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Some of us love to use parentheses. Unfortunately, some readers ignore
anything that appears in parentheses, so don't put important information in
parentheses if you can help it.
Even for less important information, whenever you're inclined to use
parentheses, consider whether they're necessary. Sometimes they are; however,
the sentence or paragraph might work just as well if you remove the
parentheses and set off the phrase or sentence by using commas, dashes, semicolons,
or periods.
If you need to include parentheses in the middle of a sentence, keep the parenthetical thought
short. Otherwise, consider using two sentences.
Recommended: Enter a name for the instance—for example, my-instance-99.
Recommended: Enter a six-digit hex number (for example, 228B22), and then click OK.
Recommended: Enter a six-digit hex number, and then click OK. For example, if you want the color forest
green, enter 228B22.
Not recommended: Enter a name for the instance (for example, my-instance-99).
Not recommended: Enter a six-digit hex number (for example, if you want the color forest green, enter
228B22), and then click OK.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2024-10-15 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eAvoid placing crucial information within parentheses, as readers might overlook it.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eWhen possible, replace parentheses with alternative punctuation like commas, dashes, or semicolons to improve readability.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eFor parenthetical content within a sentence, keep it concise or consider splitting it into two separate sentences for clarity.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eWhen providing examples, position them outside of parentheses, preferably after the main instruction, to ensure clear and accessible guidance.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],["Avoid using parentheses for essential information as some readers may overlook them. When considering parentheses, explore alternative punctuation like commas, dashes, semicolons, or periods. Keep parenthetical thoughts short within a sentence; otherwise, use separate sentences. If a full sentence is in parentheses, the period belongs inside. When providing examples, write them in a sentence rather than in parentheses. For example, write `Enter 228B22`, not `Enter (228B22)`.\n"],null,["# Parentheses\n\nSome of us love to use parentheses. Unfortunately, some readers ignore\nanything that appears in parentheses, so don't put important information in\nparentheses if you can help it.\n\nEven for less important information, whenever you're inclined to use\nparentheses, consider whether they're necessary. Sometimes they are; however,\nthe sentence or paragraph might work just as well if you remove the\nparentheses and set off the phrase or sentence by using commas, dashes, semicolons,\nor periods.\n\nIf you need to include parentheses in the middle of a sentence, keep the parenthetical thought\nshort. Otherwise, consider using two sentences.\n| **Note**: If a full standalone sentence appears inside parentheses, the period also goes inside the parentheses, not outside.\n\nRecommended: Enter a name for the instance---for example, `my-instance-99`.\n\nRecommended: Enter a six-digit hex number (for example, `228B22`), and then click **OK**.\n\nRecommended: Enter a six-digit hex number, and then click **OK** . For example, if you want the color forest\ngreen, enter `228B22`.\n\nNot recommended: Enter a name for the instance (for example, `my-instance-99`).\n\nNot recommended: Enter a six-digit hex number (for example, if you want the color forest green, enter\n`228B22`), and then click **OK**."]]
