between it and the package mentioned in
@code{eval-after-load}, and thus makes it harder to maintain the two
packages independently.

@item
If a file does replace any of the functions or library programs of
standard Emacs, prominent comments at the beginning of the file should
say which functions are replaced, and how the behavior of the