Style Guide
All content accepted into the Istio documentation must be clear and understandable. The standard we use to make that determination is defined by the highlights and the general principles of the Google developer style guide. See our review page for details on how your content contributions are reviewed and accepted.
Here you can find all the scenarios where the Istio project has decided to follow a different practice and basic style guidance with Istio-specific examples.
Use sentence case for headings
Use sentence case for the headings in your document. Only capitalize the first word of the heading, except for proper nouns or acronyms.
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Configuring rate limits | Configuring Rate Limits |
| Using Envoy for ingress | Using envoy for ingress |
| Using HTTPS | Using https |
Use title case for the value of the title: field of the front-matter
The text for the title: field of the front-matter must use title case.
Capitalize the first letter of every word except conjunctions and prepositions.
Use present tense
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| This command starts a proxy. | This command will start a proxy. |
Exception: Use future or past tense if it is required to convey the correct meaning. This exception is extremely rare and should be avoided.
Use active voice
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| You can explore the API using a browser. | The API can be explored using a browser. |
| The YAML file specifies the replica count. | The replica count is specified in the YAML file. |
Use simple and direct language
Use simple and direct language. Avoid using unnecessary phrases, such as saying “please.”
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
To create a ReplicaSet, … | In order to create a ReplicaSet, … |
| See the configuration file. | Please see the configuration file. |
| View the Pods. | With this next command, we’ll view the Pods. |
Address the reader as “you”
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
You can create a Deployment by … | We’ll create a Deployment by … |
| In the preceding output, you can see… | In the preceding output, we can see … |
Create useful links
There are good hyperlinks, and bad hyperlinks. The common practice of calling links here or click here are examples of bad hyperlinks. Check out this excellent article explaining what makes a good hyperlink and try to keep these guidelines in mind when creating or reviewing site content.
Avoid using “we”
Using “we” in a sentence can be confusing, because the reader might not know whether they’re part of the “we” you’re describing.
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Version 1.4 includes … | In version 1.4, we have added … |
| Istio provides a new feature for … | We provide a new feature … |
| This page teaches you how to use pods. | In this page, we are going to learn about pods. |
Avoid jargon and idioms
Some readers speak English as a second language. Avoid jargon and idioms to help make their understanding easier.
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Internally, … | Under the hood, … |
| Create a new cluster. | Turn up a new cluster. |
| Initially, … | Out of the box, … |
Avoid statements about the future
Avoid making promises or giving hints about the future. If you need to talk about a feature in development, add a boilerplate under the front matter that identifies the information accordingly.
Avoid statements that will soon be out of date
Avoid using wording that becomes outdated quickly like “currently” and “new”. A feature that is new today is not new for long.
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| In version 1.4, … | In the current version, … |
| The Federation feature provides … | The new Federation feature provides … |