Joomla! Documentation™

Please use [Words to watch]

Words to Watch are words commonly misspelled or which may have variations that depend on the Joomla! style guide choices.

An entry, which is just a word without a comment, is to show how we are spelling that word.

If an entry has something rather than something else then it should be read as, "We are using the spelling of the first something rather than the other possible spellings shown in something else".

Accepted Word	Unacceptable Word	Detail
accessory		Spell with a double c and a double s; the ending is -ory.
accommodate		Spell with a double c and a double m and an o before and after the m's.
Administrator	administrator	Always capitalise when referring to the Joomla user level or the backend Administrator. (Use of the latter should be limited to avoid confusion. Refer to this area as the Control Panel when referring to the facilities and backend when comparing to the frontend.
address		Spell with a double d.
aggression		Remember to spell with a double g and a double s.
allege		Use a double l and spell with -ege at the end.
a lot	alot	Use as two words, not one.
amend and amendment		Spell with a single m at the beginning.
apologize or apologise		Spell with -olo- in the middle.
apparent		Use double p but only one r and end in -ent.
argument		Do not put an e after the u, as you would in argue.
article		Do not capitalise the word article when referring to the element of Joomla content, but capitalise it when referring to the Article Manager.
author or Author		Do not capitalise the word author when referring to authors, but capitalise it when referring to the Author user group (like Administrator).
AutoCorrect		One word with camel case capitalisation.
backend	Backend or Back-end	Ensure it is never capitalised and never hyphenated when referring to the Administrator area of Joomla.
backup and back up		Use backup when used as an adjective, as in "he had a backup disk in his bag" or as a noun, as in "he saved a backup." Use back up when using it as a verb, as in "don’t forget to back up your hard drive".
banner and Banner Manager		Do not capitalise the word banner when referring to the element of Joomla content, but capitalise it when referring to the Banner Manager.
bitmap	bit map or bit-map	One word, not hyphenated or two words.
business	bisiness, biznes	Spell with busi- at the beginning
cacheable	cachable	The 'e' should not be dropped.
category and Category Manager		Do not capitalise the word category when referring to the element of Joomla content, but capitalise it when referring to the Category Manager.
checkbox	check box
check-in (noun/adjective) and Global Check-in	checkin (noun/adjective)	Use check-in, which must be capitalised when referring to a specific function, menu Item, or button such as the Global Check-in. It is correct to use check in (verb) as in "check in your materials."
command	comand	Use double m.
component		Do not capitalise the word component when referring to the element of Joomla.
consensus and consensual	concensus	Spell with -sen- in the middle.
contact and Contact Manager		Capitalise the word Contact when referring to the Contact Manager, but not when referring to an individual contact.
Control Panel	control panel	Capitalise when referring to the Joomla backend functional area.
controversy	contraversy
CSS	css	Always capitalise except in code or when used as a file extension.
database	data base	One word, not two.
desperate	desparate	Spell desperate with -per- in the middle.
dial-up	dialup dial up	Include the hyphen between "dial" and "up."
disappoint and disappointment	dissapoint disapoint dissappoint	Remember to spell with one s and a double p.
dropdown	drop-down drop down	One word not hyphenated
eighth	eigth	Remember to use -hth at the end.
email	E-mail email	Email is obviously correct at the start of a sentence! Use email (lowercase and no hyphen) for consistency.
extension(s)	Extension(s)	Refer to components, modules, and plug-ins collectively as extensions. Always capitalise when referring to the Extension Manager.
embarrass	embbaras	Spell with a single b, double r, and a double s.
extraordinary	extrordinary	Do not omit the “a” of extra.
fascinate and fascination	facination	Spell with an s before the c.
file name	filename	Two words rather than one.
friend		Spell with -ie- in the middle.
frontend	Front-end, front-end	Ensure it is never capitalised and not hyphenated when referring to the user (public) area of Joomla.
Front Page or front page	Frontpage frontpage	Always two words. Capitalise the words Front Page when referring to the menu Item element of Joomla content or the Front Page Manager.
fulfil	fulfill	Spell with one l in the middle and one at the end
gateway	gate way	One word, not two.
gauge	gage	Spell with -au- in the middle.
grateful	gratful or graitful	Begin with grate-. Single ‘l’ at the end
harass and harassment	harrass and harrassment	Spell with a single r and a double s.
hard disk	hard-disk	Two words. No hyphenation
hardware	hard-ware	One word. No hyphenation
home page	homepage	Always two words.
HTML	HTM html	Always capitalise, except in code or when a file extension.
hypocrisy	hypocrasy hypocrisey	Begin with hypo- and end with -isy.
immediate and immediacy	imediate	Spell with a double m.
independent	independant	End with –ent rather than -ant.
instalment	installment	Spell with one l
itinerary	itinery	End with -erary.
JavaScript	javascript Java Script	One word but with the J and S capitalised.
Joomla! and Joomla	joomla!, joomla	Always capitalise and include the exclamation mark on the first usage on a page (usually a title). Otherwise, like in code, capitalise and don't include the exclamation mark.
joomla_root/		Use as the starting point to all references to directories within the core installation to avoid confusion with the web server or database root.
