Detailed Writing Style Guidelines

Tone and audience

The tone of the Zephyr Project’s documentation should be clear, concise, confident, and courteous. We are writing to peers, so we want to be familiar. Use you, we and avoid the passive voice, but while remaining professional. The writing should carry an undertone of cordiality, respect, and cooperation.

Assume your audience is at about the same level of technical understanding and expertise as you are. We don’t want to talk down to our readers. Do not assume the readers know everything about the subject. Offer brief explanations or summaries of “common knowledge” where you think a significant portion of readers might benefit.