Programming Methodology Framework aka PMF
draft-dulaunoy-programming-methodology-framework-03

Network Working Group                                        A. Dulaunoy
Internet-Draft                                                 A. Iklody
Intended status: Informational                                     CIRCL
Expires: 1 December 2026                                     30 May 2026

               Programming Methodology Framework aka PMF
          draft-dulaunoy-programming-methodology-framework-03

Abstract

   This document describes the Programming Methodology Framework, also
   known as the PMF methodology.  The methodology is based on the
   manifesto written by Zed A.  Shaw [PROGRAMMING-MF-MANIFESTO], which
   describes a natural approach to software engineering with a strong
   focus on the act of programming.  The PMF methodology uses a neutral
   name to provide a non-partisan reference for official engineering or
   project documents describing one of the most widely used software
   engineering methodologies.

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Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
     1.1.  Management and PMF methodology  . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
     1.2.  Swearwords and Software Engineering . . . . . . . . . . .   3
     1.3.  Conventions and Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   2.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   3.  Acknowledgements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   4.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     4.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     4.2.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   Authors' Addresses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5

1.  Introduction

   In 2011, Zed A.  Shaw published a blog post which describes:

   {align="left"} I think I'm going to create the ultimate software
   development methodology.  It'll be revolutionary compared to others
   because it will focus on the one thing that gets software done.  Its
   entire focus will be this one, glorious, completely useful activity
   for writing software.  It's name even embodies the perfection of this
   programming methodology.

   The PMF methodology was later published as a manifesto
   [PROGRAMMING-MF-MANIFESTO].  The manifesto clearly describes the
   focus on programming as a way to avoid surrounding management
   overhead and pivot towards software delivery.
   [THE-TAO-OF-PROGRAMMING] describes similar methodologies that
   strongly focus on coding, scripting, and programming.

   The overall concept of PMF methodology follows the following process:

   *  Compose a list of features to be implemented and use an iterative
      programming process.
   *  Enhance said features using trial and error programming.
   *  Orchestrate your testing and integration processes using pragmatic
      programming.

   Repeat the above process until the software is delivered.

   A simplified overview of the process can be described as follows:

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   +----------+
   |          |
   |   idea   <------+
   |          |      |
   +----+-----+      |
        |            |
        |            |
   +----v-----+      |
   |          |      | it doesn't work
   |   code   |      |
   |          |      |
   +----+-----+      |
        |            |
        |            |
   +----v-----+      |
   |          |      |
   |  release +------+
   |          |
   +----------+

   The PMF methodology covers both open source and proprietary software
   and can be used interchangeably in either context.

1.1.  Management and PMF methodology

   A simple management process is a requirement of the PMF methodology.
   The management process is meant to complement, rather than interfere
   with, the programming aspect, and it serves solely to support the PMF
   methodology.

   *  Collect requirements of the users/customers.
   *  Provide programmers with the desired requirements.
   *  Review whether the software to be delivered matches the
      requirements.

1.2.  Swearwords and Software Engineering

   PMF recognises that the vocabulary found in source code, comments,
   commit messages, and adjacent engineering conversations can carry
   useful information about how programmers experience the code they
   maintain.  Strehmel's empirical study of open-source C repositories
   compared projects containing English swearwords with projects that
   did not contain them and reported that the former set showed
   significantly better adherence to coding standards under several
   statistical tests [SWEARWORDS-CODE-QUALITY].

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   This observation is important for PMF because it treats apparently
   informal programmer expression as a signal that can be studied rather
   than dismissed.  Swearwords can indicate emotional involvement,
   frustration with unnecessary complexity, or unusually direct feedback
   about code paths that deserve attention.  In practical software
   engineering, such signals can help teams identify confusing
   interfaces, fragile components, and places where programmers have
   invested enough attention to leave candid warnings for future
   readers.

   The correlation MUST NOT be interpreted as a recommendation to add
   swearwords to source code to improve quality.  PMF instead recommends
   that teams preserve useful technical context, review emotionally
   charged comments with empathy, and turn the underlying engineering
   signal into tests, refactoring, documentation, or clearer interfaces.

1.3.  Conventions and Terminology

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
   document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119 [RFC2119].

2.  Security Considerations

   Secure and defensive programming can only come from practicing
   programming, and this also includes the act of simplifying or
   removing code to reduce the attack surface.

3.  Acknowledgements

   The authors wish to thank all the programmers who program.

4.  References

4.1.  Normative References

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

4.2.  Informative References

   [PROGRAMMING-MF-MANIFESTO]
              Shaw, Z. A., "Programming Motherfucker, do you speak it?",
              <http://programming-motherfucker.com>.

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   [SWEARWORDS-CODE-QUALITY]
              Strehmel, J., "Is there a Correlation between the Use of
              Swearwords and Code Quality in Open Source Code?", 2023,
              <https://cme.h-its.org/exelixis/pubs/JanThesis.pdf>.

   [THE-TAO-OF-PROGRAMMING]
              James, G., "The Tao of Programming",
              <http://www.mit.edu/~xela/tao.html>.

Authors' Addresses

   Alexandre Dulaunoy
   Computer Incident Response Center Luxembourg
   122, rue Adolphe Fischer
   L-L-1521 Luxembourg
   Luxembourg
   Phone: +352 247 88444
   Email: alexandre.dulaunoy@circl.lu

   Andras Iklody
   Computer Incident Response Center Luxembourg
   122, rue Adolphe Fischer
   L-L-1521 Luxembourg
   Luxembourg
   Phone: +352 247 88444
   Email: andras.iklody@circl.lu

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