1932 lines
77 KiB
Markdown
1932 lines
77 KiB
Markdown
---
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info: For assistance with this Style Guide page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments-to-other-projects-and-subjects.
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stage: none
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group: unassigned
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description: 'Writing styles, markup, formatting, and other standards for GitLab Documentation.'
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---
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# Documentation Style Guide
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This document defines the standards for GitLab documentation, including grammar, formatting, word use, and more.
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For style questions, mention `@tw-style` in an issue or merge request. If you have access to the GitLab Slack workspace,
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use the `#docs-processes` channel.
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In addition to this page, the following resources can help you craft and contribute to documentation:
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- [Doc contribution guidelines](../index.md)
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- [Recommended word list](word_list.md)
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- [Doc style and consistency testing](../testing.md)
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- [UI text guidelines](https://design.gitlab.com/content/error-messages/)
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- [GitLab Handbook style guidelines](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/communication/#writing-style-guidelines)
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- [Microsoft Style Guide](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/welcome/)
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- [Google Developer Documentation Style Guide](https://developers.google.com/style)
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- [Recent updates to this guide](https://gitlab.com/dashboard/merge_requests?scope=all&state=merged&label_name[]=tw-style¬[label_name][]=docs%3A%3Afix)
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## Documentation is the single source of truth (SSOT)
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The GitLab documentation is the SSOT for all
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information related to GitLab implementation, usage, and troubleshooting. It evolves
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continuously, in keeping with new products and features, and with improvements
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for clarity, accuracy, and completeness.
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This policy prevents information silos, making it easier to find information
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about GitLab products.
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It also informs decisions about the kinds of content we include in our
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documentation.
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### The documentation includes all information
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Include problem-solving actions that may address rare cases or be considered
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risky, but provide proper context through fully detailed
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warnings and caveats. This kind of content should be included as it could be
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helpful to others and, when properly explained, its benefits outweigh the risks.
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If you think you have found an exception to this rule, contact the
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Technical Writing team.
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GitLab adds all troubleshooting information to the documentation, no matter how
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unlikely a user is to encounter a situation.
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GitLab Support maintains their own
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[troubleshooting content](../../../administration/index.md#support-team-docs)
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in the GitLab documentation.
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### The documentation includes all media types
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Include any media types/sources if the content is relevant to readers. You can
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freely include or link presentations, diagrams, and videos. No matter who
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it was originally composed for, if it is helpful to any of our audiences, we can
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include it.
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- If you use an image that has a separate source file (for example, a vector or
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diagram format), link the image to the source file so that anyone can update or reuse it.
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- Do not copy and paste content from other sources unless it is a limited
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quotation with the source cited. Typically it is better to either rephrase
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relevant information in your own words or link out to the other source.
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### Topic types
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In the software industry, it is a best practice to organize documentation in
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different types. For example:
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- Concepts
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- Tasks
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- Reference
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- Troubleshooting
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At GitLab, we have not traditionally used topic types. However, we are starting to
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move in this direction, so we can address these issues:
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- **Content is hard to find.** Our docs are comprehensive and include a large amount of
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useful information. Topic types create repeatable patterns that make our content easier
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to scan and parse.
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- **Content is often written from the contributor's point of view.** Our docs
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are written by contributors. Topic types (tasks specifically) help put
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information into a format that is geared toward helping others, rather than
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documenting how a feature was implemented.
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GitLab uses these [topic type templates](../structure.md).
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### Link instead of repeating text
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Rather than repeating information from another topic, link to the single source
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of truth and explain why it is important.
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### Docs-first methodology
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We employ a documentation-first methodology. This method ensures the documentation
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remains a complete and trusted resource, and makes communicating about the use
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of GitLab more efficient.
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- If the answer to a question exists in documentation, share the link to the
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documentation instead of rephrasing the information.
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- When you encounter new information not available in GitLab documentation (for
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example, when working on a support case or testing a feature), your first step
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should be to create a merge request (MR) to add this information to the
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documentation. You can then share the MR to communicate this information.
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New information that would be useful toward the future usage or troubleshooting
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of GitLab should not be written directly in a forum or other messaging system,
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but added to a documentation MR and then referenced, as described above.
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The more we reflexively add information to the documentation, the more
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the documentation helps others efficiently accomplish tasks and solve problems.
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If you have questions when considering, authoring, or editing documentation, ask
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the Technical Writing team. They're available on Slack in `#docs` or in GitLab by
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mentioning [the writer for](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments)
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the applicable [DevOps stage or group](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/categories/#devops-stages).
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Otherwise, forge ahead with your best effort. It does not need to be perfect;
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the team is happy to review and improve upon your content. Review the
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[Documentation guidelines](index.md) before you begin your first documentation MR.
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Maintaining a knowledge base separate from the documentation would
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be against the documentation-first methodology, because the content would overlap with
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the documentation.
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## Markdown
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All GitLab documentation is written using [Markdown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markdown).
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The [documentation website](https://docs.gitlab.com) uses [GitLab Kramdown](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab_kramdown),
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a "flavored" Kramdown engine to render pages from Markdown to HTML. The use of Kramdown's
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features is limited by our linters, so, use regular Markdown and follow the rules in the
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linked style guide. You can't use Kramdown-specific markup (for example, `{:.class}`).
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### HTML in Markdown
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Hard-coded HTML is valid, although it's discouraged from being used. HTML is permitted if:
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- There's no equivalent markup in Markdown.
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- Advanced tables are necessary.
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- Special styling is required.
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- Reviewed and approved by a technical writer.
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### Markdown Rules
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GitLab ensures that the Markdown used across all documentation is consistent, as
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well as easy to review and maintain, by [testing documentation changes](../testing.md)
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with [markdownlint](../testing.md#markdownlint). This lint test fails when any
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document has an issue with Markdown formatting that may cause the page to render
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incorrectly in GitLab. It also fails when a document has
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non-standard Markdown (which may render correctly, but is not the current
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standard for GitLab documentation).
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#### Markdown rule `MD044/proper-names` (capitalization)
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A rule that could cause confusion is `MD044/proper-names`, as it might not be
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immediately clear what caused markdownlint to fail, or how to correct the
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failure. This rule checks a list of known words, listed in the `.markdownlint.yml`
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file in each project, to verify proper use of capitalization and backticks.
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Words in backticks are ignored by markdownlint.
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In general, product names should follow the exact capitalization of the official
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names of the products, protocols, and so on.
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Some examples fail if incorrect capitalization is used:
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- MinIO (needs capital `IO`)
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- NGINX (needs all capitals)
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- runit (needs lowercase `r`)
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Additionally, commands, parameters, values, filenames, and so on must be
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included in backticks. For example:
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- "Change the `needs` keyword in your `.gitlab-ci.yml`..."
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- `needs` is a parameter, and `.gitlab-ci.yml` is a file, so both need backticks.
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Additionally, `.gitlab-ci.yml` without backticks fails markdownlint because it
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does not have capital G or L.
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- "Run `git clone` to clone a Git repository..."
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- `git clone` is a command, so it must be lowercase, while Git is the product,
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so it must have a capital G.
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## Structure
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We include concept and task topic types in the same larger topic.
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In general, we have one topic that's a landing page.
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Below that topic in the left nav are individual topics. Each of these include a concept
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and multiple related tasks, reference, and troubleshooting topics.
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### Folder structure overview
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The documentation is separated by top-level audience folders [`user`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/tree/master/doc/user),
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[`administration`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/tree/master/doc/administration),
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and [`development`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/tree/master/doc/development)
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(contributing) folders.
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Beyond that, we primarily follow the structure of the GitLab user interface or
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API.
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Our goal is to have a clear hierarchical structure with meaningful URLs like
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`docs.gitlab.com/user/project/merge_requests/`. With this pattern, you can
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immediately tell that you are navigating to user-related documentation about
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Project features; specifically about Merge Requests. Our site's paths match
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those of our repository, so the clear structure also makes documentation easier
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to update.
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Put files for a specific product area into the related folder:
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| Directory | Contents |
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|:----------------------|:------------------|
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| `doc/user/` | Documentation for users. Anything that can be done in the GitLab user interface goes here, including usage of the `/admin` interface. |
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| `doc/administration/` | Documentation that requires the user to have access to the server where GitLab is installed. Administrator settings in the GitLab user interface are under `doc/user/admin_area/`. |
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| `doc/api/` | Documentation for the API. |
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| `doc/development/` | Documentation related to the development of GitLab, whether contributing code or documentation. Related process and style guides should go here. |
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| `doc/legal/` | Legal documents about contributing to GitLab. |
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| `doc/install/` | Instructions for installing GitLab. |
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| `doc/update/` | Instructions for updating GitLab. |
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| `doc/topics/` | Indexes per topic (`doc/topics/topic_name/index.md`): all resources for that topic. |
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### Work with directories and files
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When working with directories and files:
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1. When you create a new directory, always start with an `index.md` file.
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Don't use another filename and do not create `README.md` files.
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1. Do not use special characters and spaces, or capital letters in file
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names, directory names, branch names, and anything that generates a path.
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1. When creating or renaming a file or directory and it has more than one word
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in its name, use underscores (`_`) instead of spaces or dashes. For example,
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proper naming would be `import_project/import_from_github.md`. This applies
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to both image files and Markdown files.
