Canonical Documentation Style Guide

This is an as yet incomplete guide to the language and style conventions used for Canonical documentation projects. Topics are listed in the navigation to the left, and presented here as a single page to aid searching.

Spelling

Canonical is a UK based company, and uses British English throughout. There are many small differences between that and US English, but for the most part it comes down to spelling.

Some common differences are:

In the most part this can be mitigated by simply enabling spell checking on your editing software and choosing an en-gb dictionary. The minor differences in grammar will (hopefully) be picked up in review by the documentation team.

Other common terms

We would like to standardise on the following spellings for common technology terms:

• email
• online
• setup (noun), set up (verb)
• backup (noun), back up (verb)
• login (noun), log in (verb)
• web
• website
• internet
• systems management
• virtualisation
• space-separated, comma-delimited
• load balancer (only upper case as part of proper name e.g. Elastic Load Balancer)

Branding

Consistency in branding is important for a number of reasons, including the protection of trademarks where they apply. For our own products, and those of others we mention frequently, the following guidance applies.

Ubuntu

When we refer to Ubuntu |oǒ'boǒntoō|, we are usually referring to the distribution, rather than the Ubuntu project itself.

Our convention is to use the name, followed by the release number and, if applicable, 'LTS' to denote that the version is in Long Term Support. Optionally, you may also further identify the release by its codename (the first or both parts of the release name) if this is likely to be useful (e.g. some of our products also use the release names to identify versions).

Some examples of correct usage:

• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
• Ubuntu 22.10
• Ubuntu 23.04 (Lunar Lobster) (note case!)
• Ubuntu 23.10 (Mantic)

This also follows on to more specific products, e.g.

Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS

In cases where the release may be mentioned many times in a single document, it is up to the author's judgement whether this could be reworded or replaced by simply 'Ubuntu' on subsequent mentions.

Note also that when referring to releases in the general sense, it is "an Ubuntu release".

Other Canonical products

Other commonly referenced products/projects

Contractions

Contractions are very common in spoken English and in many types of writing. Avoiding the use of them entirely makes it difficult to achieve a friendly, conversational tone. However, we should keep to contractions that are commonly understood and not part of some regional dialect, and only use them in "conversational" parts of the documentation (i.e. explanatory text).

Contractions you can use

Don't use these!

Headings

Headings are important for navigation, for setting tone and for search indexing. Please bear in mind the following:

Sentence case

All headings and headlines should be sentence case. This means that you should only capitalise the first word unless it falls into one of the categories outlined below:

• product names
• personal names
• company names
• brands
• places
• Ubuntu Server, not Ubuntu server

Use: Do more with Ubuntu Don't use: Do More With Ubuntu

If it is not the actual product name, it should not be capitalised. Never capitalise keywords, technical terms and jargon.

Other considerations

• Avoid overusing punctuation in headings. Headings should not end with a period/full point/full stop
• Avoid links in headings
• Don't overuse code styling in headings - it can be useful to document command references, for example, but you should always consider if it is really needed
• Imperatives should be used for 'How to...' style docs instead of gerunds (i.e. "Create an instance" rather than "Creating an instance")
• Do not skip levels of heading hierarchy (e.g. following an h1/# with an h3/###)
• Headings require content and should not be followed directly by a subheading

Dates

For consistency, we will use the following date format:

• Single day: 1 January 2013
• Date range within same month: 1-2 January 2013
• Date range across two or more months: 1 January - 2 February 2013

Numbers

Numbers in single figures should be spelled out in most cases. From 10 onwards, numbers should be written in digits.

Exceptions to this rule include numbered lists and units of measurement.

When writing out numbers over the 100s, remember to include commas.

Use: 7,000

Don't use: 7000

Code examples in documentation

DO NOT use prompt marks (e.g. $ or #) in code samples. These cause problems for users who sometimes mistakenly type them in, or who want to copy and paste sections of code. They also encourage poor explanation of the code.

