Lists

Highlight: Use numbered lists for sequences, bulleted lists for non-sequential items, and description lists for pairs of related pieces of data.

Lists are useful to present lengthy and complex content in a clear, well-structured format that is easy to read and scan for readers. Use a parallel syntax for all lists and its items.

For more information about procedural steps that provide instructions to achieve a particular task, see Procedures and instructions.

Note: Don’t use a list to express just one item; a single item isn’t really a list. If you want to distinguish a single item from other text, use a different type of formatting.
For additional information about whether lists or tables are ideal, see Choosing between a list or a table.

Types of lists

Bulleted lists

Use a bulleted list for items that don’t need to appear in order or sequence and items that aren’t options.

Example

Recommended:
With this theme, you can do the following:

Customize the headerHeader The header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. and footer.
Modify the post format.
Add a custom site logo.

Numbered lists

Use a numbered list for sequential items in order (such as a sequence of steps) or prioritized items (such as a countdown list).

Example

Recommended:
To set up your development environment, follow these steps:
1. Download and install Node Version Manager (nvm).
2. Download, install, and start Docker Desktop following the instructions for your OS.
3. Install the WordPress environment tool.
4. Start the environment from an existing pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party or theme directory, or a new working directory.
5. Set up your code editor.

For more information about nested procedures, see Sub-steps in numbered procedures.

Lettered list

Use a lettered list to denote options to choose among. In many instances, a lettered list has mutually exclusive options.

Example

Recommended:
Select a theme to install:
A. Twenty Twenty-One
B. Twenty Twenty
C. Twenty Nineteen
D. Twenty Eighteen

Description list

Use a description list for listing down items with their descriptions, definitions, or explanations. A description list is generally used to emphasize multiple items with their descriptions (such as a glossary).

Example

Recommended:

BacklinkBacklink Incoming links to a web page. Search engines view backlinks as a reputation builder. The more quality (as determined by the search engine) incoming backlinks a site has usually helps a site to rank better in search engine results.
Incoming links to a web page.

bbPressbbPress Free, open source software built on top of WordPress for easily creating forums on sites. https://bbpress.org.
Free, open-source software built on top of WordPress for easily creating forums on sites.

CLICLI Command Line Interface. Terminal (Bash) in Mac, Command Prompt in Windows, or WP-CLI for WordPress.
Command Line Interface. Terminal (Bash) in Mac, Command Prompt in Windows, or WP-CLIWP-CLI WP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/ https://make.wordpress.org/cli/ for WordPress.

DNSDNS DNS is an acronym for Domain Name System - how you assign a human readable address to a website’s exact numeric coded location (ie. wordpress.org uses the actual IP address 198.143.164.252).
Domain Name System – how you assign a human readable address to a website’s exact numeric coded location.

Description lists that use run-in headings

Use a bulleted description list with run-in headings for listing down items with their descriptions, definitions, or explanations where space is limited.

Example

Recommended:

BacklinkBacklink Incoming links to a web page. Search engines view backlinks as a reputation builder. The more quality (as determined by the search engine) incoming backlinks a site has usually helps a site to rank better in search engine results.. Incoming links to a web page.
bbPressbbPress Free, open source software built on top of WordPress for easily creating forums on sites. https://bbpress.org.. Free, open-source software built on top of WordPress for easily creating forums on sites.
CLICLI Command Line Interface. Terminal (Bash) in Mac, Command Prompt in Windows, or WP-CLI for WordPress.. Command Line Interface. Terminal (Bash) in Mac, Command Prompt in Windows, or WP-CLIWP-CLI WP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/ https://make.wordpress.org/cli/ for WordPress.
DNSDNS DNS is an acronym for Domain Name System - how you assign a human readable address to a website’s exact numeric coded location (ie. wordpress.org uses the actual IP address 198.143.164.252).. Domain Name System – how you assign a human readable address to a website’s exact numeric coded location.

Multiple paragraph list items

A list item can contain more than one paragraph.

To create multiple paragraphs, use the <p> element rather than using the <br> element. For more information on which uses of <br> are correct and which ones aren’t, see the HTML specification for <br>.

Example

Recommended:
To transfer files onto your site, you can do the following:

Use the file manager provided in your host’s control panel.
Use an FTPFTP FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol which is a way of moving computer files from one computer to another via the Internet. You can use software, known as a FTP client, to upload files to a server for a WordPress website. https://codex.wordpress.org/FTP_Clients. client.

FTP or “File Transfer Protocol” has been the most widely used transfer protocol for over thirty years.

Use an SFTPSFTP SFTP is an acronym for Secure File Transfer Protocol: A standard protocol to move computer files from one host to another over the Internet with enhanced security. client.

