Word list
allow, enable
Try to avoid allow and enable unless you are talking about security-related features.
| Instead of | Use |
|---|---|
| This feature allows you to save a view as a template | You can save a view as a template |
This phrasing is from the user's perspective (action-oriented) rather than the person who implemented the feature.
alpha/beta
Lowercase. Example: The XYZ feature is in alpha.
backend (not back-end or back end)
below/above
When referring to a place in a documentation page, use following instead of below and preceding or earlier instead of above.
CI/CD
CI/CD is always uppercase. No need to spell it out on first use.
click (not click on)
Do not use click with buttons, links, menu items, and lists. Instead, use select. Select applies to more devices, while click is more specific to a mouse. If you must use click, use click, not click on.
collapse
Use collapse instead of close when you are talking about expanding or collapsing a section in the UI.
checkbox (not check box)
data
In our usage, data is singular, not plural. Say the data is, not the data are. Also, in our usage, data is a mass noun, not a count noun. For example, say less data rather than fewer data.
data center (not datacenter)
data cleaning (not data cleansing)
dataframe (not data frame)
data flow (noun); dataflow (noun)
If you can replace the noun with the phrase flow of data, then use two words: data flow. If you can't, use one word: dataflow.
dataset (not data set)
data source (not datasource)
datastore (not data store)
deprecate
To deprecate an item is to recommend against the item's use, typically as a warning that the item will soon be unavailable or unsupported. Don't use deprecated to mean removed, deleted, shut down, or turned down.
dialog (not dialog box)
dropdown list (not dropdown, drop-down, dropdown menu, or other variants)
email (not e-mail, Email, or E-mail)
enter versus type
In most cases, use enter rather than type. Enter encompasses multiple ways to enter information, including speech and keyboard. Enter also assumes that the user puts a value in a field and then moves the cursor outside the field (or presses the Enter button). Enter includes both the entering of the content and the action to validate the content.
field
Use box instead of field or text box. However, you can use fields when referring to all fields at once. For example:
- An Embed dialog appears. Fill in the fields.
fill in; fill out
- When referring to entering information in individual fields, use fill in.
- When referring to completing an entire form, use fill out.
Example: Fill out the questionnaire. Be sure to fill in the required fields.
frontend (not front-end)
GIF
Don't use a filetype extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use GIF file rather than .gif file.
heatmap/treemap (not heat map/tree map)
hover
Use when the user needs to hold their mouse over a UI element, but not click the UI element.
Markdown
Always capitalized.
markup (noun), mark up (verb)
No hyphen. As a verb, it's two words.
metadata (not meta-data)
on
When documenting how to select high-level UI elements, use the word on (instead of in or from).
Example: On the left Sidebar, select Settings.
open source (no hyphen, not even as an adjective or verb)
plugin (noun), plug-in (adjective), plug in (verb)
pop-up, popup
Don't use. Instead, use dialog to describe a window that appears and asks for, or presents, additional information. Use menu for menus that rise from an interface.