Tabs should be permitted, maybe even mandatory.

[hexylena]

They're better for accessibility:

• Prettier is considering changing to that by default
• their arguments for them
• https://adamtuttle.codes/blog/2021/tabs-vs-spaces-its-an-accessibility-issue/
• https://dev.to/alexandersandberg/why-we-should-default-to-tabs-instead-of-spaces-for-an-accessible-first-environment-101f

I've never understood IUC's demand for them (they're "best practice" but somehow also 100% mandatory), and I think we should change this. Clients can set tabs to any width they personally prefer, you can have 2 or 8 or 4, and folks that want them for accessibility reasons will finally have them.

(sorry to restart this old argument.)

[peterjc]

Does the IUC standards currently actually talk about tabs versus spaces? I had a search but couldn't find anything.

I note Python has the PEP8 coding standard and ecosystem of tools like code-formatter black which use spaces not tabs.

Which file formats do you have in mind here? XML and JSON? Everything? Everything except Python?

[hexylena]

It states Use 4 spaces for indentation under the best practice file. Which has sometimes been treated as a requirement for tool submissions rather than simply a "best practice".

• XML is the main focus for me. It makes up most of the repository's codebase, and is the primary thing we're reviewing a lot of the time. Making that main article more accessible is good
• Python's PEP8 and black seem very resistant to tabs which is too bad, but that's maybe a separate discussion for a separate avenue than this though.
• JSON sure, why not, let's include that (but I don't think that was covered by the old rules and you were free to do as you like.)

I'd be already happier if this PR resolved with accepting tabs in addition to 4 spaces, as long as the author is consistent.
That would be a relatively tiny change I think and results in the least amount of discussions, and improves accessibility marginally for the affected users who are contributing / working on their own tools.

[peterjc]

Ah, I searched for terms like tabs, not indentation.

I would have no objection to recommending tabs for indentation in the Galaxy tool XML files.

I have embraced black for auto formatting my Python code, and would happily do the same for XML.

[peterjc]

Oh, and your compromise of tabs or 4-spaces in XML as long as consistent is good too.

[hexylena]

I have embraced black for auto formatting my Python code, and would happily do the same for XML.

Likewise, it's made things a lot easier.

Ok, between the thumbs up and your comments, I'll make a PR proposing the change then!