Recommended word list | GitLab Docs (original) (raw)

To help ensure consistency in the documentation, the Technical Writing team recommends these word choices. In addition:

For guidance not on this page, we defer to these style guides:

.gitlab-ci.yml file

Use backticks and lowercase for the .gitlab-ci.yml file.

When possible, use the full phrase: the .gitlab-ci.yml file

Although users can specify another name for their CI/CD configuration file, in most cases, use the .gitlab-ci.yml file instead.

& (ampersand)

Do not use Latin abbreviations. Use and instead, unless you are documenting a UI element that uses an &.

@mention

Try to avoid @mention. Say mention instead, and consider linking to thementions topic. Don’t use backticks.

2FA, two-factor authentication

Spell out two-factor authentication in sentence case for the first use and in topic titles, and 2FAthereafter. If the first word in a sentence, do not capitalize factor or authentication. For example:

ability, able

Try to avoid using ability or able because they can be ambiguous. The usage of these words is similar to allow and enable.

Instead of talking about the abilities of the user, or the capabilities of the product, be direct and specific.

You can, however, use these terms when you’re talking about security, or preventing someone from being able to complete a task in the UI.

Do not confuse ability or able with permissions or roles.

Use:

Instead of:

above

Try to avoid using above when referring to an example or table in a documentation page. If required, use previous instead. For example:

Do not use above when referring to versions of the product. Use later instead.

Use:

Instead of:

access level

Access levels are different than roles or permissions. When you create a user, you choose an access level: Regular, Auditor, or Administrator.

Capitalize these words when you refer to the UI. Otherwise use lowercase.

add

Use add when an object already exists. If the object does not exist yet, use create instead.Add is the opposite of remove.

For example:

Do not confuse add with create.

Do not use Add new.

Admin area

Use:

Instead of:

Admin Mode

Use title case for Admin Mode. The UI uses title case.

administrator

Use administrator access instead of admin when talking about a user’s access level.

admin access level

An administrator is not a role or permission.

Use:

Instead of:

Use lowercase for advanced search to refer to the faster, more efficient search across the entire GitLab instance.

agent

Use lowercase to refer to the GitLab agent for Kubernetes. For example:

Do not use title case for GitLab Agent or GitLab Agent for Kubernetes.

agent access token

The token generated when you create an agent for Kubernetes. Use agent access token, not:

agnostic

Instead of agnostic, use platform-independent or vendor-neutral. (Vale rule: SubstitutionWarning.yml)

AI, artificial intelligence

Use AI. Do not spell out artificial intelligence.

AI gateway

Use lowercase for AI gateway and do not hyphenate.

AI Impact Dashboard

Use title case for AI Impact Dashboard.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo AI Impact Dashboard. Thereafter, use AI Impact Dashboard by itself.

AI-powered, AI-native

Use AI-native instead of AI-powered. For example, Code Suggestions is an AI-native feature.

air gap, air-gapped

Use offline environment to describe installations that have physical barriers or security policies that prevent or limit internet access. Do not use air gap, air gapped, or air-gapped. For example:

allow, enable

Try to avoid allow and enable, unless you are talking about security-related features or the state of a feature flag.

Use:

Instead of:

This phrasing is more active and is from the user perspective, rather than the person who implemented the feature. For more information, see the Microsoft Style Guide.

analytics

Use lowercase for analytics and its variations, like contribution analytics and issue analytics. However, if the UI has different capitalization, make the documentation match the UI.

For example:

ancestor

To refer to a parent item that’s one or more level above in the hierarchy, use ancestor.

Do not use grandparent.

Examples:

See also: child, descendant, and subgroup.

and/or

Instead of and/or, use or or rewrite the sentence to spell out both options.

and so on

Do not use and so on. Instead, be more specific. For more information, see theMicrosoft Style Guide.

area

Use section instead of area. The only exception is the Admin area.

as

Do not use as to mean because.

Use:

Instead of:

as well as

Instead of as well as, use and.

associate

Do not use associate when describing adding issues to epics, or users to issues, merge requests, or epics.

Instead, use assign. For example:

authenticated user

Use authenticated user instead of other variations, like signed in user or logged in user.

authenticate

Try to use the most suitable preposition when using authenticate as a verb.

Use authenticate with when referring to a system or provider that performs the authentication, like a token or a service like OAuth.

For example:

Use authenticate against when referring to a resource that contains credentials that are checked for validation.

For example:

before you begin

Use before you begin when documenting the tasks that must be completed or the conditions that must be met before a user can complete a tutorial. Do not use requirements or prerequisites.

For more information, see the tutorial page type.

For task topic types, use prerequisites instead.

below

Try to avoid below when referring to an example or table in a documentation page. If required, use following instead. For example:

beta

Use lowercase for beta. For example:

You might also want to link to this topicwhen writing about beta features.

blacklist

Do not use blacklist. Another option is denylist. (Vale rule: InclusiveLanguage.yml)

board

Use lowercase for boards, issue boards, and epic boards.

box

Use text box to refer to the UI field. Do not use field or box. For example:

branch

Use branch by itself to describe a branch. For specific branches, use these terms only:

Do not use the terms feature branch or merge request branch. Be as specific as possible. For example:

bullet

Don’t refer to individual items in an ordered or unordered list as bullets. Use list item instead. If you need to be less ambiguous, you can use:

button

Don’t use a descriptor with button.

