From 37c1f93902e944e6c61d45a4b226833328e53a98 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Ellen Arvidsson <ellen@log-e.se>
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2025 01:08:29 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] updated with some code style and build instructions

---
 README.md | 60 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
 1 file changed, 58 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8d01411..0aa5d85 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,14 +4,70 @@ experimental type system implementation
 
 ## getting and building
 
+This will get you a basic build configured for development and debugging in the
+subdirectory `build-debug/` of repository base:
 ```sh
 git clone https://gitta.log-e.se/lnsol/log-e-sappho.git
 cd ./log-e-sappho
-cmake . -B build
-cd build
+cmake . --preset=debug
+cd build-debug
 make
 ```
 
+To get sane error messages from editors using `clangd` for diagnostics, i.e.
+using the same compilation flags configured for the build by cmake, in the repo
+base directory link `compile_commands.json`:
+```sh
+ln -s build-debug/compile_commands.json
+```
+
+## "Code style"
+
+I learned C from a guy that used to hack on OpenBSD, and just got used to
+writing it this way. If you wanna hack on this yourself, use your judgement.
+Look at the rest of the code and make yours look similar. Like, who cares about
+rules really? Here are some guidelines tho.
+
+**80 columns text width.**
+
+Use **8 spaces wide TABS** (yes, actual TABS, not just 8 spaces) for
+indentation and when inside `while`-/`if`-/etc. **conditions that span multiple
+lines, indent 4 spaces + 0 or more TABS**, as to separate condition from body
+of 
+
+I.e. do
+```c
+if (1 /* this is a very long condition */
+    == 2 /* spanning multiple lines */
+	    || 2 < 3 /* and we indent like this) {
+	this = the_way;
+	/* as to increase distinguishability of condition from body */
+}
+```
+not
+```c
+if ( /* ... */
+	2 < 3) {
+	eyes = bleeding;
+}
+```
+
+Conditional statements without `{ .. }` is okay (preferred) if the condition
+fits on one line.
+
+I.e. do
+```c
+if (1 /* short condition that fits on one line */)
+	u = the_best;
+```
+and
+```c
+if (the_variable_that_has_that_long_name = function_with_a_long_name_too(
+	    arg_is_shorter_tho)) {
+	gesture = clapping;
+}
+```
+
 ## repository content
 
 This repository contains: