created: 20141226192500000
modified: 20230318160831470
tags: [[Improving TiddlyWiki Documentation]]
title: Reference Tiddlers

<<.def "Reference tiddlers">> offer raw information in a comprehensive interlinked way. The reader is likely to be an intermediate or expert user.

There are several subcategories:

;Concepts
* With definitions, together forming a glossary

;User manual
* Presenting technical details of ~WikiText features
* Subcategorised: messages, operators, widgets, etc
** Widget documentation should follow the [[Widget Documentation Style Guide]]

;Developer manual
* Presenting technical details of ~TiddlyWiki's internal architecture

Reference material is written in a terse, formal style that avoids referring to the reader, and instead focuses on how ~TiddlyWiki itself behaves. The passive voice is often suitable:

* <<.word "the template is specified as a tiddler">> rather than <<.word "specify the template as a tiddler">>
* <<.word "the widget can be used for various purposes">> rather than <<.word "you can use the widget for various purposes">>
* But <<.word "this widget has several possible uses">> is better, because it is less convoluted and more succinct

Most contracted verb forms are avoided in reference tiddlers. But those ending in <<.word "n't">> (<<.word "aren't">>, <<.word "doesn't">>, <<.word "hasn't">>, <<.word "isn't">>, etc) are acceptable, as they make it less easy to accidentally overlook the word <<.word not>>.