Use:

Instead of:

cannot, can not

Use cannot instead of can not.

See also contractions.

card

Although the UI term might be card, do not use it in the documentation. Avoid the descriptor if you can.

Use:

Instead of:

Chat, GitLab Duo Chat

Use Chat with a capital c for Chat or GitLab Duo Chat.

On first use on a page, use GitLab Duo Chat. Thereafter, use Chat by itself.

Do not use Duo Chat.

checkbox

Use one word for checkbox. Do not use check box.

You select (not check or enable) and clear (not deselect or disable) checkboxes. For example:

If you must refer to the checkbox, you can say it is selected or cleared. For example:

(For deselect, Vale rule: SubstitutionWarning.yml)

checkout, check out

Use check out as a verb. For the Git command, use checkout.

cherry-pick, cherry pick

Use the hyphenated version of cherry-pick. Do not use cherry pick.

CI, CD

When talking about GitLab features, use CI/CD. Do not use CI or CD alone.

CI/CD

CI/CD is always uppercase. No need to spell it out on first use.

You can omit CI/CD when the context is clear, especially after the first use. For example:

CI/CD minutes

Do not use CI/CD minutes. This term was renamed to compute minutes.

child

Always use as a compound noun.

Examples:

See also: descendant, parent and subgroup.

click

Do not use click. Instead, use select with buttons, links, menu items, and lists.Select applies to more devices, while click is more specific to a mouse.

However, you can make an exception for right-click and click-through demo.

cloud licensing

Do not use the phrase cloud licensing. Instead, focus on the fact that this subscription is synchronized with GitLab.

For example:

cloud-native

When you’re talking about using a Kubernetes cluster to host GitLab, you’re talking about a cloud-native version of GitLab. This version is different than the larger, more monolithic Linux package that is used to deploy GitLab.

You can also use cloud-native GitLab for short. It should be hyphenated and lowercase.

code completion

Code Suggestions has evolved to include two primary features:

Use lowercase for code completion. Do not use GitLab Duo Code Completion. GitLab Duo is reserved for Code Suggestions only.

Code completion must always be singular.

Example:

Code Explanation

Use title case for Code Explanation.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Code Explanation. Thereafter, use Code Explanation by itself.

code generation

Code Suggestions has evolved to include two primary features:

Use lowercase for code generation. Do not use GitLab Duo Code Generation. GitLab Duo is reserved for Code Suggestions only.

Code generation must always be singular.

Examples:

Code Owner, code owner, CODEOWNER

Use Code Owners to refer to the feature name or concept. For example:

Use code owner or code owners, lowercase, to refer to a person or group with code ownership responsibilities. For example:

Do not use codeowner, CodeOwner, or code-owner.

Use CODEOWNERS, uppercase and in backticks, to refer to the filename. For example:

Code Review Summary

Use title case for Code Review Summary.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Code Review Summary. Thereafter, use Code Review Summary by itself.

Code Suggestions

Use title case for Code Suggestions. On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Code Suggestions.

Code Suggestions, the feature, should always end in an s. However, write like it is singular. For example:

When generically referring to the suggestions that the feature outputs, use lowercase.

Examples:

Code Suggestions has evolved to include two primary features:

collapse

Use collapse instead of close when you are talking about expanding or collapsing a section in the UI.

command line

Use From the command line to introduce commands.

Hyphenate when using as an adjective. For example, a command-line tool.

compute

Use compute for the resources used by runners to run CI/CD jobs.

Related terms:

compute minutes

Use compute minutes instead of these (or similar) terms:

For more information, see epic 2150.

configuration

When you edit a collection of settings, call it a configuration.

configure

Use configure after a feature or product has been set up. For example:

  1. Set up your installation.
  2. Configure your installation.

confirmation dialog

Use confirmation dialog to describe the dialog that asks you to confirm an action. For example:

Do not use confirmation box or confirmation dialog box. See also dialog.

container registry

When documenting the GitLab container registry features and functionality, use lowercase.

Use:

create

Use create when an object does not exist and you are creating it for the first time. Create is the opposite of delete.

For example:

Do not confuse create with add.

Do not use create new. The word create implies that the object is new, and the extra word is not necessary.

currently

Do not use currently when talking about the product or its features. The documentation describes the product as it is today. (Vale rule: CurrentStatus.yml)

custom role

Use custom role when referring to a role created with specific customized permissions.

When referring to a non-custom role, use default role.

data

Use data as a singular noun.

Use:

Instead of:

deadline

Do not use deadline. Use due date instead.

default role

Use default role when referring to the following predefined roles that have no customized permissions added:

Do not use static role, built-in role, or predefined role.

delete

Use delete when an object is completely deleted. Delete is the opposite of create.

When the object continues to exist, use remove instead. For example, you can remove an issue from an epic, but the issue still exists.

Dependency Proxy

Use title case for the GitLab Dependency Proxy.

deploy board

Use lowercase for deploy board.

descendant

To refer to a child item that’s one or more level below in the hierarchy, use descendant.

Do not use grandchild.