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1. For image files, do not exceed 100KB.
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1. Do not upload video files to the product repositories.
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[Link or embed videos](#videos) instead.
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1. There are four main directories: `user`, `administration`, `api`, and
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`development`.
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1. The `doc/user/` directory has five main subdirectories: `project/`, `group/`,
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`profile/`, `dashboard/` and `admin_area/`.
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- `doc/user/project/` should contain all project related documentation.
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- `doc/user/group/` should contain all group related documentation.
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- `doc/user/profile/` should contain all profile related documentation.
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Every page you would navigate under `/profile` should have its own document,
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for example, `account.md`, `applications.md`, or `emails.md`.
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- `doc/user/dashboard/` should contain all dashboard related documentation.
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- `doc/user/admin_area/` should contain all administrator-related
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documentation describing what can be achieved by accessing the GitLab
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administrator interface (not to be confused with `doc/administration` where
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server access is required).
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- Every category under `/admin/application_settings/` should have its
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own document located at `doc/user/admin_area/settings/`. For example,
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the **Visibility and Access Controls** category should have a document
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located at `doc/user/admin_area/settings/visibility_and_access_controls.md`.
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1. The `doc/topics/` directory holds topic-related technical content. Create
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`doc/topics/topic_name/subtopic_name/index.md` when subtopics become necessary.
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General user and administrator documentation should be placed accordingly.
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1. The `/university/` directory is *deprecated* and the majority of its documentation
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has been moved.
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If you're unsure where to place a document or a content addition, this shouldn't
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stop you from authoring and contributing. Use your best judgment, and then ask
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the reviewer of your MR to confirm your decision. You can also ask a technical writer at
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any stage in the process. The technical writing team reviews all
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documentation changes, regardless, and can move content if there is a better
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place for it.
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### Avoid duplication
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Do not include the same information in multiple places.
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[Link to a single source of truth instead.](#link-instead-of-repeating-text)
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### References across documents
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- Give each folder an `index.md` page that introduces the topic, and both introduces
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and links to the child pages, including to the index pages of
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any next-level sub-paths.
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- To ensure discoverability, ensure each new or renamed doc is linked from its
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higher-level index page and other related pages.
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- When making reference to other GitLab products and features, link to their
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respective documentation, at least on first mention.
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- When making reference to third-party products or technologies, link out to
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their external sites, documentation, and resources.
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### Structure in documents
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- Include any and all applicable subsections as described on the
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[structure and template](../structure.md) page.
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- Structure content in alphabetical order in tables, lists, and so on, unless
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there's a logical reason not to (for example, when mirroring the user
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interface or an otherwise ordered sequence).
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## Language
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GitLab documentation should be clear and easy to understand.
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- Avoid unnecessary words.
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- Be clear, concise, and stick to the goal of the topic.
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- Write in US English with US grammar. (Tested in [`British.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/doc/.vale/gitlab/British.yml).)
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### Capitalization
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#### Headings
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Use sentence case. For example:
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- `# Use variables to configure pipelines`
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- `## Use the To-Do List`
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#### UI text
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When referring to specific user interface text, like a button label or menu
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item, use the same capitalization that's displayed in the user interface.
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Standards for this content are listed in the [Pajamas Design System Content section](https://design.gitlab.com/content/punctuation/)
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and typically match what's mentioned in this Documentation Style Guide.
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If you think the user interface text contains style mistakes,
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create an issue or an MR to propose a change to the user interface text.
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#### Feature names
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- Feature names are typically lowercase.
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- Some features are capitalized, typically nouns that name GitLab-specific
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capabilities or tools.
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See the [word list](word_list.md) for details.
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If the term is not in the word list, ask a GitLab Technical Writer for advice.
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Do not match the capitalization of terms or phrases on the [Features page](https://about.gitlab.com/features/)
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or [features.yml](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/www-gitlab-com/blob/master/data/features.yml)
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by default.
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#### Other terms
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Capitalize names of:
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- GitLab [product tiers](https://about.gitlab.com/pricing/). For example,
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GitLab Free and GitLab Ultimate. (Tested in [`BadgeCapitalization.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/doc/.vale/gitlab/BadgeCapitalization.yml).)
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- Third-party organizations, software, and products. For example, Prometheus,
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Kubernetes, Git, and The Linux Foundation.
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- Methods or methodologies. For example, Continuous Integration,
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Continuous Deployment, Scrum, and Agile.
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Follow the capitalization style listed at the authoritative source
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for the entity, which may use non-standard case styles. For example: GitLab and
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npm.
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### Fake user information
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You may need to include user information in entries such as a REST call or user profile.
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Do not use real user information or email addresses in GitLab documentation. For email
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addresses and names, use:
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- Email addresses: Use an email address ending in `example.com`.
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- Names: Use strings like `example_username`. Alternatively, use diverse or
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non-gendered names with common surnames, such as `Sidney Jones`, `Zhang Wei`,
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or `Alex Garcia`.
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### Fake URLs
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When including sample URLs in the documentation, use:
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- `example.com` when the domain name is generic.
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- `gitlab.example.com` when referring only to self-managed GitLab instances.
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Use `gitlab.com` for GitLab SaaS instances.
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### Fake tokens
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There may be times where a token is needed to demonstrate an API call using
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cURL or a variable used in CI. It is strongly advised not to use real tokens in
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documentation even if the probability of a token being exploited is low.
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You can use these fake tokens as examples:
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| Token type | Token value |
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|:----------------------|:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| Personal access token | `<your_access_token>` |
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| Application ID | `2fcb195768c39e9a94cec2c2e32c59c0aad7a3365c10892e8116b5d83d4096b6` |
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| Application secret | `04f294d1eaca42b8692017b426d53bbc8fe75f827734f0260710b83a556082df` |
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| CI/CD variable | `Li8j-mLUVA3eZYjPfd_H` |
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| Specific runner token | `yrnZW46BrtBFqM7xDzE7dddd` |
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| Shared runner token | `6Vk7ZsosqQyfreAxXTZr` |
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| Trigger token | `be20d8dcc028677c931e04f3871a9b` |
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| Webhook secret token | `6XhDroRcYPM5by_h-HLY` |
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| Health check token | `Tu7BgjR9qeZTEyRzGG2P` |
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| Request profile token | `7VgpS4Ax5utVD2esNstz` |
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### Contractions
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Contractions are encouraged, and can create a friendly and informal tone,
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especially in tutorials, instructional documentation, and
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[user interfaces](https://design.gitlab.com/content/punctuation/#contractions).
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Some contractions, however, should be avoided:
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<!-- vale gitlab.Possessive = NO -->
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| Do not use a contraction | Example | Use instead |
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|-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| With a proper noun and a verb | The **Container Registry's** a powerful feature. | The **Container Registry** is a powerful feature. |
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| To emphasize a negative | **Don't** install X with Y. | **Do not** install X with Y. |
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| In reference documentation | **Don't** set a limit. | **Do not** set a limit. |
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| In error messages | Requests to localhost **aren't** allowed. | Requests to localhost **are not** allowed. |
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<!-- vale gitlab.Possessive = YES -->
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### Acronyms
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If you use an acronym, spell it out on first use on a page. You do not need to spell it out more than once on a page.
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When possible, try to avoid acronyms in headings.
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### Numbers
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When using numbers in text, spell out zero through nine, and use numbers for 10 and greater. For details, see the [Microsoft Style Guide](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/numbers).
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## Text
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- [Write in Markdown](#markdown).
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- Splitting long lines (preferably up to 100 characters) can make it easier to
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provide feedback on small chunks of text.
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- Insert an empty line for new paragraphs.
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- Insert an empty line between different markups (for example, after every
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paragraph, header, list, and so on). Example:
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```markdown
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## Header
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Paragraph.
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- List item 1
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- List item 2
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```
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### Comments
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To embed comments within Markdown, use standard HTML comments that are not rendered
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when published. Example:
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```html
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<!-- This is a comment that is not rendered -->
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```
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### Emphasis
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Use **bold** rather than italic to provide emphasis. GitLab uses a sans-serif font and italic text does not stand out as much as it would in a serif font. For details, see [Butterick's Practical Typography guide on bold or italic](https://practicaltypography.com/bold-or-italic.html).
