Build & Development Commands

• Use official tools like Arma 3 Tools or Mikero's Tools to package addons into PBO files.
• Always use an appropriate prefix for your addons to avoid naming conflicts with other mods.
• For quick compilation, use the command MakePbo FolderName to automatically produce a PBO file in the parent directory.
• Ensure your config.cpp is correctly set up at the root of your addon folder so the game can recognize your content.
• Use tools like armake to automate PAA conversion, binarization, and PBO creation tasks.
• Organize your functions in CfgFunctions to allow preloading and compilation at mission startup.

Testing Guidelines

• Use SQFvm or similar tools to run unit tests without launching the full game, saving development time.
• Test scripts in a controlled environment before integrating them into a full mission.
• Use available SQF interpreters for syntax checking and static code analysis.
• Create test scenarios that validate all conditional branches of your code.
• Use simple and explicit test variables to make debugging easier.
• Test your code in different contexts: singleplayer, hosted multiplayer, and dedicated multiplayer servers.

Code Style & Guidelines

• Be consistent in your code formatting. Choose an indentation style and stick to it throughout your project.
• Use spaces before and after braces to improve readability.
• Use either two/four spaces or a tab for indentation, but do not mix both.
• Name your variables and functions meaningfully; avoid names like _u in favor of _uniform.
• Use camelCase for your variables (e.g., myVariable, playerObject, initialPosition).
• Make your variables private using the private keyword or params to avoid accidental overwrites.
• Prefix public variables with your tag to avoid conflicts with other mods.
• End every SQF expression with a semicolon (;), not just a line break.
• For complex nested conditionals, prefer using switch over multiple if statements.
• Use comments to explain the "why" rather than the "how" of your code.

Documentation Guidelines

• Document each function with a clear description of its purpose, parameters, and return value.
• Use block comments (/* comment */) for function documentation and line comments (// comment) for inline explanations.
• Follow a consistent structure for function documentation: name, author, description, parameters, return value, examples.
• Clearly indicate dependencies between your scripts and functions to aid maintainability.
• Document any potential side effects of your functions (global changes, object creation, etc.).
• For complex projects, create a README.md file explaining your mod's structure and installation.
• Include usage examples for every public function you create.
• Clearly document prerequisites and known incompatibilities with other mods.