P2
Capitalize.
Not p2, P-2, or P 2.
See also O2.
page
Use page or webpage to describe a sub-page, document, or a collection of documents that make up a website or document.
Use page to refer to the page the reader or user is on, such as the home page.
pane
Use to refer to a smaller section or area that is part of the application window. Generally, a pane or view is adjacent to other UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface – the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing. elements and regions, and cannot be hidden, whereas a window is separate and can be hidden.
For more information, see Window, page, dialog, and view.
parameter
Use for a value given to a variable until an operation is completed. Don’t use to mean characteristic, element, limit, or boundary.
parent/child
OK to use in developer documentation and for a technical audience. Avoid using in user documentation and for a general audience; instead, use clear, delete, or remove.
Not parent – child or parent—child. Don’t use as a synonym for a primary/subordinate relationship.
parenthesis, parentheses
Use opening parenthesis or closing parenthesis for an individual parenthesis. Don’t use open parenthesis, close parenthesis, beginning parenthesis, ending parenthesis, left parenthesis, or right parenthesis. It’s OK to use parenthesis by itself if it doesn’t matter or it’s clear which parenthesis is being discussed.
For more information, see Parentheses.
path
OK to use. Avoid using pathname or path name if possible.
Use address or URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org, not path, to refer to a location on the internet.
In general, use path of, not path to, to refer to the location of a file.
For more information about slashes in paths, see Slashes with file paths and names.
For more information about paths in command-line syntax, see Command prompt.
PC
Initialism for personal computer. Use uppercase.
It’s OK to use PC in UI, tables, or headings where space is limited.
See also computer.
Initialism for Portable Document Format. Use uppercase.
Don’t use a filename extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use PDF file file rather than .pdf file.
For more information, see Referring to file types.
per
Use per instead of the division slash (/) to express a rate, unless space constraints in UI, tables, or headings require the use of the slash.
Avoid using per in contexts other than rate units.
Don’t use per to mean by or in accordance with.
Examples
Not recommended: transactions/hour
For more information, see Units of measurement.
percent, percentage
Always precede percent with a numeral, no matter how small the value.
It’s OK to use the percent sign (%) in UI, tables, or headings where space is limited. You can also use the percent sign as a technical symbol.
Use percentage when you describe a nonspecific quantity, or when applying the percentage formula.
Perl
Acronym for Practical Extraction and Report Language. Capitalize.
Don’t use a filename extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use Perl file rather than .pl file.
For more information, see Referring to file types.
permalink
One word. Not perma link or perma-link.
personally identifiable information
OK to use. It’s acceptable to abbreviate personally identifiable information as PII after the first mention of the term.
phone
It’s OK to use phone, mobile, mobile device, and mobile phone.
Don’t use cell phone.
photo
OK to use as an abbreviation for photograph. You can also refer to photos as images or pictures.
Don’t use as a verb. Instead, use photograph or take a picture.
PHP
Initialism for Hypertext Preprocessor (earlier called Personal Home Page). Use uppercase.
Don’t use a filename extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use PHP file file rather than .php file.
For more information, see Referring to file types.
phpMyAdmin
Note capitalization.
picture
OK to use as a synonym for photo and in standard phrases such as profile picture.
See also photo.
placeholder
Don’t use as a verb.
For more information, see Placeholders.
plaintext, plain text
In cryptography contexts, use plaintext. Otherwise, use plain text.
please
Don’t use please in standard contexts such as procedures, instructions, or tutorials.
Use please only when the user is asked to do something inconvenient, the application or site is to blame for the situation, or when there is an issue with the product.
Example
For more information, see Style, voice, and tone.
plugin, plug-in, plug in
One word as a noun. As a verb, use two words as in plug in. Hyphenate as an adjective as in plug-in.
PM
See AM, PM.
PNG
Initialism for Portable Network Graphics. Use uppercase.
Don’t use a filename extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use PNG file file rather than .png file.
For more information, see Referring to file types.
point to
It’s OK to use point to as a verb to describe moving the mouse pointer over an area of the UI without selecting it.
Don’t use point, mouse over or hover the pointer over.
For more information, see Hold, hold the pointer over.
populate
Avoid using to describe filling out forms. Use with caution to describe populating a table or other entity.
Don’t use in the context of describing people; instead, use fill in.
Examples
pop-up
Don’t use as a noun.
Examples
Don’t use pop up or pops up as a verb to describe the appearance of a window. Instead, use open or a similar verb.
For more information, see UI elements and interaction.
port
OK to use the verb forms port and port to in developer documentation and for a technical audience in the context of portability. Avoid using in user documentation and for a general audience.
Use port as a noun to refer to a location for passing data in and out of a computer or device. Don’t use connector to refer to a port.
For the noun form of port in the context of computer networking, use listen on, not listen to.
possible
Don’t use possible or impossible to mean you can or you can’t.
post-
In general, don’t hyphenate words beginning with post- such as postdate and postgraduate, unless post- is followed by a proper noun or it is absolutely necessary to avoid confusion.
For more information, see Hyphens.
For word usage of specific terms, see The American Heritage Dictionary.
pound key, pound sign
Don’t use. Instead, use number sign.
See also # (number sign).
power down, power up, power off, power on
Don’t use. Instead, use turn off and turn on.
Don’t use shut down to refer to turning off a device.
See also turn on, turn off, shut down, shutdown, start, restart.
pre-
In general, don’t hyphenate words beginning with pre- such as preexisting and preinstalled, unless pre- is followed by a proper noun or it is absolutely necessary to avoid confusion.
For more information, see Hyphens.
For word usage of specific terms, see The American Heritage Dictionary.
preceding
It’s OK to use preceding, previous, or earlier, but link to the particular information or use a cross-reference when possible.
For more information, see the Linking section.
predefined
One word. Not pre defined or pre-defined.
press, press and hold
Use only to describe pushing a physical button on a device or hardware.
For more information see Interaction verbs.
See also click, double click, double-click, double tap, double-tap, select, tap, double-tap.
primitive
Use with caution. Don’t use primitive in a disparaging sense.
privileges
Don’t use as a synonym for permissions or rights.
program
See app, application.
prompt
Use only to describe a signal, which might or might not be a message, that an app or the operating system is waiting for the user to take some action. In general, restrict the use of prompt as a noun to the command prompt.
Use as a verb to refer to the act of requesting information or an action from the user.
pros
Don’t use. Instead, use advantages or a contextually relevant term.
pull down, pull-down
In general, emphasize on the task to be accomplished, rather than how the user should interact with the UI element.
Don’t use pull down as a verb to describe how to use a menu or list. Don’t use pull-down as an adjective to describe the appearance of a menu or list.
For more information, see Dropdown list, combo box, and spin box.
purge
OK to use in developer documentation and for a technical audience. Avoid using in user documentation and for a general audience; instead, use clear, delete, or remove.
See also clear, delete, remove.
push
Don’t use to refer to the act of pressing a button or a key on a keyboard. Instead, use press.
See also press, press and hold.
put
Don’t use as a synonym for drag.
Fr more information, see Move, drag.
Python
Capitalize.
Don’t use a filename extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use Python file rather than .python file or .py file.
For more information, see Referring to file types.