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|
|
You can use italics when you are introducing a term for the first time. Otherwise, use bold.
|
|
|
|
- Use double asterisks (`**`) to mark a word or text in bold (`**bold**`).
|
|
- Use underscore (`_`) for text in italics (`_italic_`).
|
|
- Use greater than (`>`) for blockquotes.
|
|
|
|
### Punctuation
|
|
|
|
Follow these guidelines for punctuation:
|
|
|
|
<!-- vale gitlab.Repetition = NO -->
|
|
|
|
| Rule | Example |
|
|
|------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
|
|
| Avoid semicolons. Use two sentences instead. | That's the way that the world goes 'round. You're up one day and the next you're down.
|
|
| Always end full sentences with a period. | For a complete overview, read through this document. |
|
|
| Always add a space after a period when beginning a new sentence. | For a complete overview, check this doc. For other references, check out this guide. |
|
|
| Do not use double spaces. (Tested in [`SentenceSpacing.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/doc/.vale/gitlab/SentenceSpacing.yml).) | --- |
|
|
| Do not use tabs for indentation. Use spaces instead. You can configure your code editor to output spaces instead of tabs when pressing the tab key. | --- |
|
|
| Use serial commas (Oxford commas) before the final **and** or **or** in a list of three or more items. (Tested in [`OxfordComma.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/doc/.vale/gitlab/OxfordComma.yml).) | You can create new issues, merge requests, and milestones. |
|
|
| Always add a space before and after dashes when using it in a sentence (for replacing a comma, for example). | You should try this - or not. |
|
|
| When a colon is part of a sentence, always use lowercase after the colon. | Linked issues: a way to create a relationship between issues. |
|
|
| Do not use typographer's quotes. Use straight quotes instead. (Tested in [`NonStandardQuotes.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/doc/.vale/gitlab/NonStandardQuotes.yml).) | "It's the questions we can't answer that teach us the most"---Patrick Rothfuss |
|
|
|
|
<!-- vale gitlab.Repetition = YES -->
|
|
|
|
### Placeholder text
|
|
|
|
You might want to provide a command or configuration that
|
|
uses specific values.
|
|
|
|
In these cases, use [`<` and `>`](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_message#Pattern)
|
|
to call out where a reader must replace text with their own value.
|
|
|
|
For example:
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
cp <your_source_directory> <your_destination_directory>
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Keyboard commands
|
|
|
|
Use the HTML `<kbd>` tag when referring to keystroke presses. For example:
|
|
|
|
```plaintext
|
|
To stop the command, press <kbd>Control</kbd>+<kbd>C</kbd>.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
When the docs are generated, the output is:
|
|
|
|
To stop the command, press <kbd>Control</kbd>+<kbd>C</kbd>.
|
|
|
|
### Text entered in the UI
|
|
|
|
If you want the user to type something in the UI, use backticks. For example:
|
|
|
|
```plaintext
|
|
In the **Commit message** box, type `This is my merge request`.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Backticks are more precise than quotes. For example, in this string:
|
|
|
|
- In the **Commit message** box, type "This is my merge request."
|
|
|
|
It's not clear whether the user should include the period in the string.
|
|
|
|
### Spaces between words
|
|
|
|
Use only standard spaces between words. The search engine for the documentation
|
|
website doesn't split words separated with
|
|
[non-breaking spaces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-breaking_space) when
|
|
indexing, and fails to create expected individual search terms. Tests that search
|
|
for certain words separated by regular spaces can't find words separated by
|
|
non-breaking spaces.
|
|
|
|
Tested in [`lint-doc.sh`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/scripts/lint-doc.sh).
|
|
|
|
## Lists
|
|
|
|
- Always start list items with a capital letter, unless they're parameters or
|
|
commands that are in backticks, or similar.
|
|
- Always leave a blank line before and after a list.
|
|
- Begin a line with spaces (not tabs) to denote a [nested sub-item](#nesting-inside-a-list-item).
|
|
|
|
### Ordered vs. unordered lists
|
|
|
|
Only use ordered lists when their items describe a sequence of steps to follow.
|
|
|
|
Do:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
These are the steps to do something:
|
|
|
|
1. First, do the first step.
|
|
1. Then, do the next step.
|
|
1. Finally, do the last step.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Don't:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
This is a list of available features:
|
|
|
|
1. Feature 1
|
|
1. Feature 2
|
|
1. Feature 3
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Markup
|
|
|
|
- Use dashes (`-`) for unordered lists instead of asterisks (`*`).
|
|
- Prefix `1.` to every item in an ordered list. When rendered, the list items
|
|
display with sequential numbering.
|
|
|
|
### Punctuation
|
|
|
|
- Don't add commas (`,`) or semicolons (`;`) to the ends of list items.
|
|
- Only add periods to the end of a list item if the item consists of a complete
|
|
sentence (with a subject and a verb).
|
|
- Be consistent throughout the list: if the majority of the items do not end in
|
|
a period, do not end any of the items in a period, even if they consist of a
|
|
complete sentence. The opposite is also valid: if the majority of the items
|
|
end with a period, end all with a period.
|
|
- Separate list items from explanatory text with a colon (`:`). For example:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
The list is as follows:
|
|
|
|
- First item: this explains the first item.
|
|
- Second item: this explains the second item.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
**Examples:**
|
|
|
|
Do:
|
|
|
|
- First list item
|
|
- Second list item
|
|
- Third list item
|
|
|
|
Don't:
|
|
|
|
- First list item
|
|
- Second list item
|
|
- Third list item.
|
|
|
|
Do:
|
|
|
|
- Let's say this is a complete sentence.
|
|
- Let's say this is also a complete sentence.
|
|
- Not a complete sentence.
|
|
|
|
Don't (vary use of periods; majority rules):
|
|
|
|
- Let's say this is a complete sentence.
|
|
- Let's say this is also a complete sentence.
|
|
- Not a complete sentence
|
|
|
|
### Nesting inside a list item
|
|
|
|
It's possible to nest items under a list item, so that they render with the same
|
|
indentation as the list item. This can be done with:
|
|
|
|
- [Code blocks](#code-blocks)
|
|
- [Blockquotes](#blockquotes)
|
|
- [Alert boxes](#alert-boxes)
|
|
- [Images](#images)
|
|
|
|
Items nested in lists should always align with the first character of the list
|
|
item. In unordered lists (using `-`), this means two spaces for each level of
|
|
indentation:
|
|
|
|
````markdown
|
|
- Unordered list item 1
|
|
|
|
A line nested using 2 spaces to align with the `U` above.
|
|
|
|
- Unordered list item 2
|
|
|
|
> A quote block that will nest
|
|
> inside list item 2.
|
|
|
|
- Unordered list item 3
|
|
|
|
```plaintext
|
|
a code block that nests inside list item 3
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
- Unordered list item 4
|
|
|
|
|
|
````
|
|
|
|
For ordered lists, use three spaces for each level of indentation:
|
|
|
|
````markdown
|
|
1. Ordered list item 1
|
|
|
|
A line nested using 3 spaces to align with the `O` above.
|
|
|
|
1. Ordered list item 2
|
|
|
|
> A quote block that will nest
|
|
> inside list item 2.
|
|
|
|
1. Ordered list item 3
|
|
|
|
```plaintext
|
|
a code block that nests inside list item 3
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
1. Ordered list item 4
|
|
|
|
|
|
````
|
|
|
|
You can nest full lists inside other lists using the same rules as above. If you
|
|
want to mix types, that's also possible, if you don't mix items at the same
|
|
level:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
1. Ordered list item one.
|
|
1. Ordered list item two.
|
|
- Nested unordered list item one.
|
|
- Nested unordered list item two.
|
|
1. Ordered list item three.
|
|
|
|
- Unordered list item one.
|
|
- Unordered list item two.
|
|
1. Nested ordered list item one.
|
|
1. Nested ordered list item two.
|
|
- Unordered list item three.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
## Tables
|
|
|
|
Tables should be used to describe complex information in a straightforward
|
|
manner. Note that in many cases, an unordered list is sufficient to describe a
|
|
list of items with a single, simple description per item. But, if you have data
|
|
that's best described by a matrix, tables are the best choice.
|
|
|
|
### Creation guidelines
|
|
|
|
To keep tables accessible and scannable, tables should not have any
|
|
empty cells. If there is no otherwise meaningful value for a cell, consider entering
|
|
**N/A** for 'not applicable' or **None**.
|
|
|
|
To help tables be easier to maintain, consider adding additional spaces to the
|
|
column widths to make them consistent. For example:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
| App name | Description | Requirements |
|
|
|:---------|:---------------------|:---------------|
|
|
| App 1 | Description text 1. | Requirements 1 |
|
|
| App 2 | Description text 2. | None |
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Consider installing a plugin or extension in your editor for formatting tables:
|
|
|
|
- [Markdown Table Prettifier](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=darkriszty.markdown-table-prettify) for Visual Studio Code
|
|
- [Markdown Table Formatter](https://packagecontrol.io/packages/Markdown%20Table%20Formatter) for Sublime Text
|
|
- [Markdown Table Formatter](https://atom.io/packages/markdown-table-formatter) for Atom
|
|
|
|
### Feature tables
|
|
|
|
When creating tables of lists of features (such the features
|
|
available to each role on the [Permissions](../../../user/permissions.md#project-members-permissions)
|
|
page), use these phrases:
|
|
|
|
| Option | Markdown | Displayed result |
|
|
|--------|--------------------------|------------------------|
|
|
| No | `**{dotted-circle}** No` | **{dotted-circle}** No |
|
|
| Yes | `**{check-circle}** Yes` | **{check-circle}** Yes |
|
|
|
|
### Footnotes
|
|
|
|
To indicate a footnote, use the HTML tag `<sup>` with a number.
|
|
Put the tag at the end of the sentence or term.
|
|
|
|
For the footnotes below the table, use a bold number followed by a sentence.
|
|
|
|
For example:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
| App name | Description |
|
|
|:---------|:---------------------------------|
|
|
| App A | Description text. <sup>1</sup> |
|
|
| App B | Description text. <sup>2</sup> |
|
|
|
|
1. This is the footnote.
|
|
1. This is the other footnote.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
This text renders this output:
|
|
|
|
| App name | Description |
|
|
|:---------|:---------------------------------|
|
|
| App A | Description text. <sup>1</sup> |
|
|
| App B | Description text. <sup>2</sup> |
|
|
|
|
1. This is the footnote.
|
|
1. This is the other footnote.
|
|
|
|
## Quotes
|
|
|
|
Valid for Markdown content only, not for front matter entries:
|
|
|
|
- Standard quotes: double quotes (`"`). Example: "This is wrapped in double
|
|
quotes".
