Keeping tags clean from the start

Question

I want to provide some basic reminders regarding tags. As many of you will know from the other SE sites you participate in, tags are not on the top of the pile functionality wise in the SE sites. However if we keep it a sensible taxonomy from the start we have a good chance to make it better.

Let me start out with the obvious.

• Look for existing tags. Even now in beta. No, especially now in beta. Open the tags page and have a look at it before creating new ones.
• Think before you tag. Don't create meta tags.
• Be on the look out for bad tags. We already have some the roomba will delete tonight. (Someone created 4.0 ...) Edit out those abominations early and with prejudice.
• If you are unsure about it, ask about it on meta.

Let's do it right from the start.

Answer 1

Key tip on creating tags: complete the sentence “This question is about …”

Tags are not the same thing as search keywords. Tags categorize. If a concept is only peripheral to the question, it shouldn't be a tag. If a concept is central to the question, it should be a tag.

Tags are for what the question is about, not how the question is asked. If someone else asks a question calling for the same answers, but worded in a different way, the same tags should be acceptable.

Example: “I have a device with a wifi connection” → does not warrant a wifi tag.
“How can I reduce power consumption of the wifi radio?” → do use the wifi tag.

Look for existing tags before creating one. If you can think of two different names for a tag, don't create both tags, instead use one and ask on meta to create a tag synonym with the other.

Don't use abbreviations unless they're proper nouns. Example: raspberry-pi (not rpi), but tls (because TLS is the name of a protocol, never mind that it was constructed an acronym).

If in doubt, discuss in chat or on meta.

Answer 2

In some other SE's I frequent, a good rule of thumb when referencing a language-specific tool is to drop the .py and .js where they aren't necessary. Also making proper use of hyphens (-) will save a lot of formatting headaches down the line.

Particularly for IoT builders and developers, it might be better to simply use the name of the formal language they're using and not specifically the tools within those languages. Tool-specific questions are best asked elsewhere anyway.