# Updates to the VTK coding conventions

**URL:** <https://discourse.vtk.org/t/updates-to-the-vtk-coding-conventions/13997>\
**Category:** Development\
**Created:** [June 6, 2024, 11:17pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/updates-to-the-vtk-coding-conventions/13997 "2024-06-06T23:17:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cory.quammen](https://discourse.vtk.org/user_avatar/discourse.vtk.org/cory.quammen/32/6751_2.png) [@cory.quammen](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/cory.quammen)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 11:17pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/updates-to-the-vtk-coding-conventions/13997/1 "2024-06-06T23:17:46Z")

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I just merged some updates to the VTK coding conventions in [this merge request](https://gitlab.kitware.com/vtk/vtk/-/merge_requests/11201). The main changes are:

- Discourage default arguments in C++ function definitions.
- Remove prohibitions due to VS 2013 because VS 2013 is no longer supported.
- Update submodule discussion to mention the Viskores (VTK-m) submodule in relation to the no submodule policy.

The [Coding Conventions](https://gitlab.kitware.com/vtk/vtk/-/blob/master/Documentation/docs/developers_guide/coding_conventions.md?ref_type=heads) are available for reference here.

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**Author:** ![dzenanz](https://discourse.vtk.org/user_avatar/discourse.vtk.org/dzenanz/32/212_2.png) [@dzenanz](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/dzenanz)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 12:58pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/updates-to-the-vtk-coding-conventions/13997/2 "2024-06-13T12:58:31Z")

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GCC 4.8 is [still supported](https://gitlab.kitware.com/vtk/vtk/-/blob/master/Documentation/docs/developers_guide/coding_conventions.md#c11-features-that-are-not-allowed)? That is surprising.

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**Author:** ![cory.quammen](https://discourse.vtk.org/user_avatar/discourse.vtk.org/cory.quammen/32/6751_2.png) [@cory.quammen](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/cory.quammen)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 3:44pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/updates-to-the-vtk-coding-conventions/13997/3 "2024-06-13T15:44:50Z")

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Yes, some customers relied on it, but no longer. Once we move to C++17 support, the minimum gcc will be 8 something.