From: Andrey Miroshnikov <andrey@technepisteme.xyz>
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2023 18:57:13 +0000 (+0000)
Subject: Adding LSP and POLA/S to HDL workflow
X-Git-Url: https://git.libre-soc.org/?a=commitdiff_plain;h=feafa6e020ad0a7d0d2331ca2a1a806262c86eba;p=libreriscv.git

Adding LSP and POLA/S to HDL workflow
---

diff --git a/HDL_workflow.mdwn b/HDL_workflow.mdwn
index d9e570ba4..0d42fe402 100644
--- a/HDL_workflow.mdwn
+++ b/HDL_workflow.mdwn
@@ -1163,6 +1163,71 @@ Simply mark it with an appropriate
 preferably with a link to a URL in the [bugtracker](https://bugs.libre-soc.org/)
 with further details as to why the unit test should not be run.
 
+## Liskov Substitution Principle
+
+* [Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liskov_substitution_principle)
+* [Stackoverflow answer on LSP](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/56860/what-is-an-example-of-the-liskov-substitution-principle)
+* [Article on LSP](https://reflectoring.io/lsp-explained/)
+
+Copying from Wikipedia:
+
+```
+The Liskov substitution principle (LSP) is a particular definition of a
+subtyping relation, called strong behavioral subtyping, that was initially
+introduced by Barbara Liskov in a 1987 conference keynote address titled
+Data abstraction and hierarchy. It is based on the concept of
+"substitutability" - a principle in object-oriented programming stating
+that an object (such as a class) may be replaced by a sub-object (such as
+a class that extends the first class) without breaking the program.
+It is a semantic rather than merely syntactic relation, because it intends
+to guarantee semantic interoperability of types in a hierarchy, object
+types in particular.
+```
+
+To paraphrase: an *original object/class may be replaced with another object*
+(whose class extends the first class) *without breaking* the program.
+
+Python is a programming language which makes using LSP pretty straightforward.
+
+In LibreSOC, we aim to follow this principle whenever possible and (bearing
+time and budget constraints).
+
+*(Luke, please include some examples from LibreSOC source here)*
+
+## Principle of Least Astonishment/Surprise (POLA)
+
+* Example shown by Luke on
+[comment #33 bug #1039](https://bugs.libre-soc.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1039#c33)
+* [Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_least_astonishment)
+* Example answer on
+[software eng. stack exchange](https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/187457/what-is-the-principle-of-least-astonishment)
+
+Wikipedia mentions that the origin of the term "Principle of Least
+Astonishment" (or Surprise) comes from a PL/I programming language bulletin
+board from 1957:
+
+```
+For those parts of the system which cannot be adjusted to the peculiarities
+of the user, the designers of a systems programming language should obey
+the "Law of Least Astonishment." In short, this law states that every construct
+in the system should behave exactly as its syntax suggests. Widely accepted
+conventions should be followed whenever possible, and exceptions to previously
+established rules of the language should be minimal.
+```
+
+If a method name has a prefix `test_` it should be a unit test (or some other
+test which is there to check the functionality of a given feature).
+
+A method/function (or attributes/variables, etc.) *shouldn't* be given a name
+which is wildly different from the what the user would expect it to do.
+
+*Andrey*: One example which may meet this rule is `TestIssuer`,
+which is the FSM-based nMigen HDL CPU core used by LibreSOC (so far).
+It is so called because it is used to issue unit tests (while also
+being synthesisable). This name was however was initially confusing
+to me, because my background is in hardware not software engineering.
+
+
 # Task management guidelines
 
 1. Create the task in appropriate "Product" section with appropriate