Examples:

See also: ancestor, child, and subgroup.

Developer

When writing about the Developer role:

Do not use bold.

Do not use Developer permissions. A user who is assigned the Developer role has a set of associated permissions.

dialog

Use dialog rather than any of these alternatives:

See also confirmation dialog. For more information, see the Microsoft Style Guide.

Before using this term, confirm whether dialog or drawer is the correct term for your use case.

When the dialog is the location of an action, use on as a preposition. For example:

See also on.

disable

Do not use disable to describe making a setting or feature unavailable. Use alternatives like turn off, hide,make unavailable, or remove instead.

To describe a state, use off, inactive, or unavailable.

This guidance is based on theMicrosoft Style Guide.

disallow

Use prevent instead of disallow. (Vale rule: Substitutions.yml)

Discussion Summary

Use title case for Discussion Summary.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Discussion Summary. Thereafter, use Discussion Summary by itself.

Docker-in-Docker, dind

Use Docker-in-Docker when you are describing running a Docker container by using the Docker executor.

Use dind in backticks to describe the container name: docker:dind. Otherwise, spell it out.

downgrade

To be more upbeat and precise, do not use downgrade. Focus instead on the action the user is taking.

download

Use download to describe saving data to a user’s device. For details, seethe Microsoft style guide.

Do not confuse download with export.

drawer

Use drawer to describe a drawer UI component that:

To see examples of drawers:

Before using this term, confirm whether drawer or dialog is the correct term for your use case.

Use dropdown list to refer to the UI element. Do not use dropdown without list after it. Do not use drop-down (hyphenated), dropdown menu, or other variants.

For example:

earlier

Use earlier when talking about version numbers.

Use:

Instead of:

easily

Do not use easily. If the user doesn’t find the process to be easy, we lose their trust.

edit

Use edit for UI documentation and user actions.

Use update for API documentation and programmatic changes.

For example:

e.g.

Do not use Latin abbreviations. Use for example, such as, for instance, or like instead. (Vale rule: LatinTerms.yml)

ellipsis, ellipses

Avoid ellipses when you can. If you must include them, for example as part of a code block or other CLI response, use three periods with no space (...) instead of the … HTML entity or the … HTML code.

For more information, see code blocks.

Do not include any ellipses when documenting UI text.

For more information, see the Microsoft Style Guide.

Use:

Instead of:

email

Do not use e-mail with a hyphen. When plural, use emails or email messages. (Vale rule: SubstitutionWarning.yml)

email address

Use email address when referring to addresses used in emails. Do not shorten to email, which are messages.

emoji

Use emoji to refer to the plural form of emoji.

enable

Do not use enable to describe making a setting or feature available. Use turn on instead.

To describe a state, use on or active.

This guidance is based on theMicrosoft Style Guide.

enter

In most cases, use enter rather than type.

For example:

When you use Enter to refer to the key on a keyboard, use the HTML <kbd> tag:

See also type.

epic

Use lowercase for epic.

See also associate.

epic board

Use lowercase for epic board.

etc.

Try to avoid etc.. Be as specific as you can. Do not useand so on as a replacement.

Use:

Instead of:

expand

Use expand instead of open when you are talking about expanding or collapsing a section in the UI.

experiment

Use lowercase for experiment. For example:

If you must, you can use experimental.

You might also want to link to this topicwhen writing about experimental features.

export

Use export to indicate translating raw data, which is not represented by a file in GitLab, into a standard file format.

You can differentiate export from download because:

For example:

Do not confuse with download.

FAQ

We want users to find information quickly, and they rarely search for the term FAQ. Information in FAQs belongs with other similar information, under an easily searchable topic title.

feature

You should rarely need to use the word feature. Instead, explain what GitLab does. For example, use:

Instead of:

feature branch

Do not use feature branch. See branch.

field

Use text box instead of field or box.

Use:

Instead of:

However, you can make an exception when you are writing a task and you need to refer to all of the fields at once. For example:

  1. On the left sidebar, select Search or go to and find your project.
  2. Select Settings > CI/CD.
  3. Expand General pipelines.
  4. Complete the fields.

Learn more about documenting multiple fields at once.

filename

Use one word for filename. When using filename as a variable, use <filename>.

(Vale rule: SubstitutionWarning.yml)

filter

When you are viewing a list of items, like issues or merge requests, you filter the list by the available attributes. For example, you might filter by assignee or reviewer.

Filtering is different from searching.

foo

Do not use foo in product documentation. You can use it in our API and contributor documentation, but try to use a clearer and more meaningful example instead.

fork

A fork is a project that was created from a upstream project by using the forking process.

The upstream project (also known as the source project) and the fork have a fork relationship and arelinked.

If the fork relationship is removed, thefork is unlinked from the upstream project.

Free

Use Free, in uppercase, for the subscription tier. When you refer to Freein the context of other subscription tiers, follow the subscription tier guidance.

full screen

Use two words for full screen. (Vale rule: SubstitutionWarning.yml)

future tense

When possible, use present tense instead of future tense. For example, use after you execute this command, GitLab displays the result instead of after you execute this command, GitLab will display the result. (Vale rule: FutureTense.yml)

GB, gigabytes

For GB and MB, follow the Microsoft guidance.

