View source for IPython Comments

This page notes some issues and wishes that we have regarding IPython.

== IPython Names ==

The name "IPython" is nice for referring to the Python kernel, but is too confusing when using IPython without Python. The project should have a name for referring to the glue that connects the fontend (console, qtconsole, notebook) to the backend kernels. 

* Suggest having a generic "iconnect", "iglue" or something that starts up frontends and backends
* Suggest that "ipython" be an alias for "iglue --frontend console --backend ipython"
* Is there a generic name for what console, qtconsole, and notebook are? 
* "kernel" is not the best name for the backend, because it doesn't relay what it does. But at least it has a name! 

== Hierarchical Kernels ==

The %%bash magic is nice, but is apparently implemented in the kernel. It would be nice to not have to replicate this in every new kernel.

* Suggest that there be a hierarchy of kernels so that %%bash could be handled by the topmost, and other commands would get passed to the next kernel if not handled
* Or, perhaps there could be a flat set of kernels that could handle different types, and a router that routes different requests to different kernels

== Frontend/Backend Negotiations ==

The kernel and the frontend should be able to negotiate certain things:

* The kernel should be able to send information about:
** custom handlers
** custom messages
* The frontends should be able to tell the kernel what mime-types it supports

In general, it would be nice to have the kernel drive some of the startup. It is a pain to have to set config defaults before using a kernel: the kernel could provide those, and they could be saved as they are now if they don't exist.

* kernels could be updated, and could update the config files
* generally need a way for kernels to be more active in the setup process

It would be nice if you could download a new kernel (as a .zip), drop it into a known directory, and then use it without any additional config.

== Notebooks should be Kernel Specific ==

When you startup the notebook frontend, you currently have to specify the kernel. But the kernel isn't used until you open a notebook.

* Suggest that the notebook indicates what kernel to use
* you could then have different notebooks using different kernels
* kernels could be started when notebook is opened, if not already running
** "ipython notebook" would just start the notebook viewer
** selecting a notebook would indicate what kernel to use
** check to see if it is running, start if not

== Notebook Server ==

You should be able to drop a notebook into a directory, and it would appear in a list of notebooks served (a la nbviewer). This would be an easy way to make a notebook blog.

* should support search across notebooks
* appear in a list, latest first
* create a summary page of the notebook, for viewing in a list
* creates a url to access the page
* should provide easy download for notebook, kernel, and ipython itself for "replicating research"