ITK/Release 4/Modularization
Why Modularization?
Modularization is a common design answer to the problem of managing complexity and growth.
From the Linux Kernel: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-lkm/index.html?ca=dgr-lnxw07LinuxLKM&S_TACT=105AGX59&S_CMP=GR
to KDE: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/KDE_Packages#Terminology
to Boost: http://ryppl.github.com/index.html
to Qt: http://labs.qt.nokia.com/2010/10/26/qt-is-going-modular/ http://labs.qt.nokia.com/2011/01/21/status-of-qt-modularization/
Details on the goals of modularization were presented here: http://www.itk.org/Wiki/ITK_Release_4/Modularization/Tcon-2010-12-03 In particular in: http://www.itk.org/Wiki/images/1/16/ITKv4-Modularization-2010-12-03.odp http://www.itk.org/Wiki/images/7/75/ITKv4-Modularization-2010-12-03.pdf
Main Goals
1) Find / label / remove the trash in ITK.
2) Organize the ~2,330 files into conceptual cohesive groups.
3) Test and label each group according to measures of quality control : Code coverage, correctness, style, dynamic testing, documentation...
4) Raise the quality bar for critical components. For example, the itkObject must have 100% code coverage, while we could live with the Blox classes having 30%.
5) Maintain that level of quality as more code is added to the toolkit.
6) Facilitate the use of Add-ons with ITK without having to include them in the toolkit.
Use Cases
Code Reviews
Latest Progress
Access modularized ITK
Here is a spreadsheet version of the Manifest file for your convenience to explore the classes in ITK:Manifest.xlsx
We have also put up a in-progress modularized ITK (produced at Feb 1st ) in the public git repository:
http://itk.org/tmp/modularITK.git
It is a good start point to investigate the new directory structures and the new CMake packaging mechanism in modularized ITK.
We also encourage you to run the modularization scripts yourself to get a latest version of the modularized ITK:
Build modularized ITK
cd <path to bin>/bin/modularITK ccmake <HeadOfModuarITKTree> make
Users could choose to build certain groups of modules by turning the ITKGroup_<xxx> ON.
The grouping of modules are listed in: <HeadOfModuarITKTree>/CMake/ITKGroups.cmake.
The nightly dashboard for the modularized ITK can be found at: [1]
FAQs (under construction)
How to contribute to modularized ITK?
How to use modularized ITK in my application?
What about the backward compatibility of modularized ITK? Can I have a code base that compile with both itkv3 and itkv4?
How does modularization will affect Slicer4?
Development history
Initial Goals Steps and tools
Prototype [Iowa Meeting, Nov, 2010] Prototype
TCon 2010-12-03
Progress [Boston Meeting Feb 3, 2011] PPTX
