[Bf-committers] Python API breakage - squeaking wheels

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi all,

This is probably just coincidentally, but just in past few days two quite visible py scripters moaned in public about API breakage, more or less mentioning to give up on it.

Communication is really King here. That means for every release, a simple quick to find doc with API changes has to be available (or is there one?).

We can also reconfirm the procedures for api changes, to go along our release cycle:

- Announce in BCon1 or BCon2.
- Add it in BCon2 latest.
- Testing, feedback during BCon3 and BCon4.

We also have a bf-python mailing list where these topics are valid to discuss. I think every API change should be a topic for review there as well. It probably is? :)

I think by default scripters can expect the API to keep working. Checking back on the history of Python script breakage discussion here, it appeared the changes were more related to "keep a good quality and sane API". Our scripting API is also powerful, and if you find smart bypasses for undocumented or accidentally working features, things can get frustrated...

If you depend on the API to keep working, please consider to join bf-python, and help us out with reviews and design decisions!

Thanks,

-Ton-

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Ton Roosendaal  -  ton at blender.org   -   www.blender.org
Chairman Blender Foundation - Producer Blender Institute
Entrepotdok 57A  -  1018AD Amsterdam  -  The Netherlands