Refresh development documentation

docs/development/application-registry.md

@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 # Application Registry
 
-The registry is an in-memory data structure which houses various miscellaneous application-wide parameters, such as installed plugins. It is not exposed to the user and is not intended to be modified by any code outside of NetBox core.
+The registry is an in-memory data structure which houses various application-wide parameters, such as the list of enabled plugins. It is not exposed to the user and is not intended to be modified by any code outside of NetBox core.
 
-The registry behaves essentially like a Python dictionary, with the notable exception that once a store (key) has been declared, it cannot be deleted or overwritten. The value of a store can, however, me modified; e.g. by appending a value to a list. Store values generally do not change once the application has been initialized.
+The registry behaves essentially like a Python dictionary, with the notable exception that once a store (key) has been declared, it cannot be deleted or overwritten. The value of a store can, however, be modified; e.g. by appending a value to a list. Store values generally do not change once the application has been initialized.
+
+The registry can be inspected by importing `registry` from `extras.registry`.
 
 ## Stores
 

docs/development/extending-models.md

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # Extending Models
 
-Below is a list of items to consider when adding a new field to a model:
+Below is a list of tasks to consider when adding a new field to a core model.
 
-## 1. Generate and run database migration
+## 1. Generate and run database migrations
 
 Django migrations are used to express changes to the database schema. In most cases, Django can generate these automatically, however very complex changes may require manual intervention. Always remember to specify a short but descriptive name when generating a new migration.
 
@@ -14,18 +14,18 @@ Django migrations are used to express changes to the database schema. In most ca
 Where possible, try to merge related changes into a single migration. For example, if three new fields are being added to different models within an app, these can be expressed in the same migration. You can merge a new migration with an existing one by combining their `operations` lists.
 
 !!! note
-    Migrations can only be merged within a release. Once a new release has been published, its migrations cannot be altered.
+    Migrations can only be merged within a release. Once a new release has been published, its migrations cannot be altered (other than for the purpose of correcting a bug).
 