Geo

Use title case for Geo.

generally available, general availability

Use lowercase for generally available and general availability. For example:

Use generally available more often. For example, do not say:

Do not use GA to abbreviate general availability.

GitLab

Do not make GitLab possessive (GitLab’s). This guidance follows GitLab Trademark Guidelines.

Do not put GitLab next to the name of another third-party tool or brand. For example, do not use:

Instead, use:

Putting the brand names next to each other can imply ownership or partnership, which we don’t want to do, unless we’ve gone through a legal review and have been told to promote the partnership.

This guidance follows the Use of Third-party Trademarks.

GitLab AI vendor model

Use GitLab AI vendor model to refer to a language modelthat is hosted by a third-party provider, and that customers access using the GitLabAI gateway through the Cloud Connector.

Do not use this term when the language model is hosted by a customer, or when the customer is using the GitLab Duo Self-Hostedfeature.

GitLab Dedicated

Use GitLab Dedicated to refer to the product offering. It refers to a GitLab instance that’s hosted and managed by GitLab for customers.

GitLab Dedicated can be referred to as a single-tenant SaaS service.

Do not use Dedicated by itself. Always use GitLab Dedicated.

GitLab Duo

Do not use Duo by itself. Always use GitLab Duo.

On first use on a page, use GitLab Duo <featurename>. As of Aug, 2024, the following are the names of GitLab Duo features:

Excluding GitLab Duo Self-Hosted, after the first use, use the feature name without GitLab Duo.

GitLab Duo Enterprise

Always use GitLab Duo Enterprise for the add-on. Do not use Duo Enterprise unless approved by legal.

You can use the GitLab Duo Enterprise add-on (with this capitalization) but you do not need to use add-onand should leave it off when you can.

GitLab Duo Pro

Always use GitLab Duo Pro for the add-on. Do not use Duo Pro unless approved by legal.

You can use the GitLab Duo Pro add-on (with this capitalization) but you do not need to use add-onand should leave it off when you can.

GitLab Duo Self-Hosted

When referring to the feature, always write GitLab Duo Self-Hosted in full and in title case, unless you arereferring to a language model that’s hosted by a customer, rather than GitLab.

Do not use Self-Hosted by itself.

GitLab Duo Workflow

Use GitLab Duo Workflow. After first use, use Workflow.

Do not use Duo Workflow by itself.

GitLab Flavored Markdown

When possible, spell out GitLab Flavored Markdown.

If you must abbreviate, do not use GFM. Use GLFM instead.

GitLab Helm chart, GitLab chart

To deploy a cloud-native version of GitLab, use:

Do not use the gitlab chart, the GitLab Chart, or the cloud-native chart.

You use the GitLab Helm chart to deploy cloud-native GitLab in a Kubernetes cluster.

If you use it in a context of describing thedifferent installation methodsuse Helm chart (Kubernetes).

GitLab Pages

For consistency and branding, use GitLab Pages rather than Pages.

However, if you use GitLab Pages for the first mention on a page or in the UI, you can use Pages thereafter.

GitLab Runner

Use title case for GitLab Runner. This is the product you install. For more information about the decision for this usage, see this issue.

See also:

GitLab SaaS

GitLab SaaS refers to both GitLab.com (multi-tenant SaaS) as well as GitLab Dedicated (single-tenant SaaS).

Try to avoid GitLab SaaS and instead, refer to the specific offering instead.

GitLab Self-Managed

Use GitLab Self-Managed to refer to an installation of GitLab that customers manage.

Use the descriptor of instance as needed. Do not use installation.

Use:

Instead of:

You can use instance on its own to describe GitLab Self-Managed. For example:

See also self-managed.

GitLab.com

Use GitLab.com to refer to the URL or product offering. GitLab.com is the instance that’s managed by GitLab.

GitLab Workflow extension for VS Code

Use GitLab Workflow extension for VS Code to refer to the extension. You can also use GitLab Workflow for VS Code or GitLab Workflow.

For terms in VS Code, see VS Code user interface

GraphiQL

Use GraphiQL or GraphQL explorer to refer to this tool.

In most cases, you should use GraphiQL on its own with no descriptor.

Do not use:

group access token

Use sentence case for group access token.

Capitalize the first word when you refer to the UI.

guide

We want to speak directly to users. On docs.gitlab.com, do not use guide as part of a page title. For example, Snowplow Guide. Instead, speak about the feature itself, and how to use it. For example, Use Snowplow to do xyz.

Guest

When writing about the Guest role:

Do not use bold.

Do not use Guest permissions. A user who is assigned the Guest role has a set of associated permissions.

handy

Do not use handy. If the user doesn’t find the feature or process to be handy, we lose their trust. (Vale rule: Simplicity.yml)

high availability, HA

Do not use high availability or HA, except in the GitLab reference architectures. Instead, direct readers to the reference architectures for more information about configuring GitLab for handling greater amounts of users.

Do not use phrases like high availability setup to mean a multiple node environment. Instead, use multi-node setup or similar.

higher

Do not use higher when talking about version numbers.

Use:

Instead of:

hit

Don’t use hit to mean press.

