developers.home-assistant/docs/documentation_standards.md

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---
title: "Standards"
---
To ensure that the documentation for Home Assistant is consistent and easy to follow for both novice and expert users, we ask that you follow a very strict set of standards for developing the documentation.
## General Documentation
* The language of the documentation should be American-English.
* Don't put two spaces after a period and avoid the "Oxford comma".
* There is no limit for the line length. You are allowed to write in a flowing text style. This will make it easier to use the GitHub online editor in the future.
* Be objective and not gender favoring, polarizing, race related or religion inconsiderate.
* The case of brand names, services, protocols, components and platforms must match its respective counterpart. e.g., "Z-Wave" **not** "Zwave", "Z-wave", "Z Wave" or "ZWave". Also, "Input Select" **not** "input select" or "Input select".
* All headings should use the `{% linkable_title %}` tag.
* Do not use ALL CAPITALS for emphasis - use italics instead.
## Component and Platform Pages
* The **Configuration Variables** section must use the `{% configuration %}` tag.
* Configuration variables must document the requirement status (`false` or `true`).
* Configuration variables must document the default value, if any.
* Configuration variables must document the accepted value types (see [Configuration variables details](documentation_create_page.md#configuration)).
* For configuration variables that accept multiple types, separate the types with a comma (i.e. `string, int`).
* Use YAML sequence syntax in the sample code if it is supported.
* All examples should be formatted to be included in `configuration.yaml` unless explicitly stated.
* Use capital letters and `_` to indicate that the value needs to be replaced. E.g., `api_key: YOUR_API_KEY` or `api_key: REPLACE_ME`.
* If you know that the API key or value contains [control characters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YAML#Syntax), e.g., `#`, `[`, `?`, etc., wrap it in quotes and add a note.
* Component and platform names should be a link to their respective documentation pages.
Example configuration block
```yaml
{% configuration %}
some_key:
description: This is a description of what this key is for.
required: false
type: string
default: Optional default value - leave out if there isn't one
{% endconfiguration %}
```
## Templates
* All examples containing Jinja2 templates should be wrapped **outside** of the code markdown with the `{% raw %}` tag.
* Do not use `states.switch.source.state` in templates. Instead use `states()` and `is_state()`.
* Use double quotes (`"`) for ([more information](#single-vs-double-quotation-marks)):
* `friendly_name`
* Single-line templates:
* `value_template`
* `level_template`
* `icon_template`
* Children of `data_template`
* Use single quotes (`'`) for ([more information](#single-vs-double-quotation-marks):
* Strings inside of templates:
* States
* Entity IDs
* `unit_of_measurement`
* No whitespace around pipe character (`|`) for Jinja2 filters.
* Single whitespace after Jinja2 opening delimiters ({% raw %}`{{`{% endraw %}).
* Single whitespace before Jinja2 closing delimiters ({% raw %}`}}`{% endraw %}).
* Do not quote values for:
* `device_class`
* `platform`
* `condition`
* `service`
## Renaming Pages
It can happen that a component or platform is renamed, in this case the documentation needs to be updated as well. If you rename a page, add `redirect_from:` to the file header and let it point to the old location/name of the page. Please consider to add details, like release number or old component/platform name, to the page in a [note](/developers/documentation/create_page/#html).
```text
---
...
redirect_from: /getting-started/android/
---
```
Adding a redirect also applies if you move content around in the [documentation](/docs/).
## Single vs. Double Quotation Marks
Use single quotes (`'`) for strings inside of a template. It is more obvious to escape a single quote when necessary (i.e. `name` is a possessive noun), because the single quotes that wrap the string are closer in position to the apostrophe inside the string. Use double quotes (`"`) outside of a template (unless it is a multi-line template, in which case outside quotes are not required).
### Examples
#### Double Quotes Outside, Single Quotes Inside (Valid)
```yaml
automation:
...
action:
- service: notify.notify
data_template:
message: "{% if trigger.to_state.name == 'Dale\'s Bedroom' %}Someone's in your base, killing your noobs!{% else %}It's just another door.{% endif %}"
```
#### Single Quotes Outside, Double Quotes Inside (Invalid)
```yaml
automation:
...
action:
- service: notify.notify
data_template:
message: '{% if trigger.to_state.name == "Dale's Bedroom" %}Someone's in your base, killing your noobs!{% else %}It's just another door.{% endif %}'
```
#### Multi-Line Template (Valid)
```yaml
automation:
...
action:
- service: notify.notify
data_template:
message: >-
{% if trigger.to_state.name == 'Dale\'s Bedroom' %}
Someone's in your base, killing your noobs!
{% else %}
It's just another door.
{% endif %}
```