Content Guidelines
Voice, tone, and writing conventions for UI text.
Voice & Tone
Technical
Precise, no hand-waving. Use correct terminology. The audience knows their tools.
Concise
Say it once, say it clearly. No marketing fluff. Every word earns its place.
Direct
Address the user as “you”. Use active voice. Lead with the action.
UI Text Conventions
| Element | Convention | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Buttons | Verb-first, sentence case, 1-3 words | “Save changes”, “Delete” |
| Labels | Sentence case, no trailing colon | “Email address”, “Client name” |
| Headings | Sentence case, descriptive | “OAuth clients”, “Recent activity” |
| Errors | What happened + how to fix | “Invalid redirect URI. Must be an HTTPS URL.” |
| Empty states | Friendly + actionable CTA | “No clients yet. Create your first OAuth client.” |
| Loading | Brief, contextual | “Loading clients...” |
| Confirmations | Clear question + specific labels | “Delete this client?” / “Delete” / “Cancel” |
Tone by Context
Celebratory but brief. “Client created successfully.”
Empathetic, solution-oriented. “Connection failed. Check the URL and retry.”
Clear, step-by-step. No jargon beyond what the audience expects.
Calm, informative. “This action cannot be undone.” Not alarmist.