Storing logical units of program code generated using a dynamic programming notebook user interface

Abstract

The programming notebook system, methods, and user interfaces described herein provide software developers with enhanced tools by which a programming notebook workflow and session history associated with code cells in a programming notebook may be tracked and maintained. As a developer progresses through a development workflow, the developer can select an option to save a program code card representing some or all of the program code cell inputs. A card editor user interface may present an aggregated listing of all program code the developer has provided across multiple code cells during the current session which the developer can edit, refine, and/or comment. The card editor may also allow the developer to add associated user interface code to display a UI component associated with the program code card, and allow the developer to add a description and tags for the card so that the card can be searched for and reused.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 by one or more hardware computer processors executing computer-readable instructions:
 receiving, from a user, one or more requests to execute units of program code as part of a first session, wherein the units of program code each comprise respective one or more lines of program code; 
 determining respective outputs associated with the requests to execute the units of program code; 
 maintaining a session history of the first session, the session history comprising the one or more requests to execute the units of program code and the associated outputs; 
 receiving a request to generate a program code card based on at least a first unit of program code of the units of program code of the session history; and 
 in response to receiving the request to generate the program code card:
 generating the program code card including at least a portion of the one or more lines of program code of the first unit of program code; and 
 storing the program code card. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 by the one or more hardware computer processors executing the computer-readable instructions:
 further in response to receiving the request to generate the program code card:
 providing a program code card editor user interface including at least the one or more lines of program code of the first unit of program code. 
 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 by the one or more hardware computer processors executing the computer-readable instructions:
 receiving, via the program code card editor user interface, and from the user, a selection of the portion of the one or more lines of program code of the first unit of program code. 
 
 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 by the one or more hardware computer processors executing the computer-readable instructions:
 receiving, via the program code card editor user interface, and from the user, a modification to the portion of the one or more lines of program code of the first unit of program code. 
 
 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 by the one or more hardware computer processors executing the computer-readable instructions:
 receiving, via the program code card editor user interface, and from the user, at least one of a description or a tag for the program code card. 
 
 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 by the one or more hardware computer processors executing the computer-readable instructions:
 receiving, via the program code card editor user interface, and from the user, a specification of a user interface component for the program code card, wherein the user interface component is usable to render information associated with the program code card. 
 
 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 by the one or more hardware computer processors executing the computer-readable instructions:
 receiving, via the program code card editor user interface, and from the user, a specification of one or more input parameters associated with the program code card. 
 
 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 by the one or more hardware computer processors executing the computer-readable instructions:
 providing a user interface including at least an aggregate listing of the lines of program code associated with the respective units of program code associated with the session history; and 
 receiving, via the user interface, and from the user, a selection of the first unit of program code or the portion of the one or more lines of program code associated with the first unit of program code. 
 
 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the aggregate listing includes, for each unit of program code, an indicator label of the associated unit of program code. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 by the one or more hardware computer processors executing the computer-readable instructions:
 receiving a request to import the program code card into a second session; and 
 importing the program code card into the second session, such that a second user can cause execution, by providing user input, of the portion of the one or more lines of program code associated with the program code card. 
 
 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 by the one or more hardware computer processors executing the computer-readable instructions:
 receiving one or more input parameters and an instruction to execute the program code card in the second session according to the one or more input parameters. 
 
 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the program code card is stored in a library of a plurality of program code cards. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of program code cards in the library are searchable and/or accessible by a plurality of users. 
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith; and   one or more processors configured to execute the program instructions to cause the system to perform the computer-implemented method of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform the computer-implemented method of  claim 1 .