[NTG-context] Re: Steps to become a ConTeXt developer

On 8/28/2024 10:57 AM, Shiv Shankar Dayal wrote:

On Wed, Aug 28, 2024 at 8:17 AM Jethro Djan wrote:

...

Hi,

Not sure what you mean by a core ConTeXt developer. I think, as with anything, you get better at it by using it extensively. I would focus on a use case of interest and take advantage of ConTeXt’s unmatched extensibility to automate much of it as possible. Then you ask for help when you get stuck.

If you want to contribute to ConTeXt, maybe start by having a look at the source and try to understand what’s going on (should be accessible to you since you are a C developer). If you identify a bug, or want to propose a feature, I am sure the community will support you however it can.

Jethro

I want to contribute to ConTeXt. I think that the steps for me should be: Just curious: is there something that you miss.

1. Learn TeX 2. Learn LuaMetaTeX

Makes sense.

and then I can approach the C code. It won't make any sense if I just start reading the LuaMetaTeX code. Development of LuaMetaTeX (the engine) is mostly finished. We now entered the stage where we conduct experiment with the more difficult aspects (often unsolvable due to constraints). For that one needs to be quite a bit experienced in tex and the way context approaches things.

As an example, project like updating math took many man-years and intense testing, discussion and experimenting (so also quite some long term commitment). In a similar fashion (and related) we now are playing with the par and pagebuilder where user input and testing is required. Things like that get discussed at meetings and personal cummunication. The source code is under rather stict dev regime. We don't want to break compatibility, all has to fit into the user interface, performance might not be impacted significantly. We don't have an official dev team but everone knows what the de-facto team is (last week those that had time and were within reasonable traveling distance met at the context meeting) and it's also a kind of friends and fun thing where everyone brings in competence and inspiration. At such meetings we also set the objectives for the next year. That said, the usual way to come up with something that a user needs is to use a mix of lua, tex and metapost and wrap that in a module. That way the core is not crippled. Also, no all has to go into the engine but is done in Lua. Hans ----------------------------------------------------------------- Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands tel: 038 477 53 69 | www.pragma-ade.nl | www.pragma-pod.nl -----------------------------------------------------------------