Ticket Keywords

Occasionally, it is useful to filter tickets of the same type in different ways. To do this, ticket keywords can be used to refine the filtering and sorting of tickets when TicketTypes? or TicketPriorities? are not sufficient. For keywords to be genuinely useful, there must be a standardized set of well known keywords that the project uses, each with an explicitly defined purpose. This page lists the keywords used to refine categorization of tickets in this project, and explains how to use them effectively.

It is the shared responsibility of the contributors who work on this project to ensure that tickets are properly key-worded for their own use. However, it is a great help to us when the reporter of the ticket uses their best judgement when entering their ticket with appropriate keywords, even if those keywords are not listed on this page. To that end, we encourage everyone to use ticket keywords liberally. It is not inappropriate for a single ticket to include more than one related keywords.

Using keywords effectively

TracTickets can each be associated with a space-separated list of keywords. These keywords can be anything you like, but you will see the most benefit from using keywords if you usually stick with the keywords listed below. If your ticket can be described using an existing keyword, you should always prefer that keyword over opting to create a new keyword.

There are three main kinds of ticket keywords:

1. General keywords (always written in CamelCase)
2. Specific keywords (always written in all-lowercase lettering)
3. Subticket keywords (always written in #123 format)

Ticket keywords are not case sensitive, however case is used to distinguish general keywords from specific keywords.

A general keyword is, as its name implies, an umbrella keyword that relates to a very generalized domain (or problem area). Examples of a general keyword is Workflow. As you can see, general keywords all begin with an uppercase letter (and use CamelCase lettering in the case of a multi-word keyword such as AccessControl).

Specific keywords, on the other hand, relate to a very specific domain, and are signified by all-lowercase lettering. Since specific keywords are, by definition, specific to a particular domain, they are much more rarely used. However, if you are entering keywords not in this list, you are probably better off entering a specific keyword over a general keyword (i.e., you are better off typing with lowercase letters only).

Finally, a subticket keyword is simply a reference to another ticket by its ticket number (in standard TracLinks format) that marks the ticket with the keyword as a subticket of the one referred to by the keyword (which then becomes a superticket). Such keywords do not imply dependencies, merely an undefined unidirectional relationship. These keywords always begin with an octothorp (#) and are followed by one or more numerals. For example, to mark a new ticket being created as a subticket of ticket:10, enter #10 as one of its keywords.

Without technical knowledge, it may sometimes be difficult to distinguish which keywords best describe the ticket you are entering. If in doubt, add all the keywords you can think of into the ticket's keyword field. Later, the dev who grabs your ticket may re-keyword it, if doing so is deemed appropriate. Also, the following examples may help you disambiguate the intended use of the different keywords.

Example: (to come)

Example: (to come)

Keyword list

Each standardized keyword used in this project is described under its headline, below.

AccessControl keyword

Tickets that relate to issues involving access control, including authorization, authentication, and other generalized permissions and privileges concepts (such as DAC, MAC, or RBAC), may include the AccessControl keyword.

HTTP404 keyword

Tickets that relate to an issue where an HTTP 404 status code is generated may include the HTTP404 keyword.

Calendar keyword

Tickets that relate to any issue involving the site's integration with external calendars such as Google Calendar, Apple iCal, or its own internal handling of calendar events may include the Calendar keyword.

GraphicDesign keyword

Tickets that relate to any issue involving the use of visual representations of communication and presentation, such as visual layout, typography, color schemes, or other visual design considerations may include the GraphicDesign keyword.

Usability keyword

Tickets that relate to any issues where the ease-of-use, clarity, or efficiency with which users may be able to achieve their goals is referenced, or tickets where the measurement or design of such processes is regarded, may include the Usability keyword.

Workflow keyword

Tickets that relate to any issue involving managing a series of actions in specific steps may include the Workflow keyword.

backup keyword

Tickets that relate to any issue involving backups, automated or otherwise, may include the backup keyword.

notification keyword

Tickets that relate to automatic notifications output by the system, such as email alerts, may include the notification keyword.

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See also: TracTickets, TicketTypes?, TicketPriorities?