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style-guide: add guidelines for --opt arg, improve wording #10906

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Oct 11, 2023
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30 changes: 15 additions & 15 deletions contributing-guides/style-guide.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ Example:

- Use GNU-style **long options** (like `--help` rather than `-h`) when they are cross-platform compatible (intended to work the same across multiple platforms).
- In other cases, use short options (like `-h`).
- Prefer using a space instead of the equals sign (`=`) to separate options from their arguments (i.e. use `--opt arg` instead of `--opt=arg`), unless the program does not support it.

## Placeholder syntax

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -175,27 +176,26 @@ to figure out how to use the command and fill it in with values.
Technical wording on description lines should use the `backtick` syntax.
Use backticks on the following:

- Paths, ex. `package.json`, `/etc/package.json`.
- Extensions, ex. `.dll`.
- Commands, ex. `ls`.
- Paths, e.g. `package.json`, `/etc/package.json`.
- Extensions, e.g. `.dll`.
- Commands, e.g. `ls`.

## Descriptions


- Avoid using the page title in the description (e.g. use `A sketching and painting program designed for digital artists` instead of `Krita is a sketching and painting program designed for digital artists`) unless the program name differs from the executable name (e.g. `rg` and Ripgrep).
- Avoid mentioning that the program is used on the command-line (e.g. use `Ripgrep is a recursive line-oriented search tool` instead of `Ripgrep is a recursive line-oriented CLI search tool`).

### Imperative Mood

- **All descriptions have to be phrased in an imperative mood and must be concise.**
- **All descriptions must be concise and phrased in the imperative mood.**
- This also applies to all translations by default unless otherwise specified in the language-specific section below.
- For example, when writing documentation for `cd`, a tool to check out and work on a specific directory in the Terminal or Command Prompt, **do not** write lengthy descriptions such as:
- For example, when writing documentation for `cd`, a tool to check out and work on a specific directory in the Terminal or Command Prompt, **do not** write a lengthy description such as:

```md
> `cd` is a system tool, available in Windows, macOS, and Linux, to check out a specific directory to get things done in the Command Prompt, Terminal, and PowerShell.
```

It can be simplified for everyone to read:
It should instead be simplified to make it easier for everyone to read:

```md
> Change the current working directory.
Expand All @@ -205,21 +205,21 @@ If you are afraid the commands may differ between platforms or operating systems

In this case, the information of the Windows version of `cd` (stored in `pages/windows/cd.md`) will be displayed by default to Windows users, and a generic/common version (stored in `pages/common/cd.md`) will be displayed for Linux, macOS, and other platforms.

Similarly, when writing examples, instead of `Listing all files:`, `List all files:` can be be used as the example's description below:
When writing descriptions for command examples, **check for any grammatical errors**. `Go to the specified directory` is preferred instead of:

- `Going to the specified directory` (should not be in present participle form)
- `This command will go to the specified directory` (it is clear that this example works for *this* comment)
- `Let's go to the specified directory!`
- `Directory change` (use the active form instead of passive, if possible)

For instance, instead of `Listing all files:`, `List all files:` can be be used as the example's description below:

```md
- Listing all files:

`ls`
```

When writing descriptions for command examples, **check out for any grammatical errors**. `Go to the specified directory` is preferred instead of:

- `Going to the specified directory` (should not be in present participle form)
- `This command will go to the specified directory` (it is clear that this example works for *this* comment
- `Let's go to the specified directory!`
- `Directory change` (use active form instead of passive, if possible)

## Serial Comma

- When declaring a list of 3 or more items,
Expand Down