|
|
- Quote inside a quote: double quotes (`"`) wrap single quotes (`'`). Example:
|
|
"This sentence 'quotes' something in a quote".
|
|
|
|
For other punctuation rules, refer to the
|
|
[Pajamas Design System Punctuation section](https://design.gitlab.com/content/punctuation/).
|
|
This is overridden by the [documentation-specific punctuation rules](#punctuation).
|
|
|
|
## Headings
|
|
|
|
- Add only one H1 in each document, by adding `#` at the beginning of
|
|
it (when using Markdown). The `h1` becomes the document `<title>`.
|
|
- Start with an `h2` (`##`), and respect the order `h2` > `h3` > `h4` > `h5` > `h6`.
|
|
Never skip the hierarchy level, such as `h2` > `h4`
|
|
- 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.
|
|
- [Avoid using symbols and special characters](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/issues/84)
|
|
in headers. Whenever possible, they should be plain and short text.
|
|
- When possible, avoid including words that might change in the future. Changing
|
|
a heading changes its anchor URL, which affects other linked pages.
|
|
- When introducing a new document, be careful for the headings to be
|
|
grammatically and syntactically correct. Mention an [assigned technical writer (TW)](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments)
|
|
for review, based upon the [product category](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/categories/).
|
|
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.
|
|
- Use the context provided by parent section headings. That is, don't repeat the parent heading's text in each
|
|
subsection's heading.
|
|
- Use articles and prepositions in headings where it would make sense in regular text.
|
|
- Leave exactly one blank line before and after a heading.
|
|
- Do not use links in headings.
|
|
- Add the corresponding [product badge](#product-tier-badges) according to the tier the
|
|
feature belongs.
|
|
- Our documentation site search engine prioritizes words used in headings and
|
|
subheadings. Make your subheading titles clear, descriptive, and complete to help
|
|
users find the right example, as shown in the section on [heading titles](#heading-titles).
|
|
- See [Capitalization](#capitalization) for guidelines on capitalizing headings.
|
|
|
|
### Heading titles
|
|
|
|
Keep heading titles clear and direct. Make every word count. To accommodate
|
|
search engine optimization (SEO), use the imperative, where possible.
|
|
|
|
| Do | Don't |
|
|
|:--------------------------------------|:------------------------------------------------------------|
|
|
| Configure GDK | Configuring GDK |
|
|
| GitLab Release and Maintenance Policy | This section covers the GitLab Release and Maintenance Policy |
|
|
| Backport to older releases | Backporting to older releases |
|
|
| GitLab Pages examples | Examples |
|
|
|
|
For guidelines on capitalizing headings, see the section on [capitalization](#capitalization).
|
|
|
|
NOTE:
|
|
If you change an existing title, be careful. In-page [anchor links](#anchor-links),
|
|
links in the GitLab application, and links from external sites can break.
|
|
|
|
### Anchor links
|
|
|
|
Headings generate anchor links when rendered. `## This is an example` generates
|
|
the anchor `#this-is-an-example`.
|
|
|
|
NOTE:
|
|
[Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/39717) in
|
|
GitLab 13.4, [product badges](#product-tier-badges) used in headings aren't
|
|
included in the generated anchor links. For example, when you link to
|
|
`## This is an example **(FREE)**`, use the anchor `#this-is-an-example`.
|
|
|
|
Keep in mind that the GitLab user interface links to many documentation pages
|
|
and anchor links to take the user to the right spot. When you change
|
|
a heading, search `doc/*`, `app/views/*`, and `ee/app/views/*` for the old
|
|
anchor. If you do not fix these links, the [`ui-docs-lint` job](../testing.md#ui-link-tests)
|
|
in your merge request fails.
|
|
|
|
Important:
|
|
|
|
- Avoid crosslinking documentation to headings unless you need to link to a
|
|
specific section of the document. This avoids breaking anchors in the
|
|
future in case the heading is changed.
|
|
- If possible, avoid changing headings, because they're not only linked internally.
|
|
There are various links to GitLab documentation on the internet, such as
|
|
tutorials, presentations, StackOverflow posts, and other sources.
|
|
- Do not link to `h1` headings.
|
|
|
|
Note that with Kramdown, it's possible to add a custom ID to an HTML element
|
|
with Markdown markup, but they don't work in `/help`. Because of this, don't use
|
|
this option.
|
|
|
|
## Links
|
|
|
|
Links are important in GitLab documentation. Use links instead of
|
|
summarizing to help preserve a [single source of truth](#documentation-is-the-single-source-of-truth-ssot)
|
|
in GitLab documentation.
|
|
|
|
We include guidance for links in these categories:
|
|
|
|
- How to set up [anchor links](#anchor-links) for headings.
|
|
- How to set up [criteria](#basic-link-criteria) for configuring a link.
|
|
- What to set up when [linking to a `help`](../../documentation/index.md#linking-to-help)
|
|
page.
|
|
- How to set up [links to internal documentation](#links-to-internal-documentation)
|
|
for cross-references.
|
|
- How to set up [links to external documentation](#links-to-external-documentation)
|
|
for authoritative sources.
|
|
- When to use [links requiring permissions](#links-requiring-permissions).
|
|
- How to set up a [link to a video](#link-to-video).
|
|
- How to [include links with version text](#where-to-put-version-text).
|
|
- How to [link to specific lines of code](#link-to-specific-lines-of-code)
|
|
|
|
### Basic link criteria
|
|
|
|
- Use inline link Markdown markup `[Text](https://example.com)`.
|
|
It's easier to read, review, and maintain. Do not use `[Text][identifier]` reference-style links.
|
|
|
|
- Use [meaningful anchor text](https://www.futurehosting.com/blog/links-should-have-meaningful-anchor-text-heres-why/).
|
|
For example, instead of writing something like `Read more about merge requests [here](LINK)`,
|
|
write `Read more about [merge requests](LINK)`.
|
|
|
|
### Links to internal documentation
|
|
|
|
NOTE:
|
|
**Internal** refers to documentation in the same project. When linking to
|
|
documentation in separate projects (for example, linking to Omnibus documentation
|
|
from GitLab documentation), you must use absolute URLs.
|
|
|
|
Do not use absolute URLs like `https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/index.html` to
|
|
cross-link to other documentation in the same project. Use relative links to
|
|
the file, like `../index.md`. (These are converted to HTML when the site is
|
|
rendered.)
|
|
|
|
Relative linking enables crosslinks to work:
|
|
|
|
- in Review Apps, local previews, and `/help`.
|
|
- when working on the documentation locally, so you can verify that they work as
|
|
early as possible in the process.
|
|
- in the GitLab user interface when browsing doc files in their respective
|
|
repositories. For example, the links displayed at
|
|
`https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/doc/README.md`.
|
|
|
|
To link to internal documentation:
|
|
|
|
- Use relative links to Markdown files in the same repository.
|
|
- Do not use absolute URLs or URLs from `docs.gitlab.com`.
|
|
- Use `../` to navigate to higher-level directories.
|
|
- Don't prepend `./` to links to files or directories. To link to a file in the
|
|
same directory or one of its sub-directories, use the syntax `path/to/file.md`.
|
|
- Don't link relative to root. For example, `/ee/user/gitlab_com/index.md`.
|
|
|
|
Don't:
|
|
|
|
- `https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/administration/geo/replication/troubleshooting.html`
|
|
- `/ee/administration/geo/replication/troubleshooting.md`
|
|
- `./troubleshooting.md`
|
|
|
|
Do: `../../geo/replication/troubleshooting.md`
|
|
|
|
- Always add the filename `file.md` at the end of the link with the `.md`
|
|
extension, not `.html`.
|
|
|
|
Don't:
|
|
|
|
- `../../merge_requests/`
|
|
- `../../issues/tags.html`
|
|
- `../../issues/tags.html#stages`
|
|
|
|
Do:
|
|
|
|
- `../../merge_requests/index.md`
|
|
- `../../issues/tags.md`
|
|
- `../../issues/tags.md#stages`
|
|
- `issues/tags.md`
|
|
|
|
NOTE:
|
|
Using the Markdown extension is necessary for the [`/help`](../index.md#gitlab-help)
|
|
section of GitLab.
|
|
|
|
### Links to external documentation
|
|
|
|
When describing interactions with external software, it's often helpful to
|
|
include links to external documentation. When possible, make sure that you're
|
|
linking to an [**authoritative** source](#authoritative-sources). For example,
|
|
if you're describing a feature in Microsoft's Active Directory, include a link
|
|
to official Microsoft documentation.
|
|
|
|
### Authoritative sources
|
|
|
|
When citing external information, use sources that are written by the people who
|
|
created the item or product in question. These sources are the most likely to be
|
|
accurate and remain up to date.
|
|
|
|
Examples of authoritative sources include:
|
|
|
|
- Specifications, such as a [Request for Comments](https://www.ietf.org/standards/rfcs/)
|
|
document from the Internet Engineering Task Force.
|
|
- Official documentation for a product. For example, if you're setting up an
|
|
interface with the Google OAuth 2 authorization server, include a link to
|
|
Google's documentation.
