It abstracts away not only the low-level I2C commands, but also the mid-level temperature and pressure calculations, while still offering those mid-level functions as public functions for those who want them.

The library wraps this commonly executed series of functions into a high-level single command which returns the value the user's looking for in a format she expects. The readPressure ( ) function performs all the necessary steps to get the final pressure. Adafruit's BMP085 library is a good example.

Think about what the average person thinks the thing does, and try to organise your API functions around that. Quite often, the command set for a particular electronic module is overly complicated for the most common uses, or can be re-organized around higher level functionality. Organize your public functions around the data and functionality that the user wants. For example, if there are only a few possible options for a particular setting, don’t use a function that takes an int, as it implies you can use any value you want. You don’t want to expose implementation details to the user but you also don’t want an API that suggests an inaccurate mental model of the possibilities. Match your API to the underlying capabilities. Come up with a clear mental model of the concept you’re working with, and the terms and functions you will use. Assume you are writing an API for an intelligent person who has not programmed before. If you have suggestions on how to make Arduino libraries clearer for that core audience, please jump in the discussion.īe kind to the end user. So please code with these principles in mind. We’re aware of that, but it’s what’s made it possible for so many beginners to get started with Arduino easily.

Some of these run counter to professional programming practice. This is a style guide to writing library APIs in an Arduino style.

Arduing wire library