DO NOT use comments in normal bash code. E.g.:

juju deploy wordpress
juju deploy ntp-master --to 2   #colocates with wordpress
juju add-relation mysql wordpress

This may be a useful comment if you just have a bash script to communicate information, but we have words! It is clearer, more obvious and more helpful to simply explain, before after or during the code.

DO NOT use long blocks of code. Anything which doesn't comfortably fit on a screen is too long. Consider why you are showing it. Can it be broken up into parts? Long sections of code are rarely read in documentation. If the code is an example intended to be used rather than read, offer it as a download instead.

DO separate commands and output where appropriate. For example, instead of:

juju status
environment: gce3
machines:
  "0":
    agent-state: started
    agent-version: 1.24.2
    dns-name: 104.197.44.114
...
...

It is more informative to break between the command and the output with explanation. This doesn't even have to be long. It breaks up the code blocks somewhat and makes the whole document more legible and less likely to cause unintended naps. For example

To check what is going on, run:


      juju status

... which should return some formatted information giving the current
state of each unit and service:

       environment: gce3
       machines:
        "0":
          agent-state: started
          agent-version: 1.24.2
...
...

Images

An image should not be overly cropped - allow for context.

DO NOT LINK IMAGES FROM A GOOGLE DRIVE This will work, until such a time as whoever owns the image closes their account (or leaves Canonical).

Words and phrases to avoid

Try to avoid jargon, long-winded phrases and words with negative connotations. Steer clear of the following:

• Allow - This suggests that we are in a position of power, permitting users or customers to conduct certain activities.
• The ability to – Use 'We can' instead of 'We have the ability to'
• Is able to – Use 'Ubuntu can' instead of 'Ubuntu is able to'
• Not only...but also...
• Eliminate
• Execute
• Terminate
• Kill
• Disruptive
• Explosive
• Leverage
• Ecosystem
• Going forward
• In order to
• Form factor
• Use case
• End user – Use 'user' instead
• Linux for human beings

It can be tempting to use flowery, official-sounding words rather than plain English. Try to keep it simple.

Interacting with UI elements

Screenshots

Screenshots should be used sparingly.

A screenshot is not a replacement for clear descriptions in documentation. If an image is well described, a screenshot shouldn’t be necessary in many situations, and including many screenshots can clutter the documentation.

Screenshots also can’t be translated, so they aren’t as accessible to non-native English users or those using translated documentation. Additionally, those using screen-readers won’t be able to access the screenshots without alt-text.

Using UI elements as the English words

Don’t use UI elements as though they are English words.

For example:

• Use: When you’re finished, click Save to save your settings.
• Don’t use: When you’re finished, Save your settings.

Using the UI text as English words is less clear and may not transfer well to certain translated versions.

Click vs. Tap vs. Select

• Use “Click” for buttons that you click on (or “Tap” if the product is primarily for mobile devices)
• Use “Select” for selecting from multiple options (e.g., a dropdown menu, multiple menu items, etc.)
• Use “Select” when there are multiple instructions separated by > (e.g., Select Preferences > Languages)

For example:

• Use: Click Settings to open your user settings.
• Use: Select the machines you want to register, then click Save.
• Use: Tap the application to open it.
• Don’t use: Select Add bookmark to save your bookmark.

“Click”/”Tap” is preferred over “Select” for UI elements that are definitive. This is because “Select” has an open-ended connotation, while “Click”/”Tap” is direct and definitive. Although “Click”/”Tap” may technically be wrong in certain situations (e.g., if a user is using the mobile version of a web page on their desktop computer), it’s important to consider accessibility and the primary audience of the documentation over these edge cases. Differentiating when users may have to select from options or select more than one option can be useful for them, especially when following a longer how-to guide (e.g., Click X, Click Y, Click Z, Select the settings you want to apply, Click Save). This extra level of precision can also be helpful for non-native English users and those using translated documentation.

