Writing Style

The docs follow two standards. Diátaxis decides what kind of page something is. ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English (STE) decides how its sentences read. STE is the controlled English of aircraft maintenance manuals: one meaning per word, one instruction per sentence, and warnings before the action they protect.

How strictly STE applies depends on the page type.

Page type	STE level	Where
How-to	Full	Procedures you do with tools in hand
Reference	Full for prose; tables unchanged	Parts, specifications, measurements
Tutorial	Light: warnings, steps and checks only	The build path
Explanation	Off; short sentences and the glossary terms	Design reasoning, aero, hangar
Kit manual	Never	Nomadium’s text, mirrored as-is

Full STE (how-to and reference)

1. Write one instruction in each sentence. Use the command form: “Cut the spar”, not “The spar should be cut”.
2. Keep procedural sentences to 20 words or fewer, and descriptive sentences to 25 or fewer.
3. Write a numbered step for each action. Write the condition before the action: “If the part is soft, correct the profile.”
4. Use the active voice. Use “make sure that”, “do a check of”, “refer to”.
5. Use one word for one meaning. Use the terms in the glossary. Do not use “ensure”, “verify”, “utilise”, “approx.”, “etc.”, “e.g.” or “i.e.”; write “for example” or list the items. Use “must” for a requirement, not “should” or “shall”.
6. Do not use contractions or “-ing” verb forms, except in technical names.
7. Put a WARNING before a step that can cause injury. Put a CAUTION before a step that can cause damage. Start each one with a command, then give the reason.
8. Keep paragraphs to one topic and six sentences or fewer.

Light STE (tutorials)

Keep the teaching voice. Apply rule 7 in full, and write each step and each check as one action or one condition per line.

Explanation

Write normal prose. Keep sentences short, and use the glossary terms.

Rules for any rewrite

• Do not add, remove or change an instruction, a value or a warning when you rewrite for style. A rewrite changes the words only.
• Do not rename headings. Other pages link to them.
• Keep tables, numbers, units, links and code unchanged.

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Source: docs/style-guide.md in the repo. Edit it there; this page is generated.