|
|
- Official documentation for a project. For example, if you're citing NodeJS
|
|
functionality, refer directly to [NodeJS documentation](https://nodejs.org/en/docs/).
|
|
- Books from an authoritative publisher.
|
|
|
|
Examples of sources to avoid include:
|
|
|
|
- Personal blog posts.
|
|
- Wikipedia.
|
|
- Non-trustworthy articles.
|
|
- Discussions on forums such as Stack Overflow.
|
|
- Documentation from a company that describes another company's product.
|
|
|
|
While many of these sources to avoid can help you learn skills and or features,
|
|
they can become obsolete quickly. Nobody is obliged to maintain any of these
|
|
sites. Therefore, we should avoid using them as reference literature.
|
|
|
|
NOTE:
|
|
Non-authoritative sources are acceptable only if there is no equivalent
|
|
authoritative source. Even then, focus on non-authoritative sources that are
|
|
extensively cited or peer-reviewed.
|
|
|
|
### Links requiring permissions
|
|
|
|
Don't link directly to:
|
|
|
|
- [Confidential issues](../../../user/project/issues/confidential_issues.md).
|
|
- Project features that require [special permissions](../../../user/permissions.md)
|
|
to view.
|
|
|
|
These fail for:
|
|
|
|
- Those without sufficient permissions.
|
|
- Automated link checkers.
|
|
|
|
Instead:
|
|
|
|
- To reduce confusion, mention in the text that the information is either:
|
|
- Contained in a confidential issue.
|
|
- Requires special permission to a project to view.
|
|
- Provide a link in back ticks (`` ` ``) so that those with access to the issue
|
|
can navigate to it.
|
|
|
|
Example:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
For more information, see the [confidential issue](../../../user/project/issues/confidential_issues.md) `https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/-/issues/<issue_number>`.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Link to specific lines of code
|
|
|
|
When linking to specific lines in a file, link to a commit instead of to the
|
|
branch. Lines of code change over time. Linking to a line by using
|
|
the commit link ensures the user lands on the line you're referring to. The
|
|
**Permalink** button, displayed when viewing a file in a project,
|
|
provides a link to the most recent commit of that file.
|
|
|
|
- Do: `[link to line 3](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/11f17c56d8b7f0b752562d78a4298a3a95b5ce66/.gitlab/issue_templates/Feature%20proposal.md#L3)`
|
|
- Don't: `[link to line 3](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/issue_templates/Feature%20proposal.md#L3).`
|
|
|
|
If that linked expression has changed line numbers due to additional
|
|
commits, you can still search the file for that query. In this case, update the
|
|
document to ensure it links to the most recent version of the file.
|
|
|
|
## Navigation
|
|
|
|
When documenting how to navigate through the GitLab UI:
|
|
|
|
- Always use location, then action.
|
|
- From the **Visibility** dropdown list (location), select **Public** (action).
|
|
- Be brief and specific. For example:
|
|
- Do: Select **Save**.
|
|
- Do not: Select **Save** for the changes to take effect.
|
|
- If a step must include a reason, start the step with it. This helps the user scan more quickly.
|
|
- Do: To view the changes, in the merge request, select the link.
|
|
- Do not: Select the link in the merge request to view the changes.
|
|
|
|
### Names for menus
|
|
|
|
Use these terms when referring to the main GitLab user interface
|
|
elements:
|
|
|
|
- **Top bar**: This is the top bar that spans the width of the user interface.
|
|
It includes the menu, the GitLab logo, search field, counters, and the user's avatar.
|
|
- **Left sidebar**: This is the navigation sidebar on the left of the user
|
|
interface, specific to the project or group.
|
|
- **Right sidebar**: This is the navigation sidebar on the right of the user
|
|
interface, specific to the open issue, merge request, or epic.
|
|
|
|
### Names for UI elements
|
|
|
|
UI elements, like button and checkbox names, should be **bold**.
|
|
Guidance for each individual UI element is in [the word list](word_list.md).
|
|
|
|
### How to write navigation task steps
|
|
|
|
To be consistent, use these templates when you write navigation steps in a task topic.
|
|
|
|
To open project settings:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Projects** and find your project.
|
|
1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > CI/CD**.
|
|
1. Expand **General pipelines**.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
To open group settings:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Groups** and find your group.
|
|
1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > CI/CD**.
|
|
1. Expand **General pipelines**.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
To open the Admin Area:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Admin**.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
To select your avatar:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
1. On the top bar, in the top right corner, select your avatar.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
To save the selection in some dropdown lists:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
1. Go to your issue.
|
|
1. On the right sidebar, in the **Iteration** section, select **Edit**.
|
|
1. From the dropdown list, select the iteration to associate this issue with.
|
|
1. Select any area outside the dropdown list.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Optional steps
|
|
|
|
If a step is optional, start the step with the word `Optional` followed by a period.
|
|
|
|
For example:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
1. Optional. Enter a description for the job.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Documenting multiple fields at once
|
|
|
|
If the UI text sufficiently explains the fields in a section, do not include a task step for every field.
|
|
Instead, summarize multiple fields in a single task step.
|
|
|
|
Use the phrase **Complete the fields**.
|
|
|
|
For example:
|
|
|
|
1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Projects** and find your project.
|
|
1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > Repository**.
|
|
1. Expand **Push rules**.
|
|
1. Complete the fields.
|
|
|
|
If you are documenting multiple fields and only one field needs explanation, do it in the same step:
|
|
|
|
1. Expand **Push rules**.
|
|
1. Complete the fields. **Branch name** must be a regular expression.
|
|
|
|
To describe multiple fields, use bullets:
|
|
|
|
1. Expand **General pipelines**.
|
|
1. Complete the fields.
|
|
- **Branch name** must be a regular expression.
|
|
- **User** must be a user with at least the **Maintainer** role.
|
|
|
|
## Images
|
|
|
|
Images, including screenshots, can help a reader better understand a concept.
|
|
However, they should be used sparingly because:
|
|
|
|
- They tend to become out-of-date.
|
|
- They are difficult and expensive to localize.
|
|
- They cannot be read by screen readers.
|
|
|
|
When needed, use images to help the reader understand:
|
|
|
|
- Where they are in a complicated process.
|
|
- How they should interact with the application.
|
|
|
|
### Capture the image
|
|
|
|
When you take screenshots:
|
|
|
|
- **Ensure it provides value.** Don't use `lorem ipsum` text.
|
|
Try to replicate how the feature would be used in a real-world scenario, and
|
|
[use realistic text](#fake-user-information).
|
|
- **Capture only the relevant UI.** Don't include unnecessary white
|
|
space or areas of the UI that don't help illustrate the point. The
|
|
sidebars in GitLab can change, so don't include
|
|
them in screenshots unless absolutely necessary.
|
|
- **Keep it small.** If you don't need to show the full width of the screen, don't.
|
|
Reduce the size of your browser window as much as possible to keep elements close
|
|
together and reduce empty space. Try to keep the screenshot dimensions as small as possible.
|
|
- **Review how the image renders on the page.** Preview the image locally or use the
|
|
review app in the merge request. Make sure the image isn't blurry or overwhelming.
|
|
- **Be consistent.** Coordinate screenshots with the other screenshots already on
|
|
a documentation page for a consistent reading experience.
|
|
|
|
### Add callouts
|
|
|
|
If you need to emphasize an area in a screenshot, use an arrow.
|
|
|
|
- For color, use `#EE2604`. If you use the Preview application on macOS, this is the default red.
|
|
- For the line width, use 3 pt. If you use the Preview application on macOS, this is the third line in the list.
|
|
- Use the arrow style shown in the following image.
|
|
- If you have multiple arrows, make them parallel when possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Save the image
|
|
|
|
- Resize any wide or tall screenshots if needed, but make sure the screenshot is
|
|
still clear after being resized and compressed.
|
|
- All images **must** be [compressed](#compress-images) to 100KB or less.
|
|
In many cases, 25-50KB or less is often possible without reducing image quality.
|
|
- Save the image with a lowercase filename that's descriptive of the feature
|
|
or concept in the image:
|
|
- If the image is of the GitLab interface, append the GitLab version to the filename,
|
|
based on this format: `image_name_vX_Y.png`. For example, for a screenshot taken
|
|
from the pipelines page of GitLab 11.1, a valid name is `pipelines_v11_1.png`.
|
|
- If you're adding an illustration that doesn't include parts of the user interface,
|
|
add the release number corresponding to the release the image was added to.
|
|
For an MR added to 11.1's milestone, a valid name for an illustration is `devops_diagram_v11_1.png`.
|
|
- Place images in a separate directory named `img/` in the same directory where
|
|
the `.md` document that you're working on is located.
|
|
- Consider using PNG images instead of JPEG.
|
|
- Compress GIFs with <https://ezgif.com/optimize> or similar tool.
|
|
- Images should be used (only when necessary) to illustrate the description
|
|
of a process, not to replace it.
|
|
- See also how to link and embed [videos](#videos) to illustrate the documentation.
|
|
|
|
### Add the image link to content
|
|
|
|
The Markdown code for including an image in a document is:
|
|
``
|
|
|
|
The image description is the alt text for the rendered image on the
|
|
documentation site. For accessibility and SEO, use [descriptions](https://webaim.org/techniques/alttext/)
|
|
that:
|
|
|
|
- Are accurate, succinct, and unique.
