These are just recomendations based on experience and convenience

Source Code Files

• If the code is in a discrete package, ensure there is a separate package.lisp file to define the package
• Where possible or feasible one object/function per file. (Whilst you can open the file containing an object or function code from in emacs by positioning the cursor in the object/function name and using Meta-., the one object/function per file goal does make life easier)

Directory organisation

• Where possible and practical arrange the directory structure so that it mirrors the applications object structure
• Strike a balance between granularity - some logical separation is good, but avoid separating too much
• For each module create a source directory for the source code files
• In larger projects define a common folder for code that is shared between the other modules

In the example on the right, the airplane/source directory would be used for the source code assembling the different modules into an airplane. The common directory would be used for shared objects/functions and the main application code would be stored in the source directories of each module - engine, wing, fuselage. Some considertion ought to be given at this stage to the package design; a single :airplane package may be adequate or the packages could be broken down by module, each of the sub-modules using airplane-common and the top level airplane package using all of the sub-module packages.A bit of time spent at the outset of a project is usuually time well spent, although the result doesn't need to be perfect since it is easy enough to change as the project/application evolves

The suggested codebase structure is also compatible with cl-lite, GendL's code loading utility which is discussed in the next topic