 ## 2. Add validation logic to `clean()`
 
-If the new field introduces additional validation requirements (beyond what's included with the field itself), implement them in the model's `clean()` method. Remember to call the model's original method using `super()` before or agter your custom validation as appropriate:
+If the new field introduces additional validation requirements (beyond what's included with the field itself), implement them in the model's `clean()` method. Remember to call the model's original method using `super()` before or after your custom validation as appropriate:
 
 ```
 class Foo(models.Model):
 
     def clean(self):
 
-        super(DeviceCSVForm, self).clean()
+        super().clean()
 
         # Custom validation goes here
         if self.bar is None:
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Add the name of the new field to `csv_headers` and included a CSV-friendly repre
 
 ## 4. Update relevant querysets
 
-If you're adding a relational field (e.g. `ForeignKey`) and intend to include the data when retreiving a list of objects, be sure to include the field using `prefetch_related()` as appropriate. This will optimize the view and avoid excessive database lookups.
+If you're adding a relational field (e.g. `ForeignKey`) and intend to include the data when retreiving a list of objects, be sure to include the field using `prefetch_related()` as appropriate. This will optimize the view and avoid extraneous database queries.
 
 ## 5. Update API serializer
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Extend the model's API serializer in `<app>.api.serializers` to include the new
 Extend any forms to include the new field as appropriate. Common forms include:
 
 * **Credit/edit** - Manipulating a single object
-* **Bulk edit** - Performing a change on mnay objects at once
+* **Bulk edit** - Performing a change on many objects at once
 * **CSV import** - The form used when bulk importing objects in CSV format
 * **Filter** - Displays the options available for filtering a list of objects (both UI and API)
 
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ If the new field should be filterable, add it to the `FilterSet` for the model.
 
 ## 8. Add column to object table
 
-If the new field will be included in the object list view, add a column to the model's table. For simple fields, adding the field name to `Meta.fields` will be sufficient. More complex fields may require explicitly declaring a new column.
+If the new field will be included in the object list view, add a column to the model's table. For simple fields, adding the field name to `Meta.fields` will be sufficient. More complex fields may require declaring a custom column.
 
 ## 9. Update the UI templates
 
@@ -76,3 +76,7 @@ Create or extend the relevant test cases to verify that the new field and any ac
 * View tests
 
 Be diligent to ensure all of the relevant test suites are adapted or extended as necessary to test any new functionality.
+
+## 11. Update the model's documentation
+
+Each model has a dedicated page in the documentation, at `models/<app>/<model>.md`. Update this file to include any relevant information about the new field.

docs/development/index.md

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ NetBox follows the [benevolent dictator](http://oss-watch.ac.uk/resources/benevo
 
 All development of the current NetBox release occurs in the `develop` branch; releases are packaged from the `master` branch. The `master` branch should _always_ represent the current stable release in its entirety, such that installing NetBox by either downloading a packaged release or cloning the `master` branch provides the same code base.
 
-NetBox components are arranged into functional subsections called _apps_ (a carryover from Django verancular). Each app holds the models, views, and templates relevant to a particular function:
+NetBox components are arranged into functional subsections called _apps_ (a carryover from Django vernacular). Each app holds the models, views, and templates relevant to a particular function:
 
 * `circuits`: Communications circuits and providers (not to be confused with power circuits)
 * `dcim`: Datacenter infrastructure management (sites, racks, and devices)
@@ -26,5 +26,6 @@ NetBox components are arranged into functional subsections called _apps_ (a carr
 * `ipam`: IP address management (VRFs, prefixes, IP addresses, and VLANs)
 * `secrets`: Encrypted storage of sensitive data (e.g. login credentials)
 * `tenancy`: Tenants (such as customers) to which NetBox objects may be assigned
+* `users`: Authentication and user preferences
 * `utilities`: Resources which are not user-facing (extendable classes, etc.)
 * `virtualization`: Virtual machines and clusters

docs/development/release-checklist.md

@@ -16,28 +16,24 @@ The other file is `requirements.txt`, which lists each of the required packages
 Every minor version release should refresh `requirements.txt` so that it lists the most recent stable release of each package. To do this:
 
 1. Create a new virtual environment.
-2. Install the latest version of all required packages via pip:
-
-```
-pip install -U -r base_requirements.txt
-```
-
+2. Install the latest version of all required packages `pip install -U -r base_requirements.txt`).
 3. Run all tests and check that the UI and API function as expected.
-4. Update the package versions in `requirements.txt` as appropriate.
+4. Review each requirement's release notes for any breaking or otherwise noteworthy changes.
+5. Update the package versions in `requirements.txt` as appropriate.
 
 ### Update Static Libraries
 
 Update the following static libraries to their most recent stable release:
 
 * Bootstrap 3
-* Font Awesome 4
+* Material Design Icons
 * Select2
 * jQuery
 * jQuery UI
 
-### Create a new Release Notes Page
+### Link to the Release Notes Page
 
-Create a file at `/docs/release-notes/X.Y.md` to establish the release notes for the new release. Add the file to the table of contents within `mkdocs.yml`, and point `index.md` to the new file.
+Add the release notes (`/docs/release-notes/X.Y.md`) to the table of contents within `mkdocs.yml`, and point `index.md` to the new file.
 
 ### Manually Perform a New Install
 
@@ -52,7 +48,14 @@ Follow these instructions to perform a new installation of NetBox. This process
 
 ### Close the Release Milestone
 
-Close the release milestone on GitHub. Ensure that there are no remaining open issues associated with it.
+Close the release milestone on GitHub after ensuring there are no remaining open issues associated with it.
+
+### Merge the Release Branch
+
+Submit a pull request to merge the release branch `develop-x.y` into the `develop` branch in preparation for its releases.
+
+!!! warning
+    No further releases for the current major version can be published once this pull request is merged.
 
 ---
 
@@ -64,11 +67,11 @@ Ensure that continuous integration testing on the `develop` branch is completing
 
 ### Update Version and Changelog
 
-Update the `VERSION` constant in `settings.py` to the new release version and annotate the current data in the release notes for the new version.
+Update the `VERSION` constant in `settings.py` to the new release version and annotate the current data in the release notes for the new version. Commit these changes to the `develop` branch.
 
 ### Submit a Pull Request
 
-Submit a pull request title **"Release vX.Y.Z"** to merge the `develop` branch into `master`. Include a brief change log listing the features, improvements, and/or bugs addressed in the release.
+Submit a pull request title **"Release vX.Y.Z"** to merge the `develop` branch into `master`. Copy the documented release notes into the pull request's body.
 
 Once CI has completed on the PR, merge it.
 
@@ -76,16 +79,16 @@ Once CI has completed on the PR, merge it.
 
 Draft a [new release](https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox/releases/new) with the following parameters.
 
-* **Tag:** Current version (e.g. `v2.3.4`)
+* **Tag:** Current version (e.g. `v2.9.9`)
 * **Target:** `master`
-* **Title:** Version and date (e.g. `v2.3.4 - 2018-08-02`)
+* **Title:** Version and date (e.g. `v2.9.9 - 2020-11-09`)
 
-Copy the description from the pull request into the release notes.
+Copy the description from the pull request to the release.
 
 ### Update the Development Version
 
-On the `develop` branch, update `VERSION` in `settings.py` to point to the next release. For example, if you just released v2.3.4, set:
+On the `develop` branch, update `VERSION` in `settings.py` to point to the next release. For example, if you just released v2.9.9, set:
 
