The Architecture of Open Source Applications: The BourneAgain Shell

Bash Component Architecture

Lessons from the architecture of Bash

• it’s vital to have detailed change logs.
• If it’s appropriate, extensive regression testing is something I would recommend building into a project from the beginning.
• Standards are important. Bash has benefited from being an implementation of a standard.
• Good documentation is another essential. If you expect a program to be used by others, it’s worth having comprehensive, clear documentation.
• “Great artists steal”, use what softwares you can.
• An active user community can be a tremendous benefit.

Reference

http://www.aosabook.org/en/bash.html