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64 changes: 46 additions & 18 deletions clang-tools-extra/docs/clang-tidy/Contributing.rst
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -127,14 +127,15 @@ Writing a clang-tidy Check

So you have an idea of a useful check for :program:`clang-tidy`.

First, if you're not familiar with LLVM development, read through the `Getting
Started with LLVM`_ document for instructions on setting up your workflow and
First, if you're not familiar with LLVM development, read through the `Getting Started
with the LLVM System`_ document for instructions on setting up your workflow and
the `LLVM Coding Standards`_ document to familiarize yourself with the coding
style used in the project. For code reviews we mostly use `LLVM Phabricator`_.
style used in the project. For code reviews we currently use `LLVM Github`_,
though historically we used Phabricator.

.. _Getting Started with LLVM: https://llvm.org/docs/GettingStarted.html
.. _Getting Started with the LLVM System: https://llvm.org/docs/GettingStarted.html
.. _LLVM Coding Standards: https://llvm.org/docs/CodingStandards.html
.. _LLVM Phabricator: https://llvm.org/docs/Phabricator.html
.. _LLVM Github: https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project

Next, you need to decide which module the check belongs to. Modules
are located in subdirectories of `clang-tidy/
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -336,13 +337,24 @@ a starting point for your test cases. A rough outline of the process looks like
The quickest way to prototype your matcher is to use :program:`clang-query` to
interactively build up your matcher. For complicated matchers, build up a matching
expression incrementally and use :program:`clang-query`'s ``let`` command to save named
matching expressions to simplify your matcher. Just like breaking up a huge function
into smaller chunks with intention-revealing names can help you understand a complex
algorithm, breaking up a matcher into smaller matchers with intention-revealing names
can help you understand a complicated matcher. Once you have a working matcher, the
C++ API will be virtually identical to your interactively constructed matcher. You can
use local variables to preserve your intention-revealing names that you applied to
nested matchers.
matching expressions to simplify your matcher.

.. code-block:: console
clang-query> let c1 cxxRecordDecl()
clang-query> match c1

Alternatively, pressing the tab key after a previous matcher's open parentheses would also
show which matchers can be chained with the previous matcher, though some matchers that work
may not be listed.

Just like breaking up a huge function into smaller chunks with intention-revealing names
can help you understand a complex algorithm, breaking up a matcher into smaller matchers
with intention-revealing names can help you understand a complicated matcher.

Once you have a working clang-query matcher, the C++ API matchers will be the same or similar
to your interactively constructed matcher (there can be cases where they differ slightly).
You can use local variables to preserve your intention-revealing names that you applied
to nested matchers.

Creating private matchers
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -646,10 +658,13 @@ directory. The path to this directory is available in a lit test with the varia
Out-of-tree check plugins
-------------------------


Developing an out-of-tree check as a plugin largely follows the steps
outlined above. The plugin is a shared library whose code lives outside
outlined above, including creating a new module and doing the hacks to
register the module. The plugin is a shared library whose code lives outside
the clang-tidy build system. Build and link this shared library against
LLVM as done for other kinds of Clang plugins.
LLVM as done for other kinds of Clang plugins. If using CMake, use the keyword
``MODULE`` while invoking ``add_library`` or ``llvm_add_library``.

The plugin can be loaded by passing `-load` to `clang-tidy` in addition to the
names of the checks to enable.
Expand All @@ -664,6 +679,19 @@ compiled against the version of clang-tidy that will be loading the plugin.
The plugins can use threads, TLS, or any other facilities available to in-tree
code which is accessible from the external headers.

Note that testing out-of-tree checks might involve getting ``llvm-lit`` from an LLVM
installation compiled from source. See `Getting Started with the LLVM System`_ for ways
to do so.

Alternatively, get `lit`_ following the `test-suite guide`_ and get the `FileCheck`_ binary,
and write a version of `check_clang_tidy.py`_ to suit your needs.

.. _Getting Started with the LLVM System: https://llvm.org/docs/GettingStarted.html
.. _test-suite guide: https://llvm.org/docs/TestSuiteGuide.html
.. _lit: https://llvm.org/docs/CommandGuide/lit.html
.. _FileCheck: https://llvm.org/docs/CommandGuide/FileCheck.html
.. _check_clang_tidy.py: https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/blob/main/clang-tools-extra/test/clang-tidy/check_clang_tidy.py

Running clang-tidy on LLVM
--------------------------

Expand All @@ -688,10 +716,10 @@ warnings and errors. The script provides multiple configuration flags.

* To restrict the files examined you can provide one or more regex arguments
that the file names are matched against.
``run-clang-tidy.py clang-tidy/.*Check\.cpp`` will only analyze clang-tidy
``run-clang-tidy.py clang-tidy/.*Check\.cpp`` will only analyze `clang-tidy`
checks. It may also be necessary to restrict the header files that warnings
are displayed from using the ``-header-filter`` flag. It has the same behavior
as the corresponding :program:`clang-tidy` flag.
are displayed from by using the ``-header-filter`` and ``-exclude-header-filter`` flags.
They have the same behavior as the corresponding :program:`clang-tidy` flags.

* To apply suggested fixes ``-fix`` can be passed as an argument. This gathers
all changes in a temporary directory and applies them. Passing ``-format``
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -758,4 +786,4 @@ There is only one argument that controls profile storage:

* If you run :program:`clang-tidy` from within ``/foo`` directory, and specify
``-store-check-profile=.``, then the profile will still be saved to
``/foo/<ISO8601-like timestamp>-example.cpp.json``
``/foo/<ISO8601-like timestamp>-example.cpp.json``
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