Formatting Glossary

Browse 11 formatting terms defined in plain English, from the cultural dictionary of computing.

11 Formatting Terms

Code Format
The visual style and layout of source code, including indentation, spacing, line breaks, import ordering, and other structural presentation choices. Consistent...
Custom Formatter
A formatter written or configured to produce output in a project-specific style, data shape, or presentation format. Custom formatters are common in logging,...
Locale
A set of parameters that defines a user's language, region, and cultural conventions — affecting date formats, number separators, currency symbols, and text...
Output Format
The required structure or presentation style of an AI system's output, such as plain text, markdown, JSON, XML, or a fixed template. Output format matters...
Pretty Print
To format data — typically JSON, XML, code, or data structures — with consistent indentation, line breaks, and syntax highlighting so that it is...
Pretty Printer
A tool or function that reformats data, code, or structures into a cleaner and more readable layout. Pretty printers show up in compilers, debuggers,...
Prompt Format
The structure and layout of a prompt, including sections, delimiters, examples, and formatting conventions. Prompt format can affect how clearly the model...
Response Format
The required structure or layout of an AI response, such as plain text, markdown, bullets, JSON, or a schema-defined object. Response format matters because...
Tab vs Spaces War
A perennial style argument over whether indentation in source code should use tab characters or spaces. The debate is culturally famous because it produces...
Vfmt
The built-in code formatter for the V programming language. Like gofmt or rustfmt, it enforces a canonical style, eliminating formatting debates by making all...
Whitespace
Characters in source code that represent empty space — spaces, tabs, newlines, and carriage returns — which most languages use for formatting and readability,...

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