[development] Freezing the Drupal API

[Larry Garfield]

On Tuesday 16 May 2006 00:46, Dries Buytaert wrote:

> If you think you can help them mature in a clean and consistent
> manner, that is great.  But, the focus should be to clean up APIs,
> not to freeze them.  In pratice, a good API might eventually freeze
> itself.

Just as important, I think, is that a good API is extensible.  You can add 
features without breaking the old ones.  I think the new Form API is a decent 
example here.  We can add new types of elements without breaking existing 
ones.  We can refactor where they are added without breaking them.  We can 
add automatic regular expression validation to fields without breaking old 
code.  

A forward-looking design is just as important if not moreso than a 
non-changing design.

Honestly, though, most of the 4.6 -> 4.7 changes didn't seem that drastic.  
Form API was the only one that seemed like it took a long time to do.  Was I 
just not dealing with any of the really complicated stuff? :-)

-- 
Larry Garfield			AIM: LOLG42
larry at garfieldtech.com		ICQ: 6817012

"If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of 
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