|
|
- Don't use **image of** or **graphic of** to describe the image.
|
|
|
|
### Compress images
|
|
|
|
You should always compress any new images you add to the documentation. One
|
|
known tool is [`pngquant`](https://pngquant.org/), which is cross-platform and
|
|
open source. Install it by visiting the official website and following the
|
|
instructions for your OS.
|
|
|
|
If you use macOS and want all screenshots to be compressed automatically, read
|
|
[One simple trick to make your screenshots 80% smaller](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2020/01/30/simple-trick-for-smaller-screenshots/).
|
|
|
|
GitLab has a [Ruby script](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/bin/pngquant)
|
|
that you can use to simplify the manual process. In the root directory of your local
|
|
copy of `https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab`, run in a terminal:
|
|
|
|
- Before compressing, if you want, check that all documentation PNG images have
|
|
been compressed:
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
bin/pngquant lint
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
- Compress all documentation PNG images using `pngquant`:
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
bin/pngquant compress
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
- Compress specific files:
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
bin/pngquant compress doc/user/img/award_emoji_select.png doc/user/img/markdown_logo.png
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
- Compress all PNG files in a specific directory:
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
bin/pngquant compress doc/user/img
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
## Videos
|
|
|
|
Adding GitLab YouTube video tutorials to the documentation is highly
|
|
encouraged, unless the video is outdated. Videos should not replace
|
|
documentation, but complement or illustrate it. If content in a video is
|
|
fundamental to a feature and its key use cases, but isn't adequately
|
|
covered in the documentation, you should:
|
|
|
|
- Add this detail to the documentation text.
|
|
- Create an issue to review the video and update the page.
|
|
|
|
Do not upload videos to the product repositories. [Link](#link-to-video) or
|
|
[embed](#embed-videos) them instead.
|
|
|
|
### Link to video
|
|
|
|
To link out to a video, include a YouTube icon so that readers can scan the page
|
|
for videos before reading:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
<i class="fa fa-youtube-play youtube" aria-hidden="true"></i>
|
|
For an overview, see [Video Title](link-to-video).
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
You can link any up-to-date video that's useful to the GitLab user.
|
|
|
|
### Embed videos
|
|
|
|
> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/merge_requests/472) in GitLab 12.1.
|
|
|
|
The [GitLab documentation site](https://docs.gitlab.com) supports embedded
|
|
videos.
|
|
|
|
You can embed videos from [the official YouTube account for GitLab](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnMGQ8QHMAnVIsI3xJrihhg) only.
|
|
For videos from other sources, [link](#link-to-video) them instead.
|
|
|
|
In most cases, [link to a video](#link-to-video), because
|
|
embedded videos take up a lot of space on the page and can be distracting to readers.
|
|
|
|
To embed a video:
|
|
|
|
1. Copy the code from this procedure and paste it into your Markdown file. Leave a
|
|
blank line above and below it. Do not edit the code (don't remove or add any spaces).
|
|
1. In YouTube, visit the video URL you want to display. Copy the regular URL
|
|
from your browser (`https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO-ID`) and replace
|
|
the video title and link in the line under `<div class="video-fallback">`.
|
|
1. In YouTube, select **Share**, and then select **Embed**.
|
|
1. Copy the `<iframe>` source (`src`) **URL only**
|
|
(`https://www.youtube.com/embed/VIDEO-ID`),
|
|
and paste it, replacing the content of the `src` field in the
|
|
`iframe` tag.
|
|
|
|
```html
|
|
leave a blank line here
|
|
<div class="video-fallback">
|
|
See the video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqL6BMOySIQ">Video title</a>.
|
|
</div>
|
|
<figure class="video-container">
|
|
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MqL6BMOySIQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"> </iframe>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
leave a blank line here
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
This is how it renders on the GitLab documentation site:
|
|
|
|
<div class="video-fallback">
|
|
See the video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enMumwvLAug">What is GitLab</a>.
|
|
</div>
|
|
<figure class="video-container">
|
|
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MqL6BMOySIQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"> </iframe>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
> Notes:
|
|
>
|
|
> - The `figure` tag is required for semantic SEO and the `video_container`
|
|
class is necessary to make sure the video is responsive and displays on
|
|
different mobile devices.
|
|
> - The `<div class="video-fallback">` is a fallback necessary for
|
|
`/help`, because the GitLab Markdown processor doesn't support iframes. It's
|
|
hidden on the documentation site, but is displayed by `/help`.
|
|
|
|
## Code blocks
|
|
|
|
- Always wrap code added to a sentence in inline code blocks (`` ` ``).
|
|
For example, `.gitlab-ci.yml`, `git add .`, `CODEOWNERS`, or `only: [main]`.
|
|
File names, commands, entries, and anything that refers to code should be
|
|
added to code blocks. To make things easier for the user, always add a full
|
|
code block for things that can be useful to copy and paste, as they can do it
|
|
with the button on code blocks.
|
|
- HTTP methods (`HTTP POST`) and HTTP status codes, both full (`404 File Not Found`)
|
|
and abbreviated (`404`), should be wrapped in inline code blocks when used in sentences.
|
|
For example: Send a `DELETE` request to delete the runner. Send a `POST` request to create one.
|
|
- Add a blank line above and below code blocks.
|
|
- When providing a shell command and its output, prefix the shell command with `$`
|
|
and leave a blank line between the command and the output.
|
|
- When providing a command without output, don't prefix the shell command with `$`.
|
|
- If you need to include triple backticks inside a code block, use four backticks
|
|
for the code block fences instead of three.
|
|
- For regular fenced code blocks, always use a highlighting class corresponding to
|
|
the language for better readability. Examples:
|
|
|
|
````markdown
|
|
```ruby
|
|
Ruby code
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
```javascript
|
|
JavaScript code
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
[Markdown code example](example.md)
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
```plaintext
|
|
Code or text for which no specific highlighting class is available.
|
|
```
|
|
````
|
|
|
|
Syntax highlighting is required for fenced code blocks added to the GitLab
|
|
documentation. Refer to this table for the most common language classes,
|
|
or check the [complete list](https://github.com/rouge-ruby/rouge/wiki/List-of-supported-languages-and-lexers)
|
|
of available language classes:
|
|
|
|
| Preferred language tags | Language aliases and notes |
|
|
|-------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|
|
| `asciidoc` | |
|
|
| `dockerfile` | Alias: `docker`. |
|
|
| `elixir` | |
|
|
| `erb` | |
|
|
| `golang` | Alias: `go`. |
|
|
| `graphql` | |
|
|
| `haml` | |
|
|
| `html` | |
|
|
| `ini` | For some simple configuration files that are not in TOML format. |
|
|
| `javascript` | Alias `js`. |
|
|
| `json` | |
|
|
| `markdown` | Alias: `md`. |
|
|
| `mermaid` | |
|
|
| `nginx` | |
|
|
| `perl` | |
|
|
| `php` | |
|
|
| `plaintext` | Examples with no defined language, such as output from shell commands or API calls. If a code block has no language, it defaults to `plaintext`. Alias: `text`.|
|
|
| `prometheus` | Prometheus configuration examples. |
|
|
| `python` | |
|
|
| `ruby` | Alias: `rb`. |
|
|
| `shell` | Aliases: `bash` or `sh`. |
|
|
| `sql` | |
|
|
| `toml` | Runner configuration examples, and other TOML-formatted configuration files. |
|
|
| `typescript` | Alias: `ts`. |
|
|
| `xml` | |
|
|
| `yaml` | Alias: `yml`. |
|
|
|
|
For a complete reference on code blocks, see the [Kramdown guide](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/markdown-guide/#code-blocks).
|
|
|
|
## GitLab SVG icons
|
|
|
|
> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/issues/384) in GitLab 12.7.
|
|
|
|
You can use icons from the [GitLab SVG library](https://gitlab-org.gitlab.io/gitlab-svgs/)
|
|
directly in the documentation. For example, `**{tanuki}**` renders as: **{tanuki}**.
|
|
|
|
In most cases, you should avoid using the icons in text.
|
|
However, you can use an icon when hover text is the only
|
|
available way to describe a UI element. For example, **Delete** or **Edit** buttons
|
|
often have hover text only.
|
|
|
|
When you do use an icon, start with the hover text and follow it with the SVG reference in parentheses.
|
|
|
|
- Avoid: `Select **{pencil}** **Edit**.` This generates as: Select **{pencil}** **Edit**.
|
|
- Use instead: `Select **Edit** (**{pencil}**).` This generates as: Select **Edit** (**{pencil}**).
|
|
|
|
Do not use words to describe the icon:
|
|
|
|
- Avoid: `Select **Erase job log** (the trash icon).`
|
|
- Use instead: `Select **Erase job log** (**{remove}**).` This generates as: Select **Erase job log** (**{remove}**).
|
|
|
|
## Alert boxes
|
|
|
|
Use alert boxes to call attention to information. Use them sparingly, and never have an alert box immediately follow another alert box.
|
|
|
|
Alert boxes are generated when one of these words is followed by a line break:
|
|
|
|
- `FLAG:`
|
|
- `NOTE:`
|
|
- `WARNING:`
|
|
- `INFO:` (Marketing only)
|
|
- `DISCLAIMER:`
|
|
|
|
For example:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
NOTE:
|
|
This is something to note.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
To display an alert box for multiple paragraphs, lists, or headers, use
|
|
[blockquotes](#blockquotes) instead.
|
|
|
|
Alert boxes render only on the GitLab documentation site (<https://docs.gitlab.com>).
|
|
In the GitLab product help, alert boxes appear as plain text.
|
|
|
|
### Flag
|
|
|
|
Use this alert type to describe a feature's availability. For information about how to format
|
|
`FLAG` alerts, see [Document features deployed behind feature flags](../feature_flags.md).
|
|
|
|
### Note
|
|
|
|
Use notes sparingly. Too many notes can make topics difficult to scan.
|
|
|
|
Instead of adding a note:
|
|
|
|
- Re-write the sentence as part of a paragraph.
|
|
- Put the information into its own paragraph.
|
|
- Put the content under a new subheading.
|
|
|
|
If you must use a note, use this format:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
NOTE:
|
|
This is something to note.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
It renders on the GitLab documentation site as:
|
|
|
|
NOTE:
|
|
This is something to note.
|
|
|
|
### Warning
|
|
|
|
Use a warning to indicate deprecated features, or to provide a warning about
|
|
procedures that have the potential for data loss.
