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doc/styleguide: use sentence case (#567377)
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@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Write for someone who knows a great deal — up to but not including this projec
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If specific knowledge is required, mention it at the start of the page.
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### Show, Don't Tell
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### Show, don't tell
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The fastest path to understanding is a working example.
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People learn by doing, not by reading about doing.
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@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ People learn by doing, not by reading about doing.
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- Cover edge cases or variations
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- Link to further information instead of including it
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### Grammar and Style
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### Grammar and style
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**Sentence structure:**
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@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Users care about *detecting hardware*, not *the tool that does it*.
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> This command detects your hardware and saves the configuration.
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### Content Organization
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### Content organization
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Lead with value. State what the reader will accomplish before explaining how.
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@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ Use **progressive disclosure**. Introduce concepts only when needed.
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3. Explain concepts if needed
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4. Provide advanced options separately or link to the reference
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### No Meta-commentary
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### No meta-commentary
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Don't describe what the documentation does. Just do it.
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@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ Don't describe what the documentation does. Just do it.
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> Set up a web server:
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### Code Examples
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### Code examples
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**Keep examples focused:**
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@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ Paste code examples directly and without further alteration.
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}
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```
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### Lead with Practical Examples
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### Lead with practical examples
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Don't front-load theory. Readers want to accomplish something first, then understand why it works.
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@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ Users learn the NixOS module system by seeing patterns first.
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- Link deeper concepts instead of inlining them
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- Link to `nix.dev` for optional learning
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### General Rules
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### General rules
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- Abbreviate keys like `ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC…`
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- Abbreviate IP addresses like `192.168.XXX.XXX`
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@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ Use sentence case. A reader scanning only headings should understand the page.
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> Configure networking
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> Add a user to the system
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### Imperative Mood, Voice, and Person
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### Imperative mood, voice, and person
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Use imperative mood for instructions. Address the reader as "you", not "the user". Use active voice; in other words, make the subject do the action.
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@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ Use present tense for descriptions. Future tense makes documentation feel tentat
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> This creates a new folder.
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> Running this command installs the package.
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### Be Confident
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### Be confident
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State facts. Don't hedge with "should," "might," "typically," or "usually" unless the behavior genuinely varies.
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@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ State facts. Don't hedge with "should," "might," "typically," or "usually" unles
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> This creates the configuration file.
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> The service starts automatically.
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### Avoid Nominalizations
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### Avoid nominalizations
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A nominalization is a verb turned into a noun, often by adding *-tion*, *-meant*, or *-ance* (e.g. "explanation", "selection"). The fix: find the hidden verb and use it directly.
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@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ A nominalization is a verb turned into a noun, often by adding *-tion*, *-meant*
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> Select from the list.
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> Explain the error.
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### Plain Words
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### Plain words
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Technical precision for technical terms; plain language for everything else.
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@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ Technical precision for technical terms; plain language for everything else.
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- "set up" not "establish"
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- "find out" not "ascertain"
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### Filler Words and Weak Phrases
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### Filler words and weak phrases
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Cut words and phrases that add length without meaning.
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@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ Delete on sight:
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Every word must earn its place.
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### Writing Procedures
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### Writing procedures
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One instruction per sentence. Don't pack multiple actions into one sentence.
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@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ Don't bury the negative. Key limitations should be prominent, not a footnote aft
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> This service does not support multiple instances.
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### Consistent Terminology
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### Consistent terminology
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Pick a term and stick to it. Don't swap synonyms to avoid repetition. In technical documentation, repetition is clarity.
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@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ Only link when the destination is directly relevant, not for generic background
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> See `[database schema](url)` for the full table structure.
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### UI Language
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### UI language
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Match UI element names exactly: wording, casing, and spacing (even if a label seems oddly worded).
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