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diff --git a/doc/development/doc_styleguide.md b/doc/development/doc_styleguide.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..187ec9e7b75 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/development/doc_styleguide.md @@ -0,0 +1,270 @@ +# Documentation styleguide + +This styleguide recommends best practices to improve documentation and to keep +it organized and easy to find. + +## Naming + +- When creating a new document and it has more than one word in its name, + make sure to use underscores instead of spaces or dashes (`-`). For example, + a proper naming would be `import_projects_from_github.md`. The same rule + applies to images. + +## Text + +- Split up long lines, this makes it much easier to review and edit. Only + double line breaks are shown as a full line break in [GitLab markdown][gfm]. + 80-100 characters is a good line length +- Make sure that the documentation is added in the correct directory and that + there's a link to it somewhere useful +- Do not duplicate information +- Be brief and clear +- Unless there's a logical reason not to, add documents in alphabetical order +- Write in US English +- Use [single spaces][] instead of double spaces + +## Formatting + +- Use dashes (`-`) for unordered lists instead of asterisks (`*`) +- Use the number one (`1`) for ordered lists +- Use underscores (`_`) to mark a word or text in italics +- Use double asterisks (`**`) to mark a word or text in bold +- When using lists, prefer not to end each item with a period. You can use + them if there are multiple sentences, just keep the last sentence without + a period + +## Headings + +- Add only one H1 title in each document, by adding `#` at the beginning of + it (when using markdown). For subheadings, use `##`, `###` and so on +- Avoid putting numbers in headings. Numbers shift, hence documentation anchor + links shift too, which eventually leads to dead links. If you think it is + compelling to add numbers in headings, make sure to at least discuss it with + someone in the Merge Request +- When introducing a new document, be careful for the headings to be + grammatically and syntactically correct. It is advised to mention one or all + of the following GitLab members for a review: `@axil`, `@rspeicher`, + `@dblessing`, `@ashleys`, `@nearlythere`. This is to ensure that no document + with wrong heading is going live without an audit, thus preventing dead links + and redirection issues when corrected +- Leave exactly one newline after a heading + +## Links + +- If a link makes the paragraph to span across multiple lines, do not use + the regular Markdown approach: `[Text](https://example.com)`. Instead use + `[Text][identifier]` and at the very bottom of the document add: + `[identifier]: https://example.com`. This is another way to create Markdown + links which keeps the document clear and concise. Bonus points if you also + add an alternative text: `[identifier]: https://example.com "Alternative text"` + that appears when hovering your mouse on a link + +## Images + +- Place images in a separate directory named `img/` in the same directory where + the `.md` document that you're working on is located. Always prepend their + names with the name of the document that they will be included in. For + example, if there is a document called `twitter.md`, then a valid image name + could be `twitter_login_screen.png`. +- Images should have a specific, non-generic name that will differentiate them. +- Keep all file names in lower case. +- Consider using PNG images instead of JPEG. + +Inside the document: + +- The Markdown way of using an image inside a document is: + `` +- Always use a proper description for what the image is about. That way, when a + browser fails to show the image, this text will be used as an alternative + description +- If there are consecutive images with little text between them, always add + three dashes (`---`) between the image and the text to create a horizontal + line for better clarity +- If a heading is placed right after an image, always add three dashes (`---`) + between the image and the heading + +## Notes + +- Notes should be quoted with the word `Note:` being bold. Use this form: + + ``` + >**Note:** + This is something to note. + ``` + + which renders to: + + >**Note:** + This is something to note. + + If the note spans across multiple lines it's OK to split the line. + +## New features + +- Every piece of documentation that comes with a new feature should declare the + GitLab version that feature got introduced. Right below the heading add a + note: `_**Note:** This feature was introduced in GitLab 8.3_` +- If possible every feature should have a link to the MR that introduced it. + The above note would be then transformed to: + `_**Note:** This feature was [introduced][ce-1242] in GitLab 8.3_`, where + the [link identifier](#links) is named after the repository (CE) and the MR + number +- If the feature is only in GitLab EE, don't forget to mention it, like: + `_**Note:** This feature was introduced in GitLab EE 8.3_`. Otherwise, leave + this mention out + +## References + +- **GitLab Restart:** + There are many cases that a restart/reconfigure of GitLab is required. To + avoid duplication, link to the special document that can be found in + [`doc/administration/restart_gitlab.md`][doc-restart]. Usually the text will + read like: + + ``` + Save the file and [reconfigure