Microcopy

Microcopy

The small words that shape big experiences.

How to use

• /microcopy Apply microcopy constraints to this conversation.

Constraints

Buttons

• MUST describe the action outcome, not the mechanical action
• "Create project" not "Submit". "Send invite" not "Confirm".
• Destructive actions: name what's being destroyed ("Delete project" not "Delete")
• MUST use sentence case, not Title Case or ALL CAPS
• Loading state: show progress ("Saving..." not "Please wait")

Confirmations and Dialogs

• Title: what's about to happen
• Body: what it means and whether it's reversible
• Primary button: the action being confirmed
• Secondary button: "Cancel" (not "No" or "Go back")
• NEVER use "Are you sure?" without explaining the consequence

Tooltips and Help Text

• MUST add information the user doesn't already have
• Keep under 15 words. If it needs more, use a help page.
• SHOULD answer "why" not just "what" (why this field exists, not just what to put in it)
• NEVER use tooltips as the only way to explain essential functionality

Empty and Placeholder Text

• Input placeholders: show the expected format, not the label ("name@company.com")
• MUST NOT use placeholders as labels (they disappear on focus)
• Empty search: suggest search terms or show popular queries
• NEVER use "N/A", "null", "undefined", or "—" where a human-readable message belongs

Error Micro-Copy

• MUST say what went wrong in plain language
• MUST say how to fix it
• Place error text adjacent to the field that caused it
• Use red for errors, but don't rely on color alone (add an icon or text prefix)