CNameCheckOld

c_name_check

Embedded C naming-convention linter for GitHub Actions / pre-commit hooks. Implements Barr-C:2018 and MISRA-C complementary rules across 44 rule IDs.

Repository layout

src/
    c_name_check.py          # the linter (~2 700 lines, stdlib only)
    naming_convention.yaml   # project-specific rule configuration
    _version.py              # generated by CI: git describe --tags
    namecheck.options        # project defaults for --options-file
    project.defines          # keyword/type aliases for --defines
    aliases.txt              # module alias map for --aliases
    exclusions.yml           # per-file rule suppressions
    c_keywords.txt           # C/C++ keyword list      (--keywords-file)
    c_stdlib_names.txt       # C stdlib name list      (--stdlib-file)
    c_spell_dict.txt         # spell-check dictionary  (--spell-dict)
tests/
    naming_convention.yaml   # test-suite config (independent of src/)
    c_keywords.txt           # test-suite keyword list
    c_stdlib_names.txt       # test-suite stdlib list
    c_spell_dict.txt         # test-suite spell dictionary
    harness.py               # shared helpers: cfg_only / run / has / clean
    test_barr_c.py           # 42 tests: Barr-C rules
    test_yoda_condition.py   # 37 tests: misc.yoda_condition
    test_reserved_name.py    # 40 tests: reserved_name
    test_dictionaries.py     # 32 tests: dict file loading and CLI flags
    test_misc_improvements.py # 65 tests: unsigned_suffix, loop vars, numerics
    test_defines.py          # 16 tests: constant.* / macro.*
    test_variables.py        # 32 tests: all variable.* rules
    test_functions.py        # 14 tests: function.*
    test_typedefs.py         #  8 tests: typedef.*
    test_enums.py            # 11 tests: enum.*
    test_structs.py          #  7 tests: struct.*
    test_include_guards.py   #  8 tests: include_guard.*
    test_misc.py             # 23 tests: line_length / indentation / magic / suffix
    test_spell_check.py      #  9 tests: spell_check
    test_sign_compatibility.py  # 7 tests: cross-file sign compatibility
    test_cli.py              # 29 tests: CLI flags end-to-end
Dockerfile/
    Dockerfile               # multi-platform Docker image
    .dockerignore
.github/workflows/
    namecheck_tests.yml      # runs the test suite on every commit
    naming_convention.yml    # runs linter + trend page on C source commits
    docker_publish.yml       # builds and pushes image to GHCR and Docker Hub
requirements.txt             # pip dependencies

Note: tests/naming_convention.yaml is the configuration used by the test suite and is kept independent of src/naming_convention.yaml so that the project-specific production config can be tuned without breaking tests.

Quick start

pip install -r requirements.txt

python src/c_name_check.py --config src/naming_convention.yaml \
    source/**/*.c source/**/*.h

python src/c_name_check.py --options-file src/namecheck.options \
    source/**/*.c source/**/*.h

python src/c_name_check.py --help
python src/c_name_check.py --version

Running the tests

pip install -r requirements.txt
pytest tests/ -v                              # all tests
pytest tests/ --ignore=tests/test_cli.py -v  # skip subprocess tests
pytest tests/ --cov=src --cov-report=term-missing

All options

Flag	Purpose
`--config FILE`	YAML rule config (default: `naming_convention.yaml`)
`--options-file FILE`	Read options from file (one per line, `#` = comment)
`--keywords-file FILE`	Replace built-in C keyword list (`src/c_keywords.txt`)
`--stdlib-file FILE`	Replace built-in C stdlib name list (`src/c_stdlib_names.txt`)
`--spell-dict FILE`	Replace built-in spell-check dictionary (`src/c_spell_dict.txt`)
`--defines FILE`	Project keyword/type aliases
`--aliases FILE`	Module alias map
`--exclusions FILE`	Per-file rule suppression YAML
`--banned-names FILE`	Extra banned identifier names
`--spell-words FILE`	Extra spell-check exempt words
`--include GLOB`	Source glob to scan (repeatable)
`--exclude GLOB`	Path/directory to exclude (repeatable)
`--github-actions`	Emit `::error`/`::warning` GitHub Actions annotations
`--warnings-as-errors`	Promote all warnings and info to errors
`--summary`	Print violation summary table
`--log FILE`	Write output to file as well as stdout
`--verbose`	Print the directory being scanned — prevents apparent hangs on large filesets
`--version`	Print tool name and version, exit 0
`--help` / `-h`	Print help, exit 0

Exit codes: 0 clean, 1 errors found, 2 config/invocation error.

