Codestubs

Codestubs are pieces of source code that provide minimal, working implementations of modules, functions, or interfaces to enable development without full functionality. They can be used as placeholders during compilation or testing and may be created by hand or generated by tooling. The goal is to establish a runnable surface that mirrors the intended API while real logic is being developed.

Codestubs serve several purposes. They allow parallel work by different teams, support early integration testing of interfaces, and help bootstrap new projects or modules. In addition, type or interface stubs, such as Python .pyi files or C header files, provide contract definitions that enable tooling, autocompletion, and static analysis even when implementations are incomplete.

There are different forms of codestubs. Placeholder stubs implement functions or methods with fixed, simple return values. Skeleton stubs offer class or module structures with method stubs that may raise NotImplementedError or similar. Interface or type stubs define the surface of an API without providing full behavior. In testing, stubs are distinguished from mocks; stubs return predetermined values, whereas mocks are used to verify interactions.

Best practices for codestubs include documenting the intended behavior and limitations, keeping stubs as small and deterministic as possible, and avoiding leakage of incomplete logic into later stages. They should be clearly marked as placeholders and removed or replaced as the real implementations become available. Proper version control and a plan for phasing out stubs help prevent drift between the stubbed surface and the final product.