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
WARNING:
|
|
This is something to be warned about.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
It renders on the GitLab documentation site as:
|
|
|
|
WARNING:
|
|
This is something to be warned about.
|
|
|
|
### Info
|
|
|
|
The Marketing team uses the `INFO` alert to add information relating
|
|
to sales and marketing efforts.
|
|
|
|
The text in an `INFO:` alert always renders in a floating text box to the right of the text around it.
|
|
To view the rendered GitLab docs site, check the review app in the MR. You might need to move the text up or down
|
|
in the surrounding text, depending on where you'd like to floating box to appear.
|
|
|
|
For example, if your page has text like this:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
This is an introductory paragraph. GitLab uses the SSH protocol to securely communicate with Git.
|
|
When you use SSH keys to authenticate to the GitLab remote server,
|
|
you don't need to supply your username and password each time.
|
|
|
|
INFO:
|
|
Here is some information. This information is an important addition to how you
|
|
work with GitLab and you might want to consider it.
|
|
|
|
And here is another paragraph. GitLab uses the SSH protocol to securely communicate with Git.
|
|
When you use SSH keys to authenticate to the GitLab remote server,
|
|
you don't need to supply your username and password each time.
|
|
|
|
And here is another paragraph. GitLab uses the SSH protocol to securely communicate with Git.
|
|
When you use SSH keys to authenticate to the GitLab remote server,
|
|
you don't need to supply your username and password each time.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
It renders on the GitLab documentation site as:
|
|
|
|
This is an introductory paragraph. GitLab uses the SSH protocol to securely communicate with Git.
|
|
When you use SSH keys to authenticate to the GitLab remote server,
|
|
you don't need to supply your username and password each time.
|
|
|
|
INFO:
|
|
Here is some information. This information is an important addition to how you
|
|
work with GitLab and you might want to consider it.
|
|
|
|
And here is another paragraph. GitLab uses the SSH protocol to securely communicate with Git.
|
|
When you use SSH keys to authenticate to the GitLab remote server,
|
|
you don't need to supply your username and password each time.
|
|
|
|
And here is another paragraph. GitLab uses the SSH protocol to securely communicate with Git.
|
|
When you use SSH keys to authenticate to the GitLab remote server,
|
|
you don't need to supply your username and password each time.
|
|
|
|
### Disclaimer
|
|
|
|
Use to describe future functionality only.
|
|
For more information, see [Legal disclaimer for future features](#legal-disclaimer-for-future-features).
|
|
|
|
## Blockquotes
|
|
|
|
For highlighting a text inside a blockquote, use this format:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
> This is a blockquote.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
It renders on the GitLab documentation site as:
|
|
|
|
> This is a blockquote.
|
|
|
|
If the text spans multiple lines, you can split them.
|
|
|
|
For multiple paragraphs, use the symbol `>` before every line:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
> This is the first paragraph.
|
|
>
|
|
> This is the second paragraph.
|
|
>
|
|
> - This is a list item
|
|
> - Second item in the list
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
It renders on the GitLab documentation site as:
|
|
|
|
> This is the first paragraph.
|
|
>
|
|
> This is the second paragraph.
|
|
>
|
|
> - This is a list item
|
|
> - Second item in the list
|
|
|
|
## Terms
|
|
|
|
To maintain consistency through GitLab documentation, use these styles and terms.
|
|
|
|
### Describe UI elements
|
|
|
|
Follow these styles when you're describing user interface elements in an
|
|
application:
|
|
|
|
- For elements with a visible label, use that label in bold with matching case.
|
|
For example, `Select **Cancel**`.
|
|
- For elements with a tooltip or hover label, use that label in bold with
|
|
matching case. For example, `Select **Add status emoji**`.
|
|
|
|
## GitLab versions
|
|
|
|
GitLab product documentation pages (not including [Contributor and Development](../../index.md)
|
|
pages in the `/development` directory) can include version information to help
|
|
users be aware of recent improvements or additions.
|
|
|
|
The GitLab Technical Writing team determines which versions of
|
|
documentation to display on this site based on the GitLab
|
|
[Statement of Support](https://about.gitlab.com/support/statement-of-support.html#version-support).
|
|
|
|
### View older GitLab documentation versions
|
|
|
|
Older versions of GitLab may no longer have documentation available from `docs.gitlab.com`.
|
|
If documentation for your version is no longer available from `docs.gitlab.com`, you can still view a
|
|
tagged and released set of documentation for your installed version:
|
|
|
|
- In the [documentation archives](https://docs.gitlab.com/archives/).
|
|
- At the `/help` URL of your GitLab instance.
|
|
- In the documentation repository based on the respective branch (for example,
|
|
the [13.2 branch](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/tree/13-2-stable-ee/doc)).
|
|
|
|
### Where to put version text
|
|
|
|
When a feature is added or updated, you can include its version information
|
|
either as a **Version history** item or as an inline text reference.
|
|
|
|
#### Version text in the **Version History**
|
|
|
|
If all content in a section is related, add version text after the header for
|
|
the section. The version information must:
|
|
|
|
- Be surrounded by blank lines.
|
|
- Start with `>`. If there are multiple bullets, each line must start with `> -`.
|
|
- The string must include these words in this order (capitalization doesn't matter):
|
|
- `introduced`, `enabled`, `deprecated`, `changed`, `moved`, `recommended` (as in the
|
|
[feature flag documentation](../feature_flags.md)), `removed`, or `renamed`
|
|
- `in` or `to`
|
|
- `GitLab`
|
|
- Whenever possible, include a link to the completed issue, merge request, or epic
|
|
that introduced the feature. An issue is preferred over a merge request, and
|
|
a merge request is preferred over an epic.
|
|
- Do not include information about the tier, unless documenting a tier change
|
|
(for example, `Feature X [moved](issue-link) to Premium in GitLab 19.2`).
|
|
- Do not link to the pricing page.
|
|
The tier is provided by the [product badge](#product-tier-badges) on the heading.
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
## Feature name
|
|
|
|
> [Introduced](<link-to-issue>) in GitLab 11.3.
|
|
|
|
This feature does something.
|
|
|
|
## Feature name 2
|
|
|
|
> - [Introduced](<link-to-issue>) in GitLab 11.3.
|
|
> - [Enabled by default](<link-to-issue>) in GitLab 11.4.
|
|
|
|
This feature does something else.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
If you're documenting elements of a feature, start with the feature name or a gerund:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
> - Notifications for expiring tokens [introduced](<link-to-issue>) in GitLab 11.3.
|
|
> - Creating an issue from an issue board [introduced](<link-to-issue>) in GitLab 13.1.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
If a feature is moved to another tier:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
> - [Moved](<link-to-issue>) from GitLab Ultimate to GitLab Premium in 11.8.
|
|
> - [Moved](<link-to-issue>) from GitLab Premium to GitLab Free in 12.0.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
#### Inline version text
|
|
|
|
If you're adding content to an existing topic, you can add version information
|
|
inline with the existing text.
|
|
|
|
In this case, add `([introduced/deprecated](<link-to-issue>) in GitLab X.X)`.
|
|
|
|
Including the issue link is encouraged, but isn't a requirement. For example:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
The voting strategy in GitLab 13.4 and later requires the primary and secondary
|
|
voters to agree.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
#### End-of-life for features or products
|
|
|
|
When a feature or product enters its end-of-life, indicate its status by
|
|
creating a [warning alert](#alert-boxes) directly after its relevant header.
|
|
If possible, link to its deprecation and removal issues.
|
|
|
|
For example:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
WARNING:
|
|
This feature is in its end-of-life process. It is [deprecated](link-to-issue)
|
|
for use in GitLab X.X, and is planned for [removal](link-to-issue) in GitLab X.X.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
After the feature or product is officially deprecated and removed, remove
|
|
its information from the GitLab documentation.
|
|
|
|
### Versions in the past or future
|
|
|
|
When describing functionality available in past or future versions, use:
|
|
|
|
- Earlier, and not older or before.
|
|
- Later, and not newer or after.
|
|
|
|
For example:
|
|
|
|
- Available in GitLab 13.1 and earlier.
|
|
- Available in GitLab 12.4 and later.
|
|
- In GitLab 12.2 and earlier, ...
|
|
- In GitLab 11.6 and later, ...
|
|
|
|
### Promising features in future versions
|
|
|
|
Do not promise to deliver features in a future release. For example, avoid phrases like,
|
|
"Support for this feature is planned."
|
|
|
|
We cannot guarantee future feature work, and promises
|
|
like these can raise legal issues. Instead, say that an issue exists.
|
|
For example:
|
|
|
|
- Support for improvements is tracked `[in this issue](LINK)`.
|
|
- You cannot do this thing, but `[an issue exists](LINK)` to change this behavior.
|
|
|
|
You can say that we plan to remove a feature.
|
|
|
|
#### Legal disclaimer for future features
|
|
|
|
If you **must** write about features we have not yet delivered, put this exact disclaimer near the content it applies to.
