+.. contents:: Contents
+ :depth: 1
+ :local:
+
+Style Guide
+===========
+
+This section serves two purposes:
+
+#. A guide for those writing documentation to follow.
+#. A guide for those reviewing documentation.
+
+That being said, assuming that the content is usable, the bias should
+be toward merging it rather than blocking on relatively minor edits.
+
+Formatting Preferences
+----------------------
+
+In general, the documentation team has focused on trying to make sure
+that the instructions are comprehensible, but not being overly pedantic
+about these things. Along those lines, while we would prefer the
+following, generally they aren't a reason to -1 in and of themselves:
+
+* No trailing whitespace
+* Line wrapping at something reasonable, i.e., 72–100 characters
+
+Key terms
+---------
+
+* Functionality: something useful a project provides abstractly
+* Feature: a Karaf feature that somebody could install
+* Project: a project within OpenDaylight, projects ship features to
+ provide functionality
+* OpenDaylight: this refers to the software we release, use this in
+ place of OpenDaylight controller, the OpenDaylight controller, not
+ ODL, not ODC
+
+ * Since there is a controller project within OpenDaylight, using
+ other terms is hard.
+
+Common writing style mistakes
+-----------------------------
+
+* In per-project user documentation, you should never say *git clone*,
+ but should assume people have downloaded and installed the controller
+ per the getting started guide and start with ``feautre:install
+ <something>``
+* Avoid statements which are true about part of OpenDaylight, but not
+ generally true.
+
+ * For example: "OpenDaylight is a NETCONF controller." It is, but
+ that is not all it is.
+
+* In general, developer documentation should target external developers
+ to your project so should talk about what APIs you have and how they
+ could use them. It *should not* document how to contribute to your
+ project.
+
+Grammar Preferences
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+* Avoid contractions: use cannot instead of can't, it is instead of
+ it's, and the like.
+
+Things to get right with spacing and capitalization
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+*Note that all of these apply when using them in text. If they are used
+as part of URL, class name, or something similar, use the actual
+capitalization and spacing.*
+
+* ACL: not Acl or acl
+* API: not api
+* ARP: not Arp or arp
+* datastore: not data store, Data Store, or DataStore (unless it's a
+ class/object name)
+* IPsec, not IPSEC or ipsec
+* IPv4 or IPv6: not Ipv4, Ipv6, ipv4, ipv6, IPV4, or IPV6
+* Karaf: not karaf
+* Linux: not LINUX or linux
+* NETCONF: not Netconf or netconf
+* Neutron: not neutron
+* OSGi: not osgi or OSGI
+* Open vSwitch: not OpenvSwitch, OpenVSwitch, or Open V Switch, etc.
+* OpenDaylight: not Opendaylight, Open Daylight, or OpenDayLight, etc.
+
+ * also avoid abbreviations like ODL and ODC
+
+* OpenFlow: not Openflow, Open Flow, openflow, etc.
+* OpenStack: not Open Stack or Openstack
+* QoS: not Qos, QOS, or qos
+* RESTCONF: not Restconf or restconf
+* RPC not Rpc or rpc
+* URL not Url or url
+* VM: not Vm or vm
+* YANG: not Yang or yang
+