Qt Contributors Summit 2019 - API Review Process

Current processes as part of final release preparations:

• https://wiki.qt.io/API_change_review
• http://quips-qt-io.herokuapp.com/quip-0010-API-review.html

• agree that the current process is useful and should stay, but too late in the process

Additional comments

• hard to get APIs reviewed from people (even for TQtC-people)
• the Python bindings require an early API freeze
• want to involve documentation team (earlier)
  • API design issues tend to surface when writing documentation
  • Creator team triggers a process with the documentation team when .ui files change
  • Updating examples (or at least doc snippets) when we introduce new APIs; make sure that new best practices are demonstrated in examples
• adding tests when introducing new APIs

Proposal

• gerrit can trigger an API review when public headers change - require a separate +2 on API changes
  • add a topic/tag/label to make such changes searchable
  • any approver can give that +2

• have a group of “API reviewers” that support the community with API design
  • knowledge of Qt and existing APIs and patterns
  • people from documentation and support teams might be good candidates
  • we don’t want to introduce more bureaucracy, or small group of extra-privileged community members

Other follow-up actions

• improve documentation of API design principles, make existing documentation more visible, update it (modern C++, QML)

Other topics

• some clang-based tooling could help to confirm basic API conformance (isBooleanProperty)
• good collaboration tooling for screen sharing and real-time conversations would really help