Writing standards

This page outlines the writing standards we follow at Lerian to keep our documentation clear, consistent, and easy to use. Whether you're writing a new guide or updating an existing API reference, follow these practices to ensure your content feels cohesive and helpful.


Voice and tone


At Lerian, we write the way we work: with confidence, clarity, and care. Our tone is:

  • Assertive, but never arrogant – we say what needs to be said, clearly and without overexplaining.
  • Encouraging and empowering – we guide users to make progress, especially when things get complex.
  • Tech-savvy, but human – we talk to developers, not at them. We use technical terms when needed, but we always aim for clarity over jargon.
  • Humble and open – we’re confident in our solutions but always assume there’s more to learn.
👍

Tip

When in doubt, write like you’re helping a smart colleague who just joined the team.


Writing standards


We follow the Google Developer Documentation Style Guide as our baseline. Some key principles include:

  • Use active voice whenever possible: “This plugin handles authentication,” not “Authentication is handled by this plugin.”
  • Keep sentences short and clear. Aim for one idea per sentence.
  • Use present tense for general truths and functionality: “The service validates the request.”
  • Avoid unnecessary words: Prefer “use” over “utilize,” “start” over “commence,” “if” over “in the event that.”
👍

Tip

For deeper guidance, refer directly to the style guide.


Capitalization


We use sentence case for all headings and titles. That means only the first letter of the sentence and proper nouns are capitalized.

✅ Correct❌ Avoid
Getting started with the APIGetting Started With The API
Using the transaction builderUsing The Transaction Builder

This applies to:

  • Page titles
  • Section headings
  • Card titles
  • Navigation labels