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.

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

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

Use simple and direct language

Use simple and direct language. Avoid using unnecessary phrases, such as saying “please.”

Address the reader as “you”

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.

Avoid jargon and idioms

Some readers speak English as a second language. Avoid jargon and idioms to help make their understanding easier.

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Avoid statements that will soon be out of date

Avoid using wording that becomes outdated quickly like “currently” and “new”.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.