Hyphens
August 31, 2026 · View on GitHub
Guidance
Hyphenate compound adjectives that appear before a noun. Don't hyphenate the same compound when it appears after a noun or as a predicate.
Examples
Do:
A well-known feature.
A comma-separated values file.
client-side configuration (adjective before noun)
The configuration is client side. (predicate)
Don't:
A feature well-known.
The feature is well-known.
client-side (when used as a noun)
Notes
Common hyphenated compounds in F5 documentation:
| Hyphenated (adjective) | No hyphen (noun/predicate) |
|---|---|
| client-side | client side |
| server-side | server side |
| real-time (adjective) | real time (noun) |
| command-line (adjective) | command line (noun) |
| comma-separated | — (always hyphenated) |
| rate-limiting (adjective) | rate limiting (noun) |
Do not hyphenate product names in compound constructions. Recast the sentence instead:
- Don't: a BIG-IP-originated connection
- Do: a connection that originated from the BIG-IP system
Do not use hyphens with prefixes unless the result is ambiguous or the base word is a proper noun:
- re-enable (hyphen prevents misreading as "reenable")
- non-secure
- pre-logon
Use an en dash (–) not a hyphen for ranges in titles and tables when available. Use "through" in prose:
- Table: 10–15
- Prose: 10 through 15