It's a parctice that dates back to 2006 when the API was first written, and frankly isn't covered by the coding conventions. Same thing with the docblocks, they're all copypasted with some bits changed and don't even make sense if you look at them in the genereated code docs.
I don't feel that any of us depend on this anymore (get a better IDE), so in the inerest of consistancy it's time we said goodbye to it.
See my comments on r75274, for which this is a follow-up. Using a dedicated, but constant patrol token is in my opinion the optimal compromise between performance (only require fetching the token once) and security (leaking the token will only compromise the patrolling feature).
* Introduced a "cache mode" concept to simplify the header generation code, and to avoid odd results when conflicting cache header requests are received from submodules, or at least to formalise the handling of such cases.
* Made the cache mode private by default, so that code written in ignorance of caching tends to be safe. If different query modules are used in a single request, private caching is preferred over public caching.
* Removed the "must-revalidate" option from all CC headers, this is really specific to page views with a hacked squid in front, I don't think it's applicable here.
* Made the watchlist module private. This is really the definition of private data. There's nothing in the HTTP spec that says the URL for a CC:public request is private and can't be leaked. CC:private provides protection against unknown proxy behaviour.
* In ApiQueryAllmessages: avoid calling $wgLang->getCode() to check if it's necessary to make a new $wgLang when lang= is specified, since this is the only thing that unstubs $wgUser.
* Removed "FIXME: should this check $user instead of $wgUser?" Answer is no.
Move token requringness check to the ApiMain
Adding an exception if we're using "gettoken" (block/unblock)
Remove array( 'missingparam', 'token' ), from the getPossibleErrors of modules that set requireToken method to true
"I wouldn't object to stylizing the API code to bring it in line with
the rest of MW on principle, but I'm not gonna bother myself." --Roan
<http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:Code/MediaWiki/60657#c5108>
If you're seeing this commit in blames, tell your blame tool to ignore
whitespace, e.g., git blame -w or svn blame -x -w.
* Instead of hiding read-restricted modules, throw an error when a user without read rights tries to use them
* Do the same for write modules when $wgEnableWriteAPI is false
* Indicate whether a module needs read or write rights in action=help and action=paraminfo
* BREAKING CHANGE: action=purge now requires write rights and, for anonymous users, a POST request
* Aggressively intval() numeric things; addresses the concerns raised on bug 11633
* Use ApiQueryBase::addTitleInfo() everywhere
* Remove a drug-induced-looking line from ApiQueryWatchlist.php
** Backend code moved to RecentChange::reallyMarkPatrolled() and doMarkPatrolled()
** Adapted Article::markpatrolled()
* (bug 15466) Added action=patrol to the API. Modified patch by Soxred93
* Added rctoken=patrol to list=recentchanges
* Detect duplicate warnings in ApiBase::setWarning()
