github-docs-arabic-enhanced / content /contributing /style-guide-and-content-model /referential-content-type.md
metadata
title: Referential content type
intro: >-
Referential content provides detailed information that people need while they
are actively using a feature.
versions:
fpt: '*'
ghec: '*'
ghes: '*'
We create referential articles and referential sections within other articles.
- Some major subjects may require their own referential article, especially if there is a large amount of referential content, such as for search syntax or YAML syntax in {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}.
- For smaller amounts of content or more specific information, like a list of a feature’s supported languages or hardware requirements, use referential sections in context within procedural or conceptual articles.
How to write referential content
For the referential content template, see AUTOTITLE.
- Write a sentence or an entire conceptual section to introduce the referential content.
- Present the actual referential content clearly and consistently.
- For subjects with a single element to explain, use a list.
- Example: AUTOTITLE
- For subjects with multiple elements to explain, use a table.
- Example: AUTOTITLE
- For longer referential content, such as YAML syntax for workflows, use headers consistently.
- H2 headers for each distinct section.
- H3 headers for subsections, such as examples.
- Example: AUTOTITLE
Titles for referential content
- Referential articles or headers of referential sections clearly describe the contents of the section, and generally begin with nouns.
- Titles include enough information to be accessible to novice users and fully describe the contents of each section.
- Titles avoid stacked nouns - use prepositions to break up long strings of nouns.