Use:

Instead of:

I

Do not use first-person singular. Use you or rewrite the phrase instead.

i.e.

Do not use Latin abbreviations. Use that is instead. (Vale rule: LatinTerms.yml)

in order to

Do not use in order to. Use to instead. (Vale rule: Wordy.yml)

indexes, indices

For the plural of index, use indexes.

However, for Elasticsearch, use indices.

Installation from source

When referring to the installation method using the self-compiled code, refer to it as self-compiled.

Use:

Instead of:

For more information, see thedifferent installation methods.

-ing words

Remove -ing words whenever possible. They can be difficult to translate, and more precise terms are usually available. For example:

issue

Use lowercase for issue.

issue board

Use lowercase for issue board.

Issue Description Generation

Use title case for Issue Description Generation.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Issue Description Generation. Thereafter, use Issue Description Generation by itself.

Issue Discussion Summary

Use title case for Issue Discussion Summary.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Issue Discussion Summary. Thereafter, use Issue Discussion Summary by itself.

issue weights

Use lowercase for issue weights.

IP address

Use IP address when refering to addresses used with Internet Protocal (IP). Do not refer to an IP address as anIP.

it

When you use the word it, ensure the word it refers to is obvious. If it’s not obvious, repeat the word rather than using it.

Use:

Instead of:

See also this, these, that, those.

job

Do not use build to be synonymous with job. A job is defined in the .gitlab-ci.yml file and runs as part of a pipeline.

If you want to use CI with the word job, use CI/CD job rather than CI job.

Kubernetes executor

GitLab Runner can run jobs on a Kubernetes cluster. To do this, GitLab Runner uses the Kubernetes executor.

When referring to this feature, use:

Do not use:

language model, large language model

When referring to language models, be precise. Not all language models are large, and not all models are language models. When in doubt, ask a developer or PM for confirmation.

You can use LLM to refer to a large language model if you spell it out on first use.

later

Use later when talking about version numbers.

Use:

Instead of:

level

If you can, avoid using level in the context of an instance, project, or group.

Use:

Instead of:

lifecycle, life cycle, life-cycle

Use one word for lifecycle. Do not use life cycle or life-cycle.

(Vale rule: SubstitutionWarning.yml)

list

Do not use list when referring to a dropdown list. Use the full phrase dropdown list instead.

Also, do not use list when referring to a page. For example, the Issues page is populated with a list of issues. However, you should call it the Issues page, and not the Issues list.

license

Licenses are different than subscriptions.

Do not use the term cloud license.

The following terms are displayed in the UI and in emails. You can use them when necessary:

However, if you can, rather than using the term, use the more specific description instead.

Use:

Instead of:

limitations

Do not use limitations. Use known issues instead.

log in, log on

Do not use:

Use sign in instead.

However, if the user interface has Log in, you should match the UI.

limited availability

Use lowercase for limited availability. For example:

Do not use:

Do not use LA to abbreviate limited availability.

logged-in user, logged in user

Use authenticated user instead of logged-in user or logged in user.

lower

Do not use lower when talking about version numbers.

Use:

Instead of:

machine learning

Use lowercase for machine learning.

When machine learning is used as an adjective, like a machine learning model, do not hyphenate. While a hyphen might be more grammatically correct, we risk becoming inconsistent if we try to be more precise.

Maintainer

When writing about the Maintainer role:

Do not use bold.

Do not use Maintainer permissions. A user who is assigned the Maintainer role has a set of associated permissions.

mankind

Do not use mankind. Use people or humanity instead. (Vale rule: InclusiveLanguage.yml)

manpower

Do not use manpower. Use words like workforce or GitLab team members. (Vale rule: InclusiveLanguage.yml)

master

Do not use master. Use main when you need a sample default branch name. (Vale rule: InclusiveLanguage.yml)

may, might

Might means something has the probability of occurring. Might is often used in troubleshooting documentation.

May gives permission to do something. Consider can instead of may.

Consider rewording phrases that use these terms. These terms often indicate possibility and doubt, and technical writing strives to be precise.

See also you can.

Use:

Instead of:

MB, megabytes

For MB and GB, follow the Microsoft guidance.

member

When you add a user account to a group or project, the user account becomes a member.

Merge Commit Message Generation

Use title case for Merge Commit Message Generation.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Merge Commit Message Generation. Thereafter, use Merge Commit Message Generation by itself.

merge request branch

Do not use merge request branch. See branch.

merge requests

Use lowercase for merge requests. If you use MR as the acronym, spell it out on first use.

Merge Request Summary

Use title case for Merge Request Summary.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Merge Request Summary. Thereafter, use Merge Request Summary by itself.

milestones

Use lowercase for milestones.

Minimal Access

When writing about the Minimal Access role:

Do not use bold.

Do not use Minimal Access permissions. A user who is assigned the Minimal Access role has a set of associated permissions.

model registry

When documenting the GitLab model registry features and functionality, use lowercase.

Use:

models

For usage, see language models.

n/a, N/A, not applicable

When possible, use not applicable. Spelling out the phrase helps non-English speaking users and avoids capitalization inconsistencies.

Do not use navigate. Use go instead. For example:

(Vale rule: SubstitutionWarning.yml)

need to

Try to avoid need to, because it’s wordy.

