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Style guide

This page lists specific formatting instructions for tldr pages.

Layout

The basic format of each page should match the following template:

# command-name

> Short, snappy description.
> Preferably one line; two are acceptable if necessary.
> More information: <https://example.com>.

- Example description:

`command -opt1 -opt2 -arg1 {{arg_value}}`

- Example description:

`command -opt1 -opt2`

There actually is a linter/formatter that enforces the format above. It is run automatically on every pull request, but you may install it to test your contributions locally before submitting them:

npm install --global tldr-lint
tldr-lint {{page.md}}

For other ways to use tldr-lint, such as linting an entire directory, check out (what else!) tldr tldr-lint. Alternatively, you can also use its alias tldrl.

Your client may be able to preview a page locally using the --render flag:

tldr --render {{page.md}}

Token syntax

User-provided values should use the {{token}} syntax in order to allow tldr clients to highlight them.

Keep the following guidelines in mind when choosing tokens:

Naming

  • Use short but descriptive tokens, such as {{source_file}} or {{wallet.txt}}.
  • Use snake_case for multi-word tokens.
  • Use an actual value rather than a generic placeholder where appropriate. For example, use iostat {{2}} rather than iostat {{interval_in_secs}}.

Paths

  • Use {{filename}} rather than {{file_name}}.
  • For any reference to paths of files or directories, use the format {{path/to/<placeholder>}}, except when the location is implicit.
  • When the path cannot be relative, but has to start at the root of the filesystem, prefix it with a slash, such as get {{/path/to/remote_file}}.
  • In case of a possible reference both to a file or a directory, use {{path/to/file_or_directory}}.

Extensions

  • If a particular extension is expected for the file, append it. For example, unrar x {{compressed.rar}}.
  • In case a generic extension is needed, use {{.ext}}, but only if an extension is required. For instance, in find.md's example "Find files by extension" (find {{root_path}} -name '{{*.ext}}') using {{*.ext}} explains the command without being unnecessarily specific; while in wc -l {{file}} using {{file}} (without extension) is sufficient.

Special cases

  • If a command performs irreversible changes to a file system or devices, write every example in a way that they cannot be thoughtlessly copy-pasted. For example, instead of ddrescue --force --no-scrape /dev/sda /dev/sdb write ddrescue --force --no-scrape {{/dev/sdX}} {{/dev/sdY}} and use the {{/dev/sdXY}} placeholder for block devices instead of /dev/sda1.
  • If a command can take a variable number of arguments, use an ellipsis: {{arg1 arg2 ...}} If one of multiple options is possible, write it as {{either|or}}.

In general, tokens should make it as intuitive as possible 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.

Imperative Mood

Example descriptions have to be phrased in imperative mood.
For example, use List all files, instead of Listing all files or File listing.
This also applies to all translations by default, unless this is not possible for some reason.

Serial Comma

When declaring a list of 3 or more items, use a serial comma, also known as the Oxford comma, since omitting it can create ambiguity.

Delete the Git branches, tags and remotes.

The example above does not use a serial comma, so this could mean one of two things:

  • Delete the Git branches named tags and remotes.
  • Delete all of the following: Git branches, Git tags, and Git remotes.

This can be resolved by inserting a comma before the "and" or "or" in the final element in the list.

Delete the Git branches, tags, and remotes.

More information links

On the More information line, prefer linking to the author's provided documentation.

When not available, use https://manned.org/ as the default fallback.

Chinese-Specific Rules

When Chinese words, Latin words and Arabic numerals are written in the same sentence, it takes more attention to copywriting.

The following guidelines are applied to Chinese (zh) and traditional Chinese (zh_TW):

  1. Place one space before/after English words and numbers.
    For example, use 列出所有 docker 容器 rather than 列出所有docker容器.
    For example, use 宽度为 50 个字 rather than 宽度为50个字.
  2. Place one space between numbers and units except degrees and percentages.
    For example, use 容量 50 MB rather than 容量 50MB.
    For instances of degree and percentage, use 50°C and 50% rather than 50 °C and 50 %.
  3. No additional spaces before/after full-width punctuations.
    For example, use 开启 shell，进入交互模式 rather than 开启 shell ，进入交互模式
  4. Use full-width punctuations except for long Latin clauses.
    For example, use 嗨，你好。 rather than 嗨, 你好.
  5. Use a half-width punctuation to end a sentence when the last character is half-width.
    For example, use 将代码转化为 Python 3. rather than 将代码转化为 Python 3。
  6. Use precise form for technical terms, and do not use unofficial Chinese abbreviations. For example, use Facebook rather than facebook, fb or 脸书.

In order to maintain readability and normalization, please comply the 6 rules above as much as possible when translating pages into Chinese.

For more information and examples of Chinese-specific rules, check out Chinese Copywriting Guidelines.