Boost Your Unreal Engine Project: Code Standards & Licensing

Hey guys! Ready to level up your Unreal Engine game development? Let's dive into Phase 6.4, where we'll be tackling the crucial aspects of code standards and license headers. This is all about making your code clean, compliant, and ready for prime time, whether you're targeting the Unreal Engine Marketplace or just want to improve your project's overall quality. Following these steps will not only help you avoid headaches down the road but also make your code more maintainable, readable, and professional. So, buckle up; it's time to ensure our code is top-notch! I will provide detailed explanations for each task, including the rationale behind them. Let's get started, shall we?

Reviewing the License File

First things first, we need to ensure our project's license file is shipshape. This file is super important because it outlines the terms under which others can use your code. Think of it as the legal agreement for your project. This is a crucial first step.

Verifying Marketplace Compatibility

We need to verify that the current license is marketplace-compatible. This means it needs to be understood and accepted by the Unreal Engine Marketplace guidelines. If you are planning to sell your project, this is a must-do step. Make sure your license allows for redistribution, which means others can use your code in their projects.

Updating Copyright Year

Double-check the copyright year in your license file. It should reflect the current year. It's a small detail, but it shows that your project is current and actively maintained. Keeping the copyright up-to-date is a professional touch, indicating that you are serious about your project and its maintenance. A simple update can do wonders!

Clarifying Third-Party Components

If your project uses any third-party components, like Python scripts or parts of the MCP, make sure to clearly state this in your license. You need to acknowledge any external code you are using and specify the licenses under which they are distributed. This is all about transparency and giving credit where it's due. It helps avoid any legal issues or misunderstandings in the future. Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds!

Adding License Headers

Now, let's talk about license headers. These are the snippets of code at the top of each file that give the necessary legal information. This is a very essential part of making your code open source or simply stating it as yours. Proper headers are like the title cards of your code files, providing important context at a glance. Adding headers might seem a little tedious, but trust me, it’s worth it. These small additions provide critical information about the licensing and ownership of your code, which is super important.

Creating a Standard License Header Template

We need to create a standard license header template. This will ensure consistency across all our files. Your template should include the copyright notice and a reference to your LICENSE file. Think of it as a blueprint for every .h and .cpp file in your project. A consistent template makes it easier to manage and update licenses across your project.

Adding Headers to .h Files

Next up, adding headers to all .h files. This includes files in both Public/ and Private/ directories. These are your header files, and they need to have the license information at the top. This ensures that every header file is correctly licensed and compliant.

Adding Headers to .cpp Files

We'll add the same header to all .cpp files to maintain consistency. Make sure the headers in .cpp files match the headers in the corresponding .h files. This step guarantees that all source files are properly licensed and ready for distribution. This is essential for clarity and legal compliance, helping to protect your intellectual property while giving credit where credit is due.

Header Template Example

Here’s a basic example of how your license header might look:

// Copyright (c) 2025 Kevin Buckley. All Rights Reserved.
// Licensed under [License Type] - See LICENSE file for details.

You can adapt this template to your specific needs, but make sure to include the copyright information, the license type, and a reference to your LICENSE file. This keeps everything consistent and compliant. Remember to replace [License Type] with the actual license you're using.

Naming Conventions

Now, let's dive into naming conventions. Keeping consistent naming practices is key to writing clean, maintainable code. Here’s a breakdown of the key areas to consider.

Class Naming Audit

We will need to verify that all classes use F/U/A/E prefixes. Unreal Engine has specific prefixes to indicate class types (e.g., F for structs, U for UObjects, A for Actors, and E for enums). This practice boosts code clarity. Additionally, check for potentially generic names that could cause conflicts. Avoid names that are too broad, like Object or Data, as they might clash with engine or other plugin classes. This keeps your code consistent and prevents any unexpected issues.

API Macro Usage

Next, let’s talk about API macros. We will need to mark all public API classes with VIBEUE_API. This macro tells the engine which classes are part of your plugin’s public interface. It is crucial to mark your public classes with the VIBEUE_API macro so that they are correctly exposed to other parts of the engine and potentially other plugins. Private classes should NOT use the API macro to keep your public interface as lean as possible. Minimize your public API surface area to reduce dependencies and potential compatibility issues.

Namespace/Naming Conflicts

We will have to search for generic global functions. Ensure there are no naming conflicts with engine globals. Check for macro name conflicts. This helps prevent naming conflicts and ensures your code plays nicely with the Unreal Engine ecosystem.

Code Quality Standards

Next, let's get into code quality standards. This is where we focus on cleaning up the code and making it as efficient and readable as possible. Code quality is a very important aspect of your project and should not be neglected.

Removing Unused Code

Time to tidy up! Remove all unused code from your project. This includes deleting commented-out code blocks, unused includes, unused variables, and dead code paths. Unused code not only clutters your project but also wastes resources. Remove anything that isn’t currently contributing to your project to keep your codebase lean and efficient.

Include Cleanup

Optimize your includes. Use forward declarations whenever possible to reduce dependencies. Remove any unnecessary includes from header files. Minimize header dependencies to speed up compilation times. Using PCH (Precompiled Headers) appropriately can also significantly boost compilation speed. This helps you work with your code faster.

Coding Standards Compliance

Last, let's ensure our code follows Unreal Engine coding standards. This includes brace placement, consistent naming conventions (PascalCase for classes, camelCase for variables), and proper use of const and const&. This is the finishing touch to your code, ensuring it's not only functional but also looks professional and easy to maintain. Consistent coding standards make your project easier to read and understand.

Validation Commands

Here are some helpful commands to validate your changes, which will help to make sure everything is working as it should.

cd Plugins/VibeUE/Source/VibeUE

# Check for files missing license headers
for file in Public/**/*.h Private/**/*.h Private/**/*.cpp; do
 if ! grep -q "Copyright" "$file"; then
 echo "Missing header: $file"
 fi
done

# Search for potentially problematic names
grep -r "^class [^FUAEISTf]" Public/ Private/

# Find unused includes (manual review needed)
grep -r "#include" Public/ Private/ | wc -l

# Check for commented code blocks
grep -r "^[[:space:]]*//" Source/ | grep -v "Copyright\|License\|TODO\|FIXME"

These commands will help you identify issues like missing headers, naming conflicts, unused includes, and commented-out code blocks. You can run these commands to quickly verify that your code adheres to all the guidelines and standards. They're your quick checks to ensure your code is clean and consistent. They'll save you a lot of time and effort.

Acceptance Criteria

Finally, let’s go over the acceptance criteria to make sure we've done everything correctly.

• All source files have license headers.
• The LICENSE file is marketplace-compatible.
• All class names follow UE conventions.
• Public API is properly marked with VIBEUE_API.
• No commented-out code blocks.
• Minimal unused includes.
• Code follows UE coding standards.

By ensuring that you've met these criteria, you can be sure that your code meets the highest standards and is ready for use in any project. This is your checklist for success.

Files to Modify

Here are the files you will need to modify:

• All .h files in Public/ and Private/
• All .cpp files in Private/
• LICENSE file

Following these steps, you'll have a more robust, professional, and maintainable Unreal Engine project. Good luck, and happy coding, guys!"