Terminology

Here's a list of common UI terms and their usage.

For Red Hat product terminology and documentation standards, see Red Hat's supplementary style guide for Red Hat product documentation.

Add: (v.) Use to describe adding an existing item to an existing list, group, view, or other container element.

• Opposite: Remove
• Notes: If the object being added is not readily apparent from the context, consider adding a noun (like “Add user”). If you’re creating a new object, do not use Add. See Create.

Cancel: (v.) Use to describe ending an action in progress or ending an action where changes could be lost (like in a form).

• Notes: Use canceling instead of cancelling. Use canceled instead of cancelled.

Change: Do not use. See Edit.

Click: (v.) Use to prompt the user to click a button, radio button, link, or any other item that isn't part of a list, group, view, or other container element.

• Notes: Do not use interchangeably with Select.

Close: (v.) Use to describe shutting an open window (like a message dialog).

• Opposite: Open
• Notes: Do not use interchangeably with Cancel or Quit.

Collapse: (v.) Use to describe minimizing a container element (like a list or message) so that it’s partially visible.

• Opposite: Expand

Continue: (v.) Use to describe proceeding with an action or process that is in progress.

Create: (v.) Use to describe creating something new.

• Opposite: Delete
• Notes: If the object being created is not readily apparent from the context, consider adding a noun (like “Create user”). New or Add are not recommended for this use case. See Add for usage guidelines.

Delete: (v.) Use to describe completely removing an object. Delete is a destructive action.

• Opposite: Create
• Notes: Erase and Remove are not recommended for this use case. See Remove for usage guidelines.

Deselect: (v.) Use to prompt the user to deselect an item from a list, group, view, or other container element.

• Opposite: Select

Edit: (v.) Use to describe making changes to an object (like a file, configuration, or policy).

• Notes: Modify and Change are not recommended for this use case.

Expand: (v.) Use to describe expanding a container element (like a list or message) to show all its contents.

• Opposite: Collapse

Hide: (v.) Use to describe hiding something that is displayed in the interface.

• Opposite: Show

Home page: (n.) Use to describe the main page of a website.

• Notes: Write home page as two words, not one.

Log in: (v.) Use to describe logging in.

• Opposite: Log out
• Notes: Use log in to, not log into.

Login: (adj.) Use to describe something related to the act of logging in to an application, like a login page.

• Notes: The noun Login can also be used as an alternative for Username, but Username is recommended.

Log out: (v.) Use to describe logging out.

• Opposite: Log in

Modify: Do not use. See Edit.

New: Do not use. See Add or Create.

OK: (adj.) Use to collect confirmation or understanding from the user.

• Notes: Do not use Okay, O.K., Ok, or ok in the UI.

Open: (v.) Use to describe launching something (like system preferences).

• Opposite: Close

Quit: (v.) Use to describe exiting an application.

Remove: (v.) Use to describe removing an item from a list, group, view, or other container element without completely deleting it. Also see Add and Delete.

• Opposite: Add
• Notes: If what you’re removing is not readily apparent from the context, consider adding a noun (like “Remove file”).

Save: (v.) Use to describe preserving changes made by the user.

• Opposite: Cancel

Select: (v.) Use to prompt the user to select an item from a list, group, view, or other container element.

• Opposite: Deselect
• Notes: Do not use Choose for this use case.

Set up: (v.) Use to describe setting up an arrangement (like a system, process, or environment).

• Notes: Set up is two words as a verb and one word as a noun. See Setup.

Setup: (n.) Use to describe the setup of something (like a system, process, or environment).

• Notes: Setup is one word as a noun and two words as a verb. See Set up.

Show: (v.) Use to describe displaying something that is hidden in the interface.

• Opposite: Hide
• Notes: Do not use interchangeably with View or Expand.

Sign up: (v.) Use to describe signing up for a web account, application, service, or event.

• Notes: Sign up is two words as a verb and one word as an adjective or noun. See Signup.

Signup: (adj.) Use to describe something related to the act of signing up for a web account, application, service, or event, like a signup page.

• Notes: The noun Signup can also be used to refer to a user signup submission (for example, "We need more signups for this event.").

View: (v.) Use to describe accessing another page to see details. (n.) Use to represent an arrangement of data in the interface (like a list view).

• Notes: Do not use interchangeably with Show or Expand.

Username: (n.) Usually a unique ID (like ssmith123).

Utilize: Do not use. Opt for the less formal version, Use.

Abbreviations and acronyms

Use abbreviations that users are familiar with, and write out uncommon abbreviations. Abbreviate units of measurement, and use abbreviations consistently.