API:Client code/Evaluations/MediaWiki-Bot

MediaWiki::Bot is a higher-level Perl API client library with many higher-level methods that expose a significant portion of the API. MediaWiki::Bot is considerably lighter-weight than pywikibot, but it would be easy to use to write similar wiki-maintenance scripts.

Particularly notable and useful features of MediaWiki::Bot are:
 * Covers a wide range of API functions (both GET and POST)
 * Impressively complete test suite
 * Lots of sample code and detailed documentation
 * Project has a history of active, responsive, and helpful maintainers

=In-depth evaluation=

Easy to install
Mentions that the module is available on CPAN. No further instructions. Packaged for installation through CPAN.
 * Installation instructions are correct and easy to find
 * Library is packaged for installation through appropriate package library (PyPI, CPAN, npm, Maven, rubygems, etc.)
 * Platinum standard: library is packaged for and made available through Linux distributions

Easy to understand
It would also be useful to have a namespace alias-to-number helper function to reduce the dependence on bare namespace numbers. does because of its generality, and  can be used for non-Wikidata-specific API modules
 * Well designed--makes all intended API calls available with the intended level of abstraction with no redundancies
 * Platinum standard: makes the Wikidata API available
 * Well documented:
 * Code is commented and readable
 * 2775 sloc is far too much for one file. Bare numbers are used for error codes (referring to constants found in ) and namespaces. These make the code hard to follow and also make it easier for changes to   to break.


 * Documentation is comprehensive, accurate, and easy to find
 * Documentation is available on CPAN. Individual methods are all documented, but there is no good overview of the module--it is primarily a list of functions.


 * Deprecated functions are clearly marked as such
 * Deprecated functions emit a warning.


 * Platinum standard: Documentation is understandable by a novice programmer
 * Documentation is quite complete, but is difficult to understand as a whole due to its lack of context. It would be most useful for a developer who is moderately experienced with both Perl and the MediaWiki API and who is interested in implementing a small set of very specific functions. However, for someone who is new to the MediaWiki API and/or common designs for its associated client libraries, the sheer quantity of documentation and details is overwhelming.

The library is generally Perlish and uses  and. However, the liberal use of  makes assigning variables difficult to follow in some methods. As mentioned above, bare numbers should not be used for namespaces and error codes.
 * Code uses idioms appropriate to the language the library is written in

Easy to use
All methods have code samples provided in the documentation.
 * Has functioning, simple, and well-written code samples for common tasks
 * Demonstrates queries


 * Demonstrates edits


 * Handles API complications or idiosyncrasies so the user doesn't have to:
 * Login/logout


 * Cookies


 * Tokens


 * Query continuations
 * handles query continuations for, and   handles query continuations in the   method.


 * Requests via https, including certificate validation
 * The default endpoint could also be changed to.


 * Courteous API usage is promoted through code samples and smart defaults
 * gzip compression is used by default


 * Examples show how to create and use a meaningful and unique user-agent header (as in https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User-agent_policy)


 * Platinum standard: generates a unique user-agent string given name/email address/repository location
 * If logged in, it adds the username to the generic MediaWiki::Bot user agent.


 * Efficient usage of API calls
 * Generally combines calls when possible; good job.

Compatible with Perl 5.
 * Can be used with the most recent stable version of the language it is written in (e.g. Python 3 compatible)

Easy to debug
Unusually complete test suite. Some are marked usefully and explained in documentation ; others are marked, but are confusing or have undescribed limitations. Some methods do; many do not.
 * Contains unit tests for the longest and most frequently modified functions in the library
 * Platinum standard: Unit tests for many code paths exist and are maintained
 * Terrible hacks/instances of extreme cleverness are clearly marked as such in comments
 * Documentation links to the relevant section/subpage of the API documentation

Easy to improve
Patches/pull requests receive useful comments.
 * Library maintainers are responsive and courteous, and foster a thoughtful and inclusive community of developers and users
 * Platinum standard: Project sets clear expectations for conduct for spaces where project-related interactions occur (mailing list, IRC, repository, issue tracker). It should:
 * State desired attitudes and behaviors
 * Provide examples of unwelcome and harassing behavior
 * Specify how these expectations will be enforced

Historically, very good response, although no recent activity. N/A
 * Pull requests are either accepted or rejected with reason within 3 weeks (Platinum standard: 3 business days)
 * Issues/bugs are responded to in some manner within 3 weeks (Platinum standard: 3 business days) (but not necessarily fixed)
 * The library is updated and a new version is released within 3 weeks (Platinum standard: 3 business days) when breaking changes are made to the API
 * Platinum standard: library maintainers contact MediaWiki API maintainers with feedback on the API's design and function

GPL 3+
 * Library specifies the license it is released under

=Suggested TODOs=
 * Code-related
 * Consistently use constants instead of bare numbers
 * Logically group related subroutines into several separate files
 * Make sure that continuations for all types of queries are automatically handled
 * Add the repository location to the default user-agent string (see )
 * Consider refactoring  and


 * Process-related
 * Add installation instructions to documentation
 * Add an "overview" section to the documentation describing MediaWiki::Bot's overall design, intended purpose, and the types of functions it makes available
 * Add a code sample with a user-created user-agent that complies with https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User-agent_policy (has contact information and information about the library)
 * Link to relevant API documentation in the documentation for each relevant method

If these issues are addressed, MediaWiki::Bot will meet the gold standard and will be listed as such on API:Client code.