Notes, alerts and tabs
Articles can include two kinds of special blocks that make them easier to scan: asides, which call out a piece of text, and tabs, which let a reader switch between versions of the same content.
Asides
An aside is a highlighted box set apart from the surrounding text. It can have a title. DocSpade offers four types.
| Type | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Note | Extra information the reader may find useful |
| Tip | A helpful suggestion or a shortcut |
| Caution | Something that could cause a problem if the reader is not careful |
| Danger | Something that could cause serious harm or lose data |
Use asides sparingly. If every paragraph has a box around it, readers stop noticing them. Reserve Caution and Danger for things that really matter, so readers take them seriously.
Tabs
Tabs show one panel of content at a time, with a row of labels the reader clicks to switch. They suit content that differs by choice but has the same purpose, such as instructions for Windows and for macOS, or examples in different programming languages.
Each tab has a label. Tab groups that use the same labels switch together, so a reader who picks macOS in one place sees macOS everywhere on the page.
Do not use tabs to hide content every reader needs. Readers may not open every tab.
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