Crate snipgrep 

Snipgrep: Code Documentation Made Simple

Introduction

When working on open-source projects or internal projects, creating effective documentation is essential. As a developer, I often faced the challenge of generating and maintaining comprehensive project documentation. The example below demonstrates various types of documentation I’ve included:

• Examples showcasing how to use the application configuration.
• A README guide illustrating the usage of my CLI.
• Code snippets demonstrating the usage of my library in different scenarios.

However, a common issue is ensuring that the examples provided in the documentation remain accurate and up-to-date. What if the example code changes? What if there’s a typo in the documented code? How can we ensure that the examples always reflect the current state of the codebase?

Imagine a tool that allows you to extract code snippets, ensuring they are not only reliable but also executable. What if you could easily incorporate pieces of code that are known to work or leverage tested examples from languages like Rust, which use Doctest? This tool is designed to address these concerns.

Goal

My objectives are as follows:

• Alignment with Code: Ensure documentation consistently aligns with the codebase.
• CI Validation: Incorporate validation into Continuous Integration to ensure documentation validity.
• User-Friendly: Prioritize ease of use for all stakeholders.
• Minimal Dependencies: Enable documentation validity even without external tool dependencies.

Installation

Cargo install:

cargo install snipgrep

Available commands:

• snipgrep create-db - Create a local DB file in case you want to manage the snippet via a file
• snipgrep run - Collect and inject the snippet

GitHub Repository

Modules

cli

A module for handling command line exits with custom messages and exit codes.

db

errors

A module for defining custom error types and result aliases for parsing

parser

This module provides functionality for parsing snippets from input files.

processor

This module provides functionality for collecting and inject snippets from files within a folder.

reporters

walk

This module provides functionality for traversing directories and collecting files, while respecting include and exclude patterns.