New in this release

`--verbose` progress output

When checking a large source tree the tool can appear to hang. --verbose prints the current directory to stderr as each new directory is entered, overwriting the same line so the terminal stays clean:

python src/c_name_check.py --verbose --include "source/**/*.c" --summary
# stderr shows:  Scanning: /repo/source/drivers/uart/   (updates in place)

Struct member abbreviations

The structs.allowed_abbreviations list works exactly like variables.allowed_abbreviations — uppercase tokens in the list are permitted inside otherwise lower_snake member names:

structs:
  member_case: lower_snake
  allowed_abbreviations:
    - FIFO
    - CRC
    - ADC

Members like FIFO_count, CRC_result, and ADC_raw_value then pass without needing to be renamed to fifo_count, crc_result, etc.

Independent test configuration

tests/naming_convention.yaml is now a separate copy of the rule configuration used exclusively by the test suite. The production config in src/ can be customised freely without affecting any test assertions. The same applies to the three dictionary files (c_keywords.txt, c_stdlib_names.txt, c_spell_dict.txt).

Rule IDs (44 total)

Category	Rule IDs
Constants / macros	`constant.case` `constant.max_length` `constant.prefix` `macro.case` `macro.max_length` `macro.prefix`
Variables	`variable.global.case` `variable.global.prefix` `variable.global.g_prefix` `variable.static.case` `variable.static.prefix` `variable.static.s_prefix` `variable.local.case` `variable.parameter.case` `variable.parameter.p_prefix` `variable.min_length` `variable.max_length` `variable.pointer_prefix` `variable.pp_prefix` `variable.bool_prefix` `variable.handle_prefix` `variable.no_numeric_in_name` `variable.prefix_order`
Functions	`function.prefix` `function.style` `function.max_length`
Types	`typedef.case` `typedef.suffix` `enum.type_case` `enum.type_suffix` `enum.member_case` `enum.member_prefix` `struct.tag_case` `struct.tag_suffix` `struct.member_case`
Include guards	`include_guard.missing` `include_guard.format`
Misc	`misc.line_length` `misc.indentation` `misc.magic_number` `misc.unsigned_suffix` `misc.yoda_condition` `misc.block_comment_spacing`
Other	`reserved_name` `spell_check` `sign_compatibility`

Dictionary files

File	Flag	Purpose
`src/c_keywords.txt`	`--keywords-file`	C/C++ keywords for `reserved_name`
`src/c_stdlib_names.txt`	`--stdlib-file`	C stdlib names for `reserved_name`
`src/c_spell_dict.txt`	`--spell-dict`	Embedded-domain allowlist for `spell_check`

Custom files replace the built-in lists entirely. To extend rather than replace, concatenate: cat src/c_keywords.txt extra.txt > combined.txt

Docker

docker pull ghcr.io/<owner>/c_name_check:latest

docker run --rm \
  -v "$(pwd):/repo" \
  ghcr.io/<owner>/c_name_check:latest \
  --verbose \
  --config /app/naming_convention.yaml \
  /repo/source/**/*.c /repo/source/**/*.h

Windows CMD (note forward slashes and drive letter):

docker run --rm -v "C:/MyProject:/repo" ghcr.io/<owner>/c_name_check:latest ^
  --config /app/naming_convention.yaml ^
  --include "/repo/source/**/*.c" --include "/repo/source/**/*.h"

Use --include instead of shell globs — globs are expanded by the Python process inside the container, correctly handling all files regardless of host OS.

GitHub Actions

Test workflow (`namecheck_tests.yml`)

Triggers on pushes touching src/ (including dictionary files), tests/, or requirements.txt.

Linter workflow (`naming_convention.yml`)

Triggers on pushes/PRs touching C source. Publishes a violation-trend page and badge.

Docker workflow (`docker_publish.yml`)

Triggers on main/master when Dockerfile/ or src/ changes, and on v*.*.* tags. Publishes to GHCR and Docker Hub (linux/amd64, linux/arm64).

Required secrets:

Secret	Value
`DOCKERHUB_USERNAME`	Your Docker Hub username
`DOCKERHUB_TOKEN`	Docker Hub access token