fortran — Cursor rule: what it does, how to install

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description: Modern Fortran rules for scientific computing, modules, explicit interfaces, kind parameters, memory safety, and testing
globs: ["**/*.f", "**/*.f90", "**/*.f95", "**/*.f03", "**/*.f08", "**/*.for", "**/*.ftn", "CMakeLists.txt", "*.cmake", "Makefile"]
alwaysApply: false
---

# Fortran Programming Guidelines

## Basic Principles

- Use modern Fortran standards such as Fortran 2003, 2008, or newer.
- Use `implicit none` in every program unit.
- Put procedures in modules to provide explicit interfaces.
- Keep modules focused and place each major module in its own file.
- Prefer clear, structured code over clever language tricks.
- Avoid obsolete features such as COMMON blocks, GOTO-heavy control flow, and numeric labels.

## Kinds and Types

- Define numeric kind parameters in one shared module, such as `kind_mod`.
- Use `real(kind=dp)` or the project-approved real kind for floating point values.
- Use `integer(kind=i4)` or the project-approved integer kind for integer values.
- Define constants such as pi explicitly.
- Include units in comments for physical quantities.
- Use derived types to group related data instead of passing many primitive arguments.

## Naming and Style

- Use lowercase for language keywords and most identifiers.
- Use underscores for multi-word names.
- Avoid names that differ only by case.
- Use descriptive names for procedures and state.
- Repeat the procedure or module name after `end` statements.
- Keep indentation consistent in `do`, `if`, `select case`, and module blocks.

## Procedures

- Keep subroutines and functions short and single-purpose.
- Use `intent(in)`, `intent(out)`, or `intent(inout)` for every dummy argument.
- Keep functions free of side effects whenever possible.
- Prefer early validation and clear returns over deep nesting.
- Use `use, only:` when importing from modules.

## Memory and Arrays

- Prefer allocatable arrays over pointers unless pointer semantics are required.
- Check allocation state and array sizes before use.
- Deallocate allocatable arrays when their lifetime is not naturally scoped.
- Specify array bounds clearly when they matter.
- Avoid unnecessary dynamic allocation in hot loops.

## Testing and Build

- Use CMake, fpm, Make, or the project-standard build system consistently.
- Compile with warnings enabled and treat important warnings as failures in CI.
- Add unit tests for public procedures and integration tests for numerical workflows.
- Test boundary conditions, invalid inputs, and representative scientific cases.
- Verify numerical tolerances explicitly rather than relying on exact floating point equality.

## Common Mistakes

- Do not declare variables after executable code unless using a block construct.
- Do not assume `random_number` is a function; it is a subroutine.
- Do not write to stdout from pure procedures.
- Do not declare the same variable twice in the same scope.
- Do not assume pi, dp, or project kinds already exist without importing or defining them.