Use the "January 01, 1970" date format (EK00008)
A spelled-out Month DD, YYYY date reads the same for every reader, keeping dates unambiguous across your documentation. Learn why, with examples.
A spelled-out date in “Month DD, YYYY” form reads the same way for every reader, whatever date convention their locale follows. EkLine flags dates written in a numeric or day-first format (rule EK00008) and suggests the “Month DD, YYYY” style, such as July 31, 2016.
Why use a spelled-out date format in documentation?
Section titled “Why use a spelled-out date format in documentation?”Numeric dates are ambiguous across regions: 07/31/2016 is unmistakable, but 01/02/2016 could mean January 2 or February 1 depending on the reader. Spelling out the month removes that ambiguity, so no one misreads a release date, a deadline, or a version note. A single date format across your documentation also looks deliberate and reads faster.
What EkLine flags
Section titled “What EkLine flags”EK00008 matches numeric date formats and day-first month formats instead of the “Month DD, YYYY” style.
- ❌ Incorrect: The release shipped on 31/07/2016.
- ✅ Correct: The release shipped on July 31, 2016.
- ❌ Incorrect: The release shipped on 07/31/2016.
- ✅ Correct: The release shipped on July 31, 2016.
How to fix
Section titled “How to fix”Rewrite the date in “Month DD, YYYY” form: spell out the month, follow it with the day and a comma, then the four-digit year.
Why are numeric dates a problem in documentation?
Section titled “Why are numeric dates a problem in documentation?”Numeric dates are ambiguous across regions: 01/02/2016 could mean January 2 or February 1 depending on the reader. Spelling out the month removes that doubt.
What date format should you use?
Section titled “What date format should you use?”Use “Month DD, YYYY” — spell out the month, follow it with the day and a comma, then the four-digit year, such as July 31, 2016.
Rule details
Section titled “Rule details”| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Rule ID | EK00008 |
| Category | Consistency |
| Default severity | Error |
| Enabled by default | No |
Ignore this rule
Section titled “Ignore this rule”To keep a numeric date on one line, add an inline comment:
<!-- ekline-ignore-next-line EK00008 -- ISO 8601 date in a log sample -->The entry is timestamped 2016-07-31.To disable the rule across your project, add it to the ignore list in your configuration file.