keyboard	key board	One word not two
licence and license		Use licence as a noun for the permit you obtain to do something like hunt or drive, but use license when you mean it as a verb, to give permission to or allow someone to do something or for something to occur.
login, logon, logoff, and logout		Noun: always one word, one “g”, the act of logging into or out of a computer or Web site. Also, used to refer to the username used to log in, as in "he used his login and password to access the site."
log in, log on, and log off log out		Verb to go through the procedure of logging in to or out of a Web site, as in "he logged in to the password protected area."
maintenance	maintainence	Spell with -ten- in the middle and end with -ance.
mambot	Mambot	Never capitalise when used for a Joomla extension. Remember, in Joomla 1.5 this is replaced by plug-in.
Manager	manager	When referring to either the user level or a manager screen (Poll Manager) it is capitalised.
manoeuvre	maneuver	Spell with -oeu- in the middle and -vre at end
Media Manager	media manager	Capitalise when referring to the Joomla extension.
menu	Menu	Never capitalise when referring to a specific menu, except when used as the Menu Manager.
menu item	Menu Item	Two words and never capitalise both when referring to the specific element within Joomla, except when referring to the Menu Item Manager.
metadata	meta data	One word
millennium		Spell with a double l and a double n.
minuscule		Spell with a u after the n.
misspell	mispell	Spell with a double s.
module	Module	Never capitalise when used for a Joomla extension, but capitalise when used in the Module Manager.
multitasking	multi-tasking multi tasking	one word
MySQL	mysql MYSQL
news feed and News Feed Manager	newsfeed Newsfeed	Always capitalise when referring to the Joomla component and always two words. Use lowercase when referring to a news feed item itself.
necessary and necessity	neccessary	Spelled with one c and a double s.
occasion	occassion	Spell with a double c and a single s.
OK	Ok, ok	capitalise both letters
omission	ommission	Spell with one m and a double s.
online	on-line on line	One word
open source	Open Source (OS)	Never capitalise the O and S unless used in a proper name.
original		Spell with an i before and after the g.
overwrite	over write over-write	One word
password	pass word	One word
PHP	php	Always capitalise except when used as a file extension or in code.
poll and Poll Manager	poll manager	Always capitalise when referring to the Joomla component. Use lowercase when referring to a poll itself.
platform
Plug-in, plug-in	plugin, Plugin	Two words, hyphenated. Never capitalise except when referring to the Plug-in Manager.
possess and possession	posess	Spell with a double s before and after the e.
PostScript	Post Script post-script	One word. Capitalise P and S.
practice and practise		Use practice as a noun when describing actually doing something rather than just discussing it or theories about it, as in “put your good manners into practice”. Use practise as the verb, “improving your skill by doing something over and over.”
presence	presance	End with -ence.
privilege	privilage privildge	Spell with -ege at the end.
proofread	proof-read, proofed, proof read	This applies to all derivatives as well, such as proofreader, proofreading, etc.
questionnaire	questionare	Spell with a double n and end with -aire.
really	realy	Spell with a double l in the middle.
receive	recieve	Use i before e except after c.
recommend and recommendation	reccomend	Spell with a single c and a double m.
restaurant	restorant restaront	Spell with -au- between the t and r.
rhythm	writhm
secretary	secratary secretery	Use an e after the r and end with -ary.
section	Section	Never capitalise when referring to the specific element within Joomla, but capitalize when referring to the Section Manager.
seize	sieze	Spell with the e before the i.
separate	seperate	Spell with -par- in the middle.
similar	simalar simillar similer	End with –lar rather than -ler.
skilful, skilfully, skilfulness	skillfull	Watch for variations as shown
software	soft ware soft-ware	One word.
source code	sourcecode	Two words.
style sheet	stylesheet style-sheet	Two words, no hyphen.
subdirectory	sub-directory sub directory	One word
subdocument	sub-document sub document	One word
success and successful	sucess	Spell with a double c and a double s.
sufficient	suficient	Use a double f in the middle and end with -cient.
Super Administrator	super administrator	Always capitalise when referring to the Joomla user level.
surprise		Spell with an r before and after the p.
tomorrow		Spell with a single m and a double r.
toolbar	tool bar tool-bar	One word
twelfth	twelth	Spell with an f in the middle.
unfortunately		Spell with -ately at the end.
until		Use a single l at the end.
URL	Url url	Capitalise except when used in code. Use "a URL" and not "an URL".
user	User	When referring to a specific Joomla user, never capitalise the first letter, except when referring to the User Manager.
vehicle		Spell with -icle at the end.
Web	web	Capitalise except when using to refer to a spider's trap.
Web link and Web Link Manager	weblink, web-link	Two words, unhyphenated. Capitalise both words when referring to the Web Link Manager.
website	Web site Web Site web site	Formerly, the Web was used as a proper noun, but common usage of the term websites has changed and it is commonly accepted by the Chicago Manual of Style and the AP Stylebook.
weird	wierd	Spell with the e before the i
wilful	willfull willful	Only use a single l in the middle, and one at the end.
withhold	withold	Spell with a double h in the middle.
World Wide Web (WWW)	Worldwide Web	Capitalise, as it is a proper noun. Three separate words. Capitalise the abbreviation except in URLs.