Bold vs. Italics

Use bold for UI elements the user clicks/selects, and quotes or quotes with italics when drawing attention to a specific word or phrase, or using the name of a word as a word.

For example:

• Use: Click Save
• Use: In the Computers column, click Register a new computer.
• Use: Click the link in the text “You can register new computers by following these instructions”.
• Use: Use the word “and” instead of “or”.
• Use: Use the word “and” instead of “or”.
• Don’t use: Once you’ve made your selections, click Save.

Bolding UI elements can help make the documentation easier to scan for critical information. This is especially good for users who aren’t reading the documentation for the first time and just want key information without having to sift through extraneous documentation.

Angled brackets

You can use a right angled bracket > for navigating menu items with multiple steps.

For example:

• Use: Select Preferences > Languages > English
• Use: You can navigate to File > Documents and select one of your saved documents.
• Use: Select Blank Document from the File > New menu.
• Don’t use: Navigate to the home page > Click Packages > Select each package you want to export > Click Export

Using the right angled bracket (>) is at the author’s discretion; however, you’re encouraged to use this format where possible to keep things concise.

Checkboxes

Use “Select” and ”Clear” or “Check” and ”Uncheck” together at the author’s discretion, depending on what is most natural in context.

For example:

• Use: Select the Enable firewall checkbox.
• Use: Clear the Add bookmark checkbox.
• Use: “Check the computer(s) you want to register” with “Uncheck any computer(s) you don’t want registered”
• Don’t use: Check the computer(s) you want to register, or clear any computer(s) you don’t want registered

This helps establish consistency in how we refer to checkboxes in the UI.

Keyboard shortcuts and keyboard keys

Use “Press” when instructing the user to use a specific keyboard shortcut or keyboard key, and “Use” when instructing them to use collective or ambiguous keys.

For example:

• Use: Press Ctrl + C
• Use: “To save, press Enter.” or “To save, press the Enter key”.
• Use: Use the arrow keys to navigate the menu.
• Don’t use: Click the Enter key.

This ensures they don’t get confused with our use of “Click”/”Tap”/”Select”.

“Icon” vs. “Button”

“Icon” is for a symbol/image that represents an object or function, and “button” is for UI elements that initiate action when clicked. Icons typically don’t include explanatory text, and are sometimes buttons or included on a button.

If using the image of an icon or button, write the name of the icon/button directly after it or add alt-text. Avoid using the terms “icon” or “button” unless they’re needed for clarity.

For example:

• A search icon (also may be a button):

• A save button:

• A reply button with an icon:

• Use: Click for more options. (Alt-text: “the menu”)

• Use: Click the star to add the page to your favorites.

• Don’t use: Click the pencil icon to edit the post.

FAQs

There are some grammatical issues that can cause confusion. Here are some of the main offenders.

What is the difference between fewer and less?

Fewer means “not as many,” less means “not as much.”

A commonly-quoted example used to highlight the distinction is: “There are fewer cars on the road, which means there is less traffic.”

Also compare: “The fewer people know about this the better” and “The less people know about this the better”.

Note: The rule does not work if the number is counted as a quantity or as a unit. For example: “She paid less than ten pounds for it” or “His last jump was less than fifteen feet”.

What is the difference between that and which?

This can, and has, caused many arguments, so it's probably best not to get too worried about it. A useful guide is: that defines, which informs.

This is not a cast-iron rule but it can help: “This is the house that Jack built, but I think the one next door, which Jack also built, is more attractive.”

“Which” is often clausal, so is predominantly preceded by a comma - compare “The police stopped the second car that was driven by a woman.” and “The police stopped the second car, which was driven by a woman.”

Is it OK to split an infinitive?

There is no grammatical rule that says you can't split an infinitive. Sometimes, it is definitely better to split:

"Can dot.com companies ever hope to fully recover their share values?"

This sounds much better than moving “fully” in front of “to recover” or behind it. The key is not to write anything that is ambiguous or inelegant.