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Diffstat (limited to 'guides/source/api_documentation_guidelines.md')
-rw-r--r-- | guides/source/api_documentation_guidelines.md | 32 |
1 files changed, 27 insertions, 5 deletions
diff --git a/guides/source/api_documentation_guidelines.md b/guides/source/api_documentation_guidelines.md index d0499878da..311cc23cf0 100644 --- a/guides/source/api_documentation_guidelines.md +++ b/guides/source/api_documentation_guidelines.md @@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ Write in present tense: "Returns a hash that...", rather than "Returned a hash t Start comments in upper case. Follow regular punctuation rules: ```ruby -# Declares an attribute reader backed by an internally-named +# Declares an attribute reader backed by an internally-named # instance variable. def attr_internal_reader(*attrs) ... @@ -42,10 +42,32 @@ Spell names correctly: Arel, Test::Unit, RSpec, HTML, MySQL, JavaScript, ERB. Wh Use the article "an" for "SQL", as in "an SQL statement". Also "an SQLite database". +Prefer wordings that avoid "you"s and "your"s. For example, instead of + +```markdown +If you need to use `return` statements in your callbacks, it is recommended that you explicitly define them as methods. +``` + +use this style: + +```markdown +If `return` is needed it is recommended to explicitly define a method. +``` + +That said, when using pronouns in reference to a hypothetical person, such as "a +user with a session cookie", gender neutral pronouns (they/their/them) should be +used. Instead of: + +* he or she... use they. +* him or her... use them. +* his or her... use their. +* his or hers... use theirs. +* himself or herself... use themselves. + English ------- -Please use American English (<em>color</em>, <em>center</em>, <em>modularize</em>, etc).. See [a list of American and British English spelling differences here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_spelling_differences). +Please use American English (<em>color</em>, <em>center</em>, <em>modularize</em>, etc). See [a list of American and British English spelling differences here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_spelling_differences). Example Code ------------ @@ -57,7 +79,7 @@ Use two spaces to indent chunks of code--that is, for markup purposes, two space Short docs do not need an explicit "Examples" label to introduce snippets; they just follow paragraphs: ```ruby -# Converts a collection of elements into a formatted string by +# Converts a collection of elements into a formatted string by # calling +to_s+ on all elements and joining them. # # Blog.all.to_formatted_s # => "First PostSecond PostThird Post" @@ -141,7 +163,7 @@ class Array end ``` -WARNING: Using a pair of `+...+` for fixed-width font only works with **words**; that is: anything matching `\A\w+\z`. For anything else use `<tt>...</tt>`, notably symbols, setters, inline snippets, etc. +WARNING: Using a pair of `+...+` for fixed-width font only works with **words**; that is: anything matching `\A\w+\z`. For anything else use `<tt>...</tt>`, notably symbols, setters, inline snippets, etc. ### Regular Font @@ -172,7 +194,7 @@ In lists of options, parameters, etc. use a hyphen between the item and its desc # * <tt>:allow_nil</tt> - Skip validation if attribute is +nil+. ``` -The description starts in upper case and ends with a full stop—it's standard English. +The description starts in upper case and ends with a full stop-it's standard English. Dynamically Generated Methods ----------------------------- |