Enforce python naming convention

[eirikurj]

Description of feature

Our python code is mostly CamelCase, but there are exceptions. To keep the python MDO Lab codebase and APIs consistent and predicable, we could and probably should integrate some tools into our testing to enforce this.

Potential solution

There are several tools available, but one option that fits into our current tools is to use the flake8 extension, pep8-naming.

Feel free to suggest other tools or approaches.

[ewu63]

So the actual standard for Python is to use snake_case for functions and variables (as noted in PEP8) and somewhat enforced by the flake8 extension you linked. The fact that we (implicitly) used camelCase always bothered me but it's probably too difficult to change at this point, though automatic tools such as this one that leverages rope exists. Perhaps worth a discussion.

[eirikurj]

Yeah you are right, we are not really following PEP8 that well. They do however state in the link you posted that

mixedCase is allowed only in contexts where that’s already the prevailing style (e.g. threading.py), to retain backwards compatibility.

The tool does seem to support mixedCase and can maybe be of use just to get something going that is automated. I have however not tested the tool myself, but my main motivation was just to get some discussion started and seek out tools.
As you said , converting to snake_case is an option but would be a major change. Not sure if we want to do that unless there is a compelling reson and benefits of doing so.

[ewu63]

Yeah, I also think renaming all the variables will be fairly disruptive. However, I have not seen any linters which support non-PEP8 naming standards. For example, the one you linked (pep8-naming) will throw a ton of N806 errors.