# Getting Started

This repository is a small Java example set focused on file-header and comment-block patterns. There is little to no runtime behavior; the value of the codebase is in comparing how different source files are documented, versioned, and annotated.

## What This Project Does

The project collects a few standalone Java classes that demonstrate different header styles: no header, partial header, MIT-style licensing, and long revision histories. Treat it as a reference fixture for understanding documentation conventions rather than as an application with business logic.

## Recommended Reading Order

1. [Repository overview](../overview.md) — start here for the big picture.
2. `src/main/java/NoHeader.java` — the simplest baseline example.
3. `src/main/java/WithHeader.java` — a complete header example.
4. `src/main/java/PartialHeader.java` — a partially documented variant.
5. `src/main/java/MitLicense.java` — a minimal license-header example.
6. `src/main/java/Crosslink.java` — shows a header plus an inline change marker.
7. `src/main/java/LongHeader.java` — the most verbose header history.

## Key Entry Points

There are no highly referenced classes in this repository, so the best entry points are the example files themselves:

- `src/main/java/NoHeader.java` — use this to understand the minimum class shape.
- `src/main/java/WithHeader.java` — shows the common header layout used in the sample set.
- `src/main/java/PartialHeader.java` — helpful for seeing how incomplete metadata is represented.
- `src/main/java/MitLicense.java` — useful when comparing licensing-only headers.
- `src/main/java/Crosslink.java` — demonstrates a change marker inside an otherwise simple class.
- `src/main/java/LongHeader.java` — useful for understanding long revision logs and how they are formatted.

## Project Structure

The repository is flat and intentionally small.

- `src/main/java/` — contains the sample Java source files.
- `.codewiki/` — generated documentation for the codebase.
- `.codewiki/overview.md` — top-level summary of the repository.
- `.codewiki/tree.json` — structure metadata used to generate the wiki.

There are no visible packages, service layers, or module dependencies between the classes. Each file is effectively standalone.

## Configuration

No build system, application config, or test configuration is visible in the indexed files. The main files that matter for understanding conventions are the Java source examples themselves and the generated wiki metadata in `.codewiki/`.

If you are looking for repository-wide behavior, start by checking for:

- `pom.xml` or `build.gradle` for Java build settings
- `README.md` or `.codewiki/overview.md` for project intent
- `src/main/java/*.java` for the examples and header formats

## Common Patterns

- **Standalone classes** — each file contains a single public class with minimal or no methods.
- **Header-first documentation** — the important information is usually in the comment block at the top of the file.
- **Versioned change markers** — some files include revision tags such as `v72.00.00` and `ADD START` / `ADD END` markers.
- **Minimal code bodies** — most classes are empty or nearly empty, which keeps the focus on documentation style.
- **Consistent formatting blocks** — header sections use aligned separators and structured metadata lines.

## Where to Go Next

After reading the sample files, compare how much information each header captures and decide which pattern is intended for your work. If you are adding a new file in this repository, match the existing header style used by the closest example file.