Introductory sentences

In most cases, introduce a list with an introductory sentence that initiates the list that follows. If the heading of the content explains what the list is about, and no additional context is required, then don’t include an introductory statement. You can introduce a list with an imperative statement.

The introductory sentence can end with a colon or a period. Use a period if the introductory content is extended, and a colon if the introductory statement is shorter and immediately precedes the list. The text preceding the colon must distinctly stand alone as a complete sentence. That is, don’t introduce a list with a partial statement.

For more information about punctuation and capitalization of lists, see Capitalization and end punctuation.

Examples

Not recommended: To set up your development environment:

Recommended: To set up your development environment, follow these steps:

Recommended: Set up your development environment:

Not recommended: The settings are:

Recommended: The settings that can be changed are as follows:

Sub-steps in numbered procedures

For more information about sub-steps in numbered procedures, see Procedures and instructions.

Capitalization and punctuation

Bulleted, numbered, and lettered lists

In most contexts, capitalize each list item. End each list item with a period or corresponding sentence-ending punctuation.

Don’t add end punctuation in the following cases:

If the item consists of a single word or fewer than three words.
If the item doesn’t include a verb.
If the item is entirely link text, a title, heading, subheading, or a string.
If the item is entirely in code font or a UI label.

Note: These exceptions apply to individual list items, so it may happen that a list might have some items with end punctuation, and some without end punctuation. To avoid this, use a parallel syntax for all items such that all items either have or don’t have end punctuation.

Examples

Recommended:
With this theme you can modify the following headerHeader The header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. values:

Length
Width
Color
Transparency and opacity
Font

Recommended:
With this theme, you can do the following:

Customize the headerHeader The header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. and footer.
Modify the post format.
Add a custom site logo.

Description lists

In some cases, an explanation for a list item may be useful, but this can affect the punctuation. Rather than writing the descriptions, definitions, or explanations for a singular item, use a description list and write the descriptions for all the items in the list. In most contexts, capitalize each list item.

Don’t end the term with a period or other end punctuation, but do end the description with a period or relevant end punctuation.

Examples

Not recommended:
Word reference:

BacklinkBacklink Incoming links to a web page. Search engines view backlinks as a reputation builder. The more quality (as determined by the search engine) incoming backlinks a site has usually helps a site to rank better in search engine results.
bbPressbbPress Free, open source software built on top of WordPress for easily creating forums on sites. https://bbpress.org. – Free, open-source software built on top of WordPress for easily creating forums on sites.
CLICLI Command Line Interface. Terminal (Bash) in Mac, Command Prompt in Windows, or WP-CLI for WordPress.
DNSDNS DNS is an acronym for Domain Name System - how you assign a human readable address to a website’s exact numeric coded location (ie. wordpress.org uses the actual IP address 198.143.164.252).

Recommended:
Word reference:
BacklinkBacklink Incoming links to a web page. Search engines view backlinks as a reputation builder. The more quality (as determined by the search engine) incoming backlinks a site has usually helps a site to rank better in search engine results.
Incoming links to a web page.

Description lists that use run-in headings

End the introductory term or phrase with a period or colon. If a description follows a period, end the description with a period. If it follows a colon; then don’t include a period if it’s a list of items, phrases without verbs, or a list of items.

In most contexts, capitalize each list item. For the item descriptions, write text that follows a colon in lowercase and capitalize text that follows a period.

Don’t use a dash or hyphen to set off an item description in a description list. For more information, see Colons instead of dashes in lists.

Examples

Recommended:
Abbreviation glossary:

APIAPI An API or Application Programming Interface is a software intermediary that allows programs to interact with each other and share data in limited, clearly defined ways.: Application Programming Interface
FTPFTP FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol which is a way of moving computer files from one computer to another via the Internet. You can use software, known as a FTP client, to upload files to a server for a WordPress website. https://codex.wordpress.org/FTP_Clients.: File Transfer Protocol
CGI: Common Gateway Interface
URI: Uniform Resource Identifier
XML: ExtensibleExtensible This is the ability to add additional functionality to the code. Plugins extend the WordPress core software. Markup Language

Recommended:
There are two ways of getting files onto your site, and once there, changing them:

By using the file manager provided in your host’s control panel. Popular file managers include cPanel, DirectAdmin, Plesk and….
By using an FTPFTP FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol which is a way of moving computer files from one computer to another via the Internet. You can use software, known as a FTP client, to upload files to a server for a WordPress website. https://codex.wordpress.org/FTP_Clients. or SFTPSFTP SFTP is an acronym for Secure File Transfer Protocol: A standard protocol to move computer files from one host to another over the Internet with enhanced security. client. File Transfer Protocol has been the most widely used transfer protocol….

Recommended:
The user-level privileges are as follows:

Can modify: posts, pages, media, user settings
Cannot modify: password, email, username, user accounts, site settings

Lists

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