# Bash-it Development

This page summarizes a couple of rules to keep in mind when developing features or making changes in Bash-it.

## Load Order

### General Load Order

The main `bash_it.sh` script loads the frameworks individual components in the following order:

* `lib/composure.bash`
* Files in `lib` with the exception of `appearance.bash` - this means that `composure.bash` is loaded again here (possible improvement?)
* Enabled `aliases`
* Enabled `plugins`
* Enabled `completions`
* `themes/colors.theme.bash`
* `themes/base.theme.bash`
* `lib/appearance.bash`, which loads the selected theme
* Custom `aliases`
* Custom `plugins`
* Custom `completions`
* Additional custom files from either `$BASH_IT/custom` or `$BASH_IT_CUSTOM`

This order is subject to change.

### Individual Component Load Order

For `aliases`, `plugins` and `completions`, the following rules are applied that influence the load order:

* Each type has its own `enabled` directory, into which the enabled components are linked into. Enabled plugins are symlinked from `$BASH_IT/plugins/available` to `$BASH_IT/plugins/enabled` for example.
* Within each of the `enabled` directories, the files are loaded in alphabetical order.
* When enabling a component, a _load priority_ is assigned to the file. The following default priorities are used:
    * Aliases: 150
    * Plugins: 250
    * Completions: 350
* When symlinking a component into an `enabled` directory, the load priority is used as a prefix for the linked name, separated with three dashes from the name of the component. The `node.plugin.bash` would be symlinked to `250---node.plugin.bash` for example.
* Each file can override the default load priority by specifying a new value. To do this, the file needs to include a comment in the following form. This example would cause the `node.plugin.bash` (if included in that file) to be linked to `225---node.plugin.bash`:

  ```bash
  # BASH_IT_LOAD_PRIORITY: 225
  ```

These items are subject to change. When making changes to the internal functionality, this page needs to be updated as well.