GitLab](../administration/restart_gitlab.md) + for the changes to take effect. + ``` + If the document you are editing resides in a place other than the GitLab CE/EE + `doc/` directory, instead of the relative link, use the full path: + `http://doc.gitlab.com/ce/administration/restart_gitlab.html`. + Replace `reconfigure` with `restart` where appropriate. + +## Installation guide + +- **Ruby:** + In [step 2 of the installation guide](../install/installation.md#2-ruby), + we install Ruby from source. Whenever there is a new version that needs to + be updated, remember to change it throughout the codeblock and also replace + the sha256sum (it can be found in the [downloads page][ruby-dl] of the Ruby + website). + +[ruby-dl]: https://www.ruby-lang.org/en/downloads/ "Ruby download website" + +## API + +Here is a list of must-have items. Use them in the exact order that appears +on this document. Further explanation is given below. + +- Every method must have the REST API request. For example: + + ``` + GET /projects/:id/repository/branches + ``` + +- Every method must have a detailed + [description of the parameters](#method-description). +- Every method must have a cURL example. +- Every method must have a response body (in JSON format). + +### Method description + +Use the following table headers to describe the methods. Attributes should +always be in code blocks using backticks (`). + +``` +| Attribute | Type | Required | Description | +| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- | +``` + +Rendered example: + +| Attribute | Type | Required | Description | +| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- | +| `user` | string | yes | The GitLab username | + +### cURL commands + +- Use `https://gitlab.example.com/api/v3/` as an endpoint. +- Wherever needed use this private token: `9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK`. +- Always put the request first. `GET` is the default so you don't have to + include it. +- Use double quotes to the URL when it includes additional parameters. +- Prefer to use examples using the private token and don't pass data of + username and password. + +| Methods | Description | +| ------- | ----------- | +| `-H "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK"` | Use this method as is, whenever authentication needed | +| `-X POST` | Use this method when creating new objects | +| `-X PUT` | Use this method when updating existing objects | +| `-X DELETE` | Use this method when removing existing objects | + +### cURL Examples + +Below is a set of [cURL][] examples that you can use in the API documentation. + +#### Simple cURL command + +Get the details of a group: + +```bash +curl -H "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" https://gitlab.example.com/api/v3/groups/gitlab-org +``` + +#### cURL example with parameters passed in the URL + +Create a new project under the authenticated user's namespace: + +```bash +curl -X POST -H "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v3/projects?name=foo" +``` + +#### Post data using cURL's --data + +Instead of using `-X POST` and appending the parameters to the URI, you can use +cURL's `--data` option. The example below will create a new project `foo` under +the authenticated user's namespace. + +```bash +curl --data "name=foo" -H "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v3/projects" +``` + +#### Post data using JSON content + +_**Note:** In this example we create a new group. Watch carefully the single +and double quotes._ + +```bash +curl -X POST -H "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" -H "Content-Type: application/json" --data '{"path": "my-group", "name": "My group"}' https://gitlab.example.com/api/v3/groups +``` + +#### Post data using form-data + +Instead of using JSON or urlencode you can use multipart/form-data which +properly handles data encoding: + +```bash +curl -X POST -H "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" -F "title=ssh-key" -F "key=ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EA..." https://gitlab.example.com/api/v3/users/25/keys +``` + +The above example is run by and administrator and will add an SSH public key +titled ssh-key to user's account which has an id of 25. + +#### Escape special characters + +Spaces or slashes (`/`) may sometimes result to errors, thus it is recommended +to escape them when possible. In the example below we create a new issue which +contains spaces in its title. Observe how spaces are escaped using the `%20` +ASCII code. + +```bash +curl -X POST -H "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v3/projects/42/issues?title=Hello%20Dude" +``` + +Use `%2F` for slashes (`/`). + +#### Pass arrays to API calls + +The GitLab API sometimes accepts arrays of strings or integers. For example, to +restrict the sign-up e-mail domains of a GitLab instance to `*.example.com` and +`example.net`, you would do something like this: + +```bash +curl -X PUT -H "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" -d "restricted_signup_domains[]=*.example.com" -d "restricted_signup_domains[]=example.net" https://gitlab.example.com/api/v3/application/settings +``` + +[cURL]: http://curl.haxx.se/ "cURL website" +[single spaces]: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2011/01/space_invaders.html +[gfm]: http://doc.gitlab.com/ce/markdown/markdown.html#newlines "GitLab flavored markdown documentation" +[doc-restart]: ../administration/restart_gitlab.md "GitLab restart documentation" |