For example, when a variable is required, instead of You need to set the variable, use:

When the variable is recommended:

When the variable is optional:

new

Often, you can avoid the word new. When you create an object, it is new, so you don’t need this additional word.

See also create and add.

newer

Do not use newer when talking about version numbers.

Use:

Instead of:

normal, normally

Don’t use normal to mean the usual, typical, or standard way of doing something. Use those terms instead.

Use:

Instead of:

(Vale rule: Normal.yml)

note that

Do not use note that because it’s wordy.

Use:

Instead of:

offerings

The current product offerings are:

The availability details reflect these offerings.

older

Do not use older when talking about version numbers.

Use:

Instead of:

Omnibus GitLab

When referring to the installation method that uses the Linux package, refer to it as Linux package.

Use:

Instead of:

For more information, see thedifferent installation methods.

on

When documenting high-level UI elements, use on as a preposition. For example:

Do not use from or in. For more information, see the Microsoft Style Guide.

once

The word once means one time. Don’t use it to mean after or when.

Use:

Instead of:

only

Put the word only next to the word it modifies.

In the following example, only modifies the noun projects. The meaning is that you can create one type of project–a private project.

In the following example, only modifies the verb create. The meaning is that you can’t perform other actions, like deleting private projects, or adding users to them.

override

Use override to indicate temporary replacement.

For example, a value might be overridden when a job runs. The original value does not change.

overwrite

Use overwrite to indicate permanent replacement.

For example, a log file might overwrite a log file of the same name.

Owner

When writing about the Owner role:

Do not use bold.

Do not use Owner permissions. A user who is assigned the Owner role has a set of associated permissions. An Owner is the highest role a user can have.

package registry

When documenting the GitLab package registry features and functionality, use lowercase.

Use:

page

If you write a phrase like, “On the Issues page,” ensure steps for how to get to the page are nearby. Otherwise, people might not know what the Issues page is.

The page name should be visible in the UI at the top of the page, or included in the breadcrumb.

The docs should match the case in the UI, and the page name should be bold. For example:

parent

Always use as a compound noun.

Do not use direct ancestor or ascendant.

Examples:

See also: child, and subgroup.

per

Do not use per because it can have several different meanings.

Use the specific prepositional phrase instead:

permissions

Do not use roles and permissions interchangeably. Each user is assigned a role. Each role includes a set of permissions.

Permissions are not the same as access levels.

personal access token

Use sentence case for personal access token.

Capitalize the first word when you refer to the UI.

Planner

When writing about the Planner role:

Do not use bold.

Do not use Planner permissions. A user who is assigned the Planner role has a set of associated permissions.

please

Do not use please in the product documentation.

In UI text, use please when we’ve inconvenienced the user. For more information, see the Microsoft Style Guide.

Premium

Use Premium, in uppercase, for the subscription tier. When you refer to Premiumin the context of other subscription tiers, follow the subscription tier guidance.

preferences

Use preferences to describe user-specific, system-level settings like theme and layout.

prerequisites

Use prerequisites when documenting the tasks that must be completed or the conditions that must be met before a user can complete a task. Do not use requirements.

Prerequisites must always be plural, even if the list includes only one item.

For more information, see the task topic type.

For tutorial page types, use before you begin instead.

press

Use press when talking about keyboard keys. For example:

profanity

Do not use profanity. Doing so may negatively affect other users and contributors, which is contrary to the GitLab value of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging.

project

See repository, project.

project access token

Use sentence case for project access token.

Capitalize the first word when you refer to the UI.

provision

Use the term provision when referring to provisioning cloud infrastructure. You provision the infrastructure, and then deploy applications to it.

For example, you might write something like:

push rules

Use lowercase for push rules.

quite

Do not use quite because it’s wordy.

README file

Use backticks and lowercase for the README file, or the README.md file.

When possible, use the full phrase: the README file

For plural, use README files.

recommend, we recommend

Instead of we recommend, use you should. We want to talk to the user the way we would talk to a colleague, and to avoid differentiation between we and them.

See also recommended steps.

register

Use register instead of sign up when talking about creating an account.

reindex

Use reindex instead of re-index when talking about search.

remove

Use remove when an object continues to exist. For example, you can remove an issue from an epic, but the issue still exists.

When an object is completely deleted, use delete instead.

Reporter

When writing about the Reporter role:

Do not use bold.

Do not use Reporter permissions. A user who is assigned the Reporter role has a set of associated permissions.

repository, project

A GitLab project contains, among other things, a Git repository. Use repository when referring to the Git repository. Use project to refer to the GitLab user interface for managing and configuring the Git repository, wiki, and other features.

Repository Mirroring

Use title case for Repository Mirroring.

resolution, resolve

Use resolution when the troubleshooting solution fixes the issue permanently. A resolution usually involves file and code changes to correct the problem. For example:

See also workaround.

requirements

When documenting the tasks that must be completed or the conditions that must be met before a user can complete the steps:

Do not use requirements.

reset

Use reset to describe the action associated with resetting an item to a new state.

respectively

Avoid respectively and be more precise instead.

Use:

Instead of:

restore

See the Microsoft Style Guide for guidance on restore.

review app

Use lowercase for review app.

roles

A user has a role for a project or group.

