Acronyms and initialisms

Always spell out a full term at first use on every page before you refer to it as an acronym or initialism. Use your best judgment for commonly accepted abbreviations, such as REST and API. Add the acronym or initialism in parentheses after the full name.

Correct

Use the Splunk Search Processing Language (SPL) to search your data.

Incorrect

Use SPL (the Splunk Search Processing Language) to search your data.

Capitalize all letters in an acronym or initialism, including specific file name extensions and file types that are used as adjectives. See "File name extensions" and "File types" in the Usage dictionary.

Don't use periods with acronyms or initialisms when they stand alone in text.

Correct

CSV file

HTTP protocol

JSON file

Upload the docs.pdf attachment.

Incorrect

c.s.v. file

http protocol

json file

Upload the docs.PDF attachment.

Don't use an acronym or initialism if it doesn't closely match the words it refers to.

Avoid

Use a tool like Volume Shadow Copy Services (VSS).

Use

Use a tool like Volume Shadow Copy Services.

See Referring to third-party companies and products for information on using third-party acronyms and initialism.

See Measurements for abbreviating rates of measurement.

See Dates and Time for date and time abbreviations.