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Title Capitalization of Keywords in Programming Languages





Capitalising a sentence whose first word is explicitly lowercase
Should I change the structure of a sentence/add filler words to make sure that the sentence always starts with a capital letter?



In programming language documentation, it is common for keywords to appear in titles. Assuming that the keyword is strictly lowercase in the language, how should that keyword be capitalized if it is used as the first word in a title?


For example:


int
int is used to specify an integer type.


-- or --


Int
int is used to specify an integer type.



Answer



It should not be capitalized. If you're trying to make your documentation useful, don't introduce unnecessary complexities.


Use the lowercase int (in fact, use it in a different font, preferably monospaced) for the titles. And comment on the fact that it's lowercase, the first few times you use it, and explain why you're using it.


If you're writing about Unix or any dialect of C, your readers may often need orientation to the types of text conventions involved in programming, in contrast to the types involved in more ordinary writing.


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