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
DISCLAIMER:
|
|
This page contains information related to upcoming products, features, and functionality.
|
|
It is important to note that the information presented is for informational purposes only.
|
|
Please do not rely on this information for purchasing or planning purposes.
|
|
As with all projects, the items mentioned on this page are subject to change or delay.
|
|
The development, release, and timing of any products, features, or functionality remain at the
|
|
sole discretion of GitLab Inc.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
It renders on the GitLab documentation site as:
|
|
|
|
DISCLAIMER:
|
|
This page contains information related to upcoming products, features, and functionality.
|
|
It is important to note that the information presented is for informational purposes only.
|
|
Please do not rely on this information for purchasing or planning purposes.
|
|
As with all projects, the items mentioned on this page are subject to change or delay.
|
|
The development, release, and timing of any products, features, or functionality remain at the
|
|
sole discretion of GitLab Inc.
|
|
|
|
If all of the content on the page is not available, use the disclaimer once at the top of the page.
|
|
|
|
If the content in a topic is not ready, use the disclaimer in the topic.
|
|
|
|
### Removing versions after each major release
|
|
|
|
Whenever a major GitLab release occurs, we remove all version references
|
|
to now-unsupported versions of GitLab. Note that this includes the removal of
|
|
specific instructions for users of non-supported GitLab versions. For example,
|
|
if GitLab versions 11.x and later are supported, special
|
|
instructions for users of GitLab 10 should be removed.
|
|
|
|
To view historical information about a feature, review GitLab
|
|
[release posts](https://about.gitlab.com/releases/), or search for the issue or
|
|
merge request where the work was done.
|
|
|
|
### Deprecated features
|
|
|
|
When a feature is deprecated, add `(DEPRECATED)` to the page title or to
|
|
the heading of the section documenting the feature, immediately before
|
|
the tier badge:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
<!-- Page title example: -->
|
|
# Feature A (DEPRECATED) **(ALL TIERS)**
|
|
|
|
<!-- Doc section example: -->
|
|
## Feature B (DEPRECATED) **(PREMIUM SELF)**
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Add the deprecation to the version history note (you can include a link
|
|
to a replacement when available):
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
> - [Deprecated](<link-to-issue>) in GitLab 11.3. Replaced by [meaningful text](<link-to-appropriate-documentation>).
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
You can also describe the replacement in surrounding text, if available. If the
|
|
deprecation isn't obvious in existing text, you may want to include a warning:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
WARNING:
|
|
This feature was [deprecated](link-to-issue) in GitLab 12.3 and replaced by
|
|
[Feature name](link-to-feature-documentation).
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
If you add `(DEPRECATED)` to the page's title and the document is linked from the docs
|
|
navigation, either remove the page from the nav or update the nav item to include the
|
|
same text before the feature name:
|
|
|
|
```yaml
|
|
- doc_title: (DEPRECATED) Feature A
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
In the first major GitLab version after the feature was deprecated, be sure to
|
|
remove information about that deprecated feature.
|
|
|
|
## Products and features
|
|
|
|
Refer to the information in this section when describing products and features
|
|
in the GitLab product documentation.
|
|
|
|
### Avoid line breaks in names
|
|
|
|
If a feature or product name contains spaces, don't split the name with a line break.
|
|
When names change, it is more complicated to search or grep text that has line breaks.
|
|
|
|
### Product tier badges
|
|
|
|
Tier badges are displayed as orange text next to a heading. These badges link to the GitLab
|
|
pricing page. For example:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You must assign a tier badge:
|
|
|
|
- To all H1 topic headings.
|
|
- To topic headings that don't apply to the same tier as the H1.
|
|
|
|
To add a tier badge to a heading, add the relevant tier badge
|
|
after the heading text. For example:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
# Heading title **(FREE)**
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Do not add tier badges inline with other text, except for [API attributes](../restful_api_styleguide.md).
|
|
The single source of truth for a feature should be the heading where the
|
|
functionality is described.
|
|
|
|
#### Available product tier badges
|
|
|
|
| Tier in which feature is available | Tier badge |
|
|
|:------------------------------------------------------------------------|:----------------------|
|
|
| GitLab Free self-managed and SaaS, and higher tiers | `**(FREE)**` |
|
|
| GitLab Premium self-managed and SaaS, and their higher tiers | `**(PREMIUM)**` |
|
|
| GitLab Ultimate self-managed and SaaS | `**(ULTIMATE)**` |
|
|
| Only GitLab Free self-managed and higher tiers (no SaaS-based tiers) | `**(FREE SELF)**` |
|
|
| Only GitLab Premium self-managed and higher tiers (no SaaS-based tiers) | `**(PREMIUM SELF)**` |
|
|
| Only GitLab Ultimate self-managed (no SaaS-based tiers) | `**(ULTIMATE SELF)**` |
|
|
| Only GitLab Free SaaS and higher tiers (no self-managed instances) | `**(FREE SAAS)**` |
|
|
| Only GitLab Premium SaaS and higher tiers (no self-managed instances) | `**(PREMIUM SAAS)**` |
|
|
| Only GitLab Ultimate SaaS (no self-managed instances) | `**(ULTIMATE SAAS)**` |
|
|
|
|
Topics that mention the `gitlab.rb` file are referring to
|
|
self-managed instances of GitLab. To prevent confusion, include the relevant `TIER SELF`
|
|
tier badge on the highest applicable heading level on
|
|
the page.
|
|
|
|
## Specific sections
|
|
|
|
Certain styles should be applied to specific sections. Styles for specific
|
|
sections are outlined in this section.
|
|
|
|
### GitLab restart
|
|
|
|
When a restart or reconfigure of GitLab is required, avoid duplication by linking
|
|
to [`doc/administration/restart_gitlab.md`](../../../administration/restart_gitlab.md)
|
|
with text like this, replacing 'reconfigure' with 'restart' as needed:
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
Save the file and [reconfigure GitLab](../../../administration/restart_gitlab.md)
|
|
for the changes to take effect.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
If the document resides outside of the `doc/` directory, use the full path
|
|
instead of the relative link:
|
|
`https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/administration/restart_gitlab.html`.
|
|
|
|
### Installation guide
|
|
|
|
In [step 2 of the installation guide](../../../install/installation.md#2-ruby),
|
|
we install Ruby from source. To update the guide for a new Ruby version:
|
|
|
|
- Change the version throughout the code block.
|
|
- Replace the sha256sum. It's available on the
|
|
[downloads page](https://www.ruby-lang.org/en/downloads/) of the Ruby website.
|
|
|
|
### Configuration documentation for source and Omnibus installations
|
|
|
|
GitLab supports two installation methods: installations from source, and Omnibus
|
|
packages. Possible configuration settings include:
|
|
|
|
- Settings that touch configuration files in `config/`.
|
|
- NGINX settings.
|
|
- Other settings in `lib/support/`.
|
|
|
|
Configuration procedures can require users to edit configuration files, reconfigure
|
|
GitLab, or restart GitLab. Use these styles to document these steps, replacing
|
|
`PATH/TO` with the appropriate path:
|
|
|
|
````markdown
|
|
**For Omnibus installations**
|
|
|
|
1. Edit `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`:
|
|
|
|
```ruby
|
|
external_url "https://gitlab.example.com"
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
1. Save the file and [reconfigure](PATH/TO/administration/restart_gitlab.md#omnibus-gitlab-reconfigure)
|
|
GitLab for the changes to take effect.
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
**For installations from source**
|
|
|
|
1. Edit `config/gitlab.yml`:
|
|
|
|
```yaml
|
|
gitlab:
|
|
host: "gitlab.example.com"
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
1. Save the file and [restart](PATH/TO/administration/restart_gitlab.md#installations-from-source)
|
|
GitLab for the changes to take effect.
|
|
````
|
|
|
|
In this case:
|
|
|
|
- Bold the installation method's name.
|
|
- Separate the methods with three dashes (`---`) to create a horizontal line.
|
|
- Indent the code blocks to line up with the list item they belong to..
|
|
- Use the appropriate syntax highlighting for each code block.
|
|
- Use the [GitLab Restart](#gitlab-restart) section to explain any required
|
|
restart or reconfigure of GitLab.
|
|
|
|
## Feature flags
|
|
|
|
Learn how to [document features deployed behind flags](../feature_flags.md). For
|
|
guidance on developing GitLab with feature flags, see [Feature flags in development of GitLab](../../feature_flags/index.md).
|