sickn33/brand-guidelines

Brand Guidelines

Write user-facing copy following Sentry's brand guidelines.

When to Use

• You need to write or rewrite user-facing copy in Sentry's voice.
• The task involves UI text, onboarding, empty states, docs, marketing copy, or other branded content.
• You need guidance on when to use Plain Speech versus Sentry Voice.

Tone Selection

Choose the appropriate tone based on context:

| Use Plain Speech | Use Sentry Voice | |------------------|------------------| | Product UI (buttons, labels, forms) | 404 pages | | Documentation | Empty states | | Error messages | Onboarding flows | | Settings pages | Loading states | | Transactional emails | "What's New" announcements | | Help text | Marketing copy |

Default to Plain Speech unless the context specifically calls for personality.

Plain Speech (Default)

Plain Speech is clear, direct, and functional. Use it for most UI elements.

Rules

1. Be concise - Use the fewest words needed
2. Be direct - Tell users what to do, not what they can do
3. Use active voice - "Save your changes" not "Your changes will be saved"
4. Avoid jargon - Use simple words users understand
5. Be specific - "3 errors found" not "Some errors found"

Examples

| Instead of | Write | |------------|-------| | "Click here to save your changes" | "Save" | | "You can filter results by date" | "Filter by date" | | "An error has occurred" | "Something went wrong" | | "Please enter a valid email address" | "Enter a valid email" | | "Are you sure you want to delete?" | "Delete this item?" |

Sentry Voice

Sentry Voice adds personality in appropriate moments. It's empathetic, self-aware, and occasionally snarky.

Principles

1. Empathetic snark - Direct frustration at the situation, never the user
2. Self-aware - Acknowledge the absurdity of software
3. Fun but functional - Personality should enhance, not obscure meaning
4. Earned moments - Only use when users have time to appreciate it

Examples

404 Pages:

"This page doesn't exist. Maybe it never did. Maybe it was a dream. Either way, let's get you back on track."

Empty States:

"No errors yet. Enjoy this moment of peace while it lasts."

Onboarding:

"Let's get your first error. Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds."

Loading States:

"Crunching the numbers..." "Fetching your data..."

When NOT to Use Sentry Voice

• Error messages (users are frustrated)
• Settings pages (users are focused)
• Documentation (users need information)
• Billing/payment flows (users need trust)

General Rules

Spelling and Grammar

• Use American English spelling (color, not colour)
• Use Title Case for headings and page titles
• Use Sentence case for body text, buttons, and labels

Punctuation

• No exclamation marks in UI text (exception: celebratory moments)
• No periods in short UI labels or button text
• Use periods in complete sentences and help text
• No ALL CAPS except for acronyms (API, SDK, URL)

Word Choices

| Avoid | Prefer | |-------|--------| | Please | (omit) | | Sorry | (be specific about the problem) | | Error occurred | Something went wrong | | Invalid | (explain what's wrong) | | Success! | (describe what happened) | | Oops | (be specific) |

Dash Usage

| Type | Use | Example | |------|-----|---------| | Hyphen (-) | Compound words, ranges | "real-time", "1-10" | | En-dash (--) | Ranges, relationships | "2023--2024", "parent--child" | | Em-dash (---) | Interruption, emphasis | "Errors---even small ones---matter" |

In most UI contexts, use hyphens. Reserve en-dashes for date ranges and em-dashes for longer prose.

UI Element Guidelines

Buttons

• Use action verbs: "Save", "Delete", "Create"
• Be specific: "Create Project" not just "Create"
• Max 2-3 words when possible
• No periods or exclamation marks

Error Messages

1. Say what happened
2. Say why (if helpful)
3. Say what to do next

Good: "Could not save changes. Check your connection and try again." Bad: "Error: Save failed."

Empty States

1. Explain what would normally be here
2. Provide a clear action to populate the state
3. Sentry Voice is appropriate here

Good: "No projects yet. Create your first project to start tracking errors."

Confirmation Dialogs

• Make the action clear in the title
• Explain consequences if destructive
• Use specific button labels ("Delete Project", not "OK")

Tooltips and Help Text

• Keep under 2 sentences
• Explain the "why", not just the "what"
• Link to docs for complex topics

Anti-Patterns

Avoid these common mistakes:

• Robot speak: "Item has been successfully deleted" -> "Deleted"
• Passive voice: "Changes were saved" -> "Changes saved"
• Unnecessary words: "In order to" -> "To"
• Hedging: "This might cause..." -> "This will cause..."
• Double negatives: "Not unlike..." -> "Similar to..."
• Marketing speak in UI: "Supercharge your workflow" -> "Speed up your workflow"

References

• Sentry Voice Guidelines
• Sentry Frontend Handbook