 ```
-VERSION = 'v2.3.5-dev'
+VERSION = 'v2.9.10-dev'
 ```

docs/development/style-guide.md

@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ NetBox generally follows the [Django style guide](https://docs.djangoproject.com
 ## PEP 8 Exceptions
 
 * Wildcard imports (for example, `from .constants import *`) are acceptable under any of the following conditions:
-    * The library being import contains only constant declarations (`constants.py`)
-    * The library being imported explicitly defines `__all__` (e.g. `<app>.api.nested_serializers`)
+    * The library being import contains only constant declarations (e.g. `constants.py`)
+    * The library being imported explicitly defines `__all__`
 
 * Maximum line length is 120 characters (E501)
     * This does not apply to HTML templates or to automatically generated code (e.g. database migrations).
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ When adding a new dependency, a short description of the package and the URL of
 
 * When in doubt, remain consistent: It is better to be consistently incorrect than inconsistently correct. If you notice in the course of unrelated work a pattern that should be corrected, continue to follow the pattern for now and open a bug so that the entire code base can be evaluated at a later point.
 
-* Prioritize readability over concision. Python is a very flexible language that typically gives us several options for expressing a given piece of logic, but some may be more friendly to the reader than others. (List comprehensions are particularly vulnerable to over-optimization.) Always remain considerate of the future reader who may need to interpret your code without the benefit of the context within which you are writing it.
+* Prioritize readability over concision. Python is a very flexible language that typically offers several options for expressing a given piece of logic, but some may be more friendly to the reader than others. (List comprehensions are particularly vulnerable to over-optimization.) Always remain considerate of the future reader who may need to interpret your code without the benefit of the context within which you are writing it.
 
 * No easter eggs. While they can be fun, NetBox must be considered as a business-critical tool. The potential, however minor, for introducing a bug caused by unnecessary logic is best avoided entirely.
 

docs/development/user-preferences.md

@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@ The `users.UserConfig` model holds individual preferences for each user in the f
 | ---- | ----------- |
 | extras.configcontext.format | Preferred format when rendering config context data (JSON or YAML) |
 | pagination.per_page | The number of items to display per page of a paginated table |
-| tables.${table_name}.columns | The ordered list of columns to display when viewing the table |
+| tables.TABLE_NAME.columns | The ordered list of columns to display when viewing the table |

docs/development/utility-views.md

@@ -1,57 +0,0 @@
-# Utility Views
-
-Utility views are reusable views that handle common CRUD tasks, such as listing and updating objects. Some views operate on individual objects, whereas others (referred to as "bulk" views) operate on multiple objects at once.
-
-## Individual Views
-
-### ObjectView
-
-Retrieve and display a single object.
-
-### ObjectListView
-
-Generates a paginated table of objects from a given queryset, which may optionally be filtered.
-
-### ObjectEditView
-
-Updates an object identified by a primary key (PK) or slug. If no existing object is specified, a new object will be created.
-
-### ObjectDeleteView
-
-Deletes an object. The user is redirected to a confirmation page before the deletion is executed.
-
-## Bulk Views
-
-### BulkCreateView
-
-Creates multiple objects at once based on a given pattern. Currently used only for IP addresses.
-
-### BulkImportView
-
-Accepts CSV-formatted data and creates a new object for each line. Creation is all-or-none.
-
-### BulkEditView
-
-Applies changes to multiple objects at once in a two-step operation. First, the list of PKs for selected objects is POSTed and an edit form is presented to the user. On submission of that form, the specified changes are made to all selected objects.
-
-### BulkDeleteView
-
-Deletes multiple objects. The user selects the objects to be deleted and confirms the deletion.
-
-## Component Views
-
-### ComponentCreateView
-
-Create one or more component objects beloning to a parent object (e.g. interfaces attached to a device).
-
-### ComponentEditView
-
-A subclass of `ObjectEditView`: Updates an individual component object.
-
-### ComponentDeleteView
-
-A subclass of `ObjectDeleteView`: Deletes an individual component object.
-
-### BulkComponentCreateView
-
-Create a set of components objects for each of a selected set of parent objects. This view can be used e.g. to create multiple interfaces on multiple devices at once.

mkdocs.yml

@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ nav:
     - Development:
         - Introduction: 'development/index.md'
         - Style Guide: 'development/style-guide.md'
-        - Utility Views: 'development/utility-views.md'
         - Extending Models: 'development/extending-models.md'
         - Application Registry: 'development/application-registry.md'
         - User Preferences: 'development/user-preferences.md'