Use:

Instead of:

Do not use roles and permissions interchangeably. Each user is assigned a role. Each role includes a set of permissions.

There are two types of roles: custom and default.

Roles are not the same as access levels.

Root Cause Analysis

Use title case for Root Cause Analysis.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Root Cause Analysis. Thereafter, use Root Cause Analysis by itself.

roll back

Use roll back for changing a GitLab version to an earlier one.

Do not use roll back for licensing or subscriptions. Use change the subscription tier instead.

runner, runners

Use lowercase for runners. These are the agents that run CI/CD jobs. See also GitLab Runner and this issue.

When referring to runners, if you have to specify that the runners are installed on a customer’s GitLab instance, use self-managed rather than self-hosted.

When referring to the scope of runners, use:

runner manager, runner managers

Use lowercase for runner managers. These are a type of runner that can create multiple runners for autoscaling. See also GitLab Runner.

runner worker, runner workers

Use lowercase for runner workers. This is the process created by the runner on the host computing platform to run jobs. See also GitLab Runner.

runner authentication token

Use runner authentication token instead of variations like runner token, authentication token, or token. Runners are assigned runner authentication tokens when they are created, and use them to authenticate with GitLab when they execute jobs.

Runner SaaS, SaaS runners

Do not use Runner SaaS or SaaS runners.

Use GitLab-hosted runners as the main feature name that describes runners hosted on GitLab.com and GitLab Dedicated.

To specify offerings and operating systems use:

Do not use hosted runners without the GitLab- prefix or without the offering or operating system.

(s)

Do not use (s) to make a word optionally plural. It can slow down comprehension. For example:

Use:

Instead of:

If you can select multiples of something, then write the word as plural.

sanity check

Do not use sanity check. Use check for completeness instead. (Vale rule: InclusiveLanguage.yml)

scalability

Do not use scalability when talking about increasing GitLab performance for additional users. The words scale or scaling are sometimes acceptable, but references to increasing GitLab performance for additional users should direct readers to the GitLab reference architectures page.

When you search, you type a string in the search box on the left sidebar. The search results are displayed on a search page.

Searching is different from filtering.

seats

When referring to the subscription billing model:

section

Use section to describe an area on a page. For example, if a page has lines that separate the UI into separate areas, refer to these areas as sections.

We often think of expandable/collapsible areas as sections. When you refer to expanding or collapsing a section, don’t include the word section.

Use:

Instead of:

select

Use select with buttons, links, menu items, and lists. Select applies to more devices, while click is more specific to a mouse.

However, you can make an exception for right-click and click-through demo.

self-hosted model

Use self-hosted model (lowercase) to refer to a language model that’s hosted by a customer, rather than GitLab.

The language model might be an LLM (large language model), but it might not be.

Self-Hosted

To avoid confusion with GitLab Self-Managed, when referring to the GitLab Duo Self-Hosted feature, do not use Self-Hosted by itself.

Always write GitLab Duo Self-Hosted in full and in title case, unless you arereferring to a language model that’s hosted by a customer, rather than GitLab.

self-managed

Use GitLab Self-Managed to refer to a customer’s installation of GitLab.

See GitLab Self-Managed.

Service Desk

Use title case for Service Desk.

setup, set up

Use setup as a noun, and set up as a verb. For example:

Do not confuse set up with configure.Set up implies that it’s the first time you’ve done something. For example:

  1. Set up your installation.
  2. Configure your installation.

settings

A setting changes the default behavior of the product. A setting consists of a key/value pair, typically represented by a label with one or more options.

sign in, sign-in

To describe the action of signing in, use:

You can also use:

Do not use:

If the user interface has different words, you can use those.

sign up

Use register instead of sign up when talking about creating an account.

signed-in user, signed in user

Use authenticated user instead of signed-in user or signed in user.

simply, simple

Do not use simply or simple. If the user doesn’t find the process to be simple, we lose their trust. (Vale rule: Simplicity.yml)

since

The word since indicates a timeframe. For example, Since 1984, Bon Jovi has existed. Don’t use since to mean because.

Use:

Instead of:

slashes

Instead of and/or, use or or re-write the sentence. This rule also applies to other slashes, like follow/unfollow. Some exceptions (like CI/CD) are allowed.

slave

Do not use slave. Another option is secondary. (Vale rule: InclusiveLanguage.yml)

storages

In the context of:

Gitaly storages have physical paths and virtual storages have virtual paths.

subgroup

Use subgroup (no hyphen) instead of sub-group. Also, avoid using alternative terms for subgroups, such as child group or low-level group.

(Vale rule: SubstitutionWarning.yml)

subscription tier

Do not confuse subscription or subscription tier with license. A user purchases a subscription. That subscription has a tier.

To describe tiers:

Instead of Use
In the Free tier or greater In all tiers
In the Free tier or higher In all tiers
In the Premium tier or greater In the Premium and Ultimate tier
In the Premium tier or higher In the Premium and Ultimate tier
In the Premium tier or lower In the Free and Premium tier

Suggested Reviewers

Use title case for Suggested Reviewers.

Suggested Reviewers should always be plural, and is capitalized even if it’s generic.

