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💻 Software Development Guidelines

To ensure our scientific code is maintainable and reproducible, all members follow these practices.

1. Development Workflow

main branch: Protected primary branch. It must always hold a working version. No direct commits to main.
Feature Branches: Use the pattern devel-<initials>-<feature> (e.g., devel-df-schottky-fit).
Pull Requests (PR): When a feature is tested, open a PR into main. At least one other group member should review the code for major projects.
Legacy Branches: For specific beamtimes, use run-YYYY-MM (e.g., run-2025-05).

2. Commit Messages

Use the Conventional Commits format: type(scope): description.
Types: feat (new feature), fix (bug fix), docs (documentation), refactor (code cleanup).
Example: feat(analysis): add relativistic correction to mass fit

3. Coding Style

Python: Follow PEP 8. Use black or flake8 for auto-formatting.
C++: Follow the Google C++ Style Guide or similar.
Comments: Write code that is "self-documenting," but use comments to explain the physics logic behind complex formulas.

4. Documentation

Every repository must have a README.md with:
- Installation instructions (dependencies).
- A minimal working example (MWE).
- Contact person for the code.

5. Security

NEVER commit GSI passwords, private SSH keys, or internal IP addresses to public repositories.
Use .gitignore to exclude large data files (.root, .csv, .dat).

6. Extra Resources

Find our Git Introduction Slides here.
Check the Git Deep Dive for handling merge conflicts.