Examples:

tab

Use bold for tab names. For example:

that

Do not use that when describing a noun. For example:

Use:

Instead of:

See also this, these, that, those.

terminal

Use lowercase for terminal. For example:

Terraform Module Registry

Use title case for the GitLab Terraform Module Registry, but use lowercase m when talking about non-specific modules. For example:

Test Generation

Use title case for Test Generation.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Test Generation. Thereafter, use Test Generation by itself.

text box

Use text box instead of field or box when referring to the UI element.

there is, there are

Try to avoid there is and there are. These phrases hide the subject.

Use:

Instead of:

they

Avoid the use of gender-specific pronouns, unless referring to a specific person. Use a singular they as a gender-neutral pronoun.

this, these, that, those

Always follow these words with a noun. For example:

to which, of which

Try to avoid to which and of which, and let the preposition dangle at the end of the sentence instead. For examples, see Prepositions.

to-do item

Use lowercase and hyphenate to-do item. (Vale rule: ToDo.yml)

To-Do List

Use title case for To-Do List. (Vale rule: ToDo.yml)

toggle

You turn on or turn off a toggle. For example:

top-level group

Use lowercase for top-level group (hyphenated).

Do not use root group.

TFA, two-factor authentication

Use 2FA and two-factor authentication instead.

turn on, turn off

Use turn on and turn off instead of enable or disable.

For details, see the Microsoft style guide.

See also enable and disable.

type

Use type when the cursor remains where you’re typing. For example, in a search box, you begin typing and search results appear. You do not click out of the search box.

For example:

See also enter.

Ultimate

Use Ultimate, in uppercase, for the subscription tier. When you refer to Ultimatein the context of other subscription tiers, follow the subscription tier guidance.

undo

See the Microsoft Style Guide for guidance on undo.

units of measurement

Use a space between the number and the unit of measurement. For example, 128 GB. (Vale rule: Units.yml)

For more information, see theMicrosoft Style Guide.

update

Use update for installing a newer patch version of the software only. For example:

Do not use update for any other case. Instead, use upgrade or edit.

upgrade

Use upgrade for:

For example:

Use caution with the phrase Upgrade GitLab without any other text. Ensure the surrounding text clarifies whether you’re talking about the product version or the subscription tier.

See also downgrade and roll back.

upper left, upper right

Use upper-left corner and upper-right corner to provide direction in the UI. If the UI element is not in a corner, use upper left and upper right.

Do not use top left and top right.

For more information, see the Microsoft Style Guide.

useful

Do not use useful. If the user doesn’t find the process to be useful, we lose their trust. (Vale rule: Simplicity.yml)

user account

You create a user account. The user account has an access level. When you add a user account to a group or project, the user account becomes a member.

using

Avoid using in most cases. It hides the subject and makes the phrase more difficult to translate. Use by using, that use, or re-write the sentence.

For example:

utilize

Do not use utilize. Use use instead. It’s more succinct and easier for non-native English speakers to understand. (Vale rule: SubstitutionWarning.yml)

version, v

To describe versions of GitLab, use GitLab <version number>. For example:

To describe other software, use the same style as the documentation for that software. For example:

Pay attention to spacing by the letter v. In semantic versioning, no space exists after the v. For example:

via

Do not use Latin abbreviations. Use with, through, or by using instead. (Vale rule: LatinTerms.yml)

VS Code user interface

When describing the user interface of VS Code and the Web IDE, follow the usage and capitalization of theVS Code documentation, such as Command Palette and Primary Side Bar.

Vulnerability Explanation

Use title case for Vulnerability Explanation.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Vulnerability Explanation. Thereafter, use Vulnerability Explanation by itself.

Vulnerability Resolution

Use title case for Vulnerability Resolution.

On first mention on a page, use GitLab Duo Vulnerability Resolution. Thereafter, use Vulnerability Resolution by itself.

we

Try to avoid we and focus instead on how the user can accomplish something in GitLab.

Use:

Instead of:

Web IDE user interface

See VS Code user interface.

workaround

Use workaround when the troubleshooting solution is a temporary fix. A workaround is usually an immediate fix and might have ongoing issues. For example:

See also resolution.

while

Use while to refer only to something occurring in time. For example,Leave the window open while the process runs.

Do not use while for comparison. For example, use:

Instead of:

For more information, see the Microsoft Style Guide.

whilst

Do not use whilst. Use while instead. While is more succinct and easier for non-native English speakers to understand.

whitelist

Do not use whitelist. Another option is allowlist. (Vale rule: InclusiveLanguage.yml)

within

When possible, do not use within. Use in instead, unless you are referring to a time frame, limit, or boundary. For example:

(Vale rule: SubstitutionWarning.yml)

yet

Do not use yet when talking about the product or its features. The documentation describes the product as it is today.

Sometimes you might need to use yet when writing a task. If you useyet, ensure the surrounding phrases are written in present tense, active voice.

View guidance about how to write about future features.

you, your, yours

Use you instead of the user, the administrator or the customer. Documentation should speak directly to the user, whether that user is someone installing the product, configuring it, administering it, or using it.

Use:

Instead of:

you can

When possible, start sentences with an active verb instead of you can.

For example:

Use you can for optional actions. For example: