Language & Tone Guidelines

Copy standards and terminology guidelines for Base MiniApps

Language & Tone Guidelines

Clear, user-friendly language is essential for creating accessible Base MiniApps. These guidelines help you write copy that focuses on user benefits rather than technical mechanisms.

Quality Bar Requirement

Following these language guidelines is mandatory for featuring eligibility. Apps using crypto jargon or unclear copy will not pass the Quality Bar.

Core Principles

1. User Benefits Over Technical Mechanisms

Focus on what users get, not how the technology works.

✅ Do

• “Start earning rewards” - “Save your progress” - “Share with friends” - “Get price alerts” - “Track your collectibles”

2. Plain English Over Jargon

Use familiar words that everyone understands.

✅ Do

• “Username” or “Profile name” - “Digital collectibles” - “Continue” or “Get started” - “Share” - “Base app”

3. Outcome-Oriented CTAs

Button text should describe what happens next.

✅ Do

• “Start Quiz” - “View Portfolio” - “Join Game” - “Send Message” - “Buy Collectible”

Terminology Guide

✅ Preferred Terms

Context	Use This	Not This
Authentication	Continue, Get started, Sign in	Connect wallet, Authenticate
Platform Reference	Base app	Farcaster, Farcaster client
Digital Assets	Collectibles, Digital items	NFTs, Tokens
User Identity	Username, Profile name	ENS, Domain name
Sharing	Share, Post	Share to Farcaster
Transactions	Send, Buy, Sell	Execute, Sign transaction
Wallet Operations	Add funds, Check balance	Top up, Query balance
Smart Contracts	Mint, Create, Claim	Deploy, Interact with contract

Brand & Platform Terms

✅ Correct Usage

• “Base app” - When referring to the platform users are in
• “Base network” - When referring to the blockchain
• “Mini app” or “MiniApp” - When referring to your application
• “Onchain” - As one word when referring to blockchain activity

❌ Avoid These

• “Farcaster” - Don’t reference other platforms in user-facing UI
• “Web3” - Too technical for general users
• “Dapp” - Use “app” instead
• “On-chain” - Use “onchain” as one word

Copy Style Guide

Capitalization

Use sentence case for all UI text:

✅ Correct:
- "Start your first quiz"
- "View trading history"
- "Share with friends"

❌ Incorrect:
- "Start Your First Quiz"
- "View Trading History"
- "Share With Friends"

Button Text Guidelines

Primary Actions

Should be specific and outcome-focused:

// ✅ Good button text
<PrimaryButton>Start Daily Challenge</PrimaryButton>
<PrimaryButton>Claim 50 USDC Reward</PrimaryButton>
<PrimaryButton>Join Tournament</PrimaryButton>

// ❌ Vague button text
<PrimaryButton>Continue</PrimaryButton>
<PrimaryButton>Submit</PrimaryButton>
<PrimaryButton>OK</PrimaryButton>

Secondary Actions

Should provide clear alternatives:

// ✅ Clear alternatives
<SecondaryButton>Browse leaderboard</SecondaryButton>
<SecondaryButton>Try demo first</SecondaryButton>
<SecondaryButton>Learn more</SecondaryButton>

// ❌ Unclear alternatives
<SecondaryButton>Later</SecondaryButton>
<SecondaryButton>Skip</SecondaryButton>
<SecondaryButton>Cancel</SecondaryButton>

Microcopy Guidelines

Loading States

Focus on what’s happening:

✅ Good loading copy:
- "Loading your portfolio..."
- "Preparing your quiz..."
- "Connecting to Base network..."

❌ Technical loading copy:
- "Authenticating wallet..."
- "Querying smart contract..."
- "Signing transaction..."

Error Messages

Explain what happened and what to do next:

✅ Helpful error messages:
- "Connection lost. Check your internet and try again."
- "Quiz already completed today. Come back tomorrow!"
- "Insufficient funds. Add more USDC to continue."

❌ Technical error messages:
- "Transaction failed: insufficient gas"
- "RPC endpoint timeout"
- "Contract call reverted"

Success Messages

Celebrate the outcome:

✅ Encouraging success messages:
- "Quiz completed! You earned 10 USDC."
- "Collectible purchased successfully!"
- "Progress saved. See you tomorrow!"

❌ Technical success messages:
- "Transaction confirmed"
- "Smart contract executed"
- "Wallet connected"

Content Templates

First-Run Experience

Hook users with clear value in ≤ 80 characters:

// Template for value proposition
const ValueProp = () => (
  <div>
    <h1>[Action] [Outcome] [Timeframe]</h1>
    <p>[Specific benefit in plain English]</p>
  </div>
);

// ✅ Examples
<ValueProp
  title="Play daily trivia, win USDC"
  subtitle="Test your knowledge and earn real rewards"
/>

<ValueProp
  title="Track crypto in real-time"
  subtitle="Monitor your portfolio and get instant alerts"
/>

Authentication Prompts

Explain the benefit of signing in:

const AuthPrompt = ({ reason, benefits }) => (
  <Modal>
    <h2>Continue with Base</h2>
    <p>{reason}</p>
    <ul>
      {benefits.map((benefit) => (
        <li>✓ {benefit}</li>
      ))}
    </ul>
    <PrimaryButton>Get started</PrimaryButton>
    <SecondaryButton>Try demo first</SecondaryButton>
  </Modal>
);

// ✅ Example usage
<AuthPrompt
  reason="Save your progress and compete with friends"
  benefits={[
    "Track your quiz streak",
    "Earn bonus rewards",
    "Share achievements",
  ]}
/>;

Empty States

Guide users on what to do next:

const EmptyState = ({ title, description, action }) => (
  <div className="empty-state">
    <Icon name="placeholder" />
    <h3>{title}</h3>
    <p>{description}</p>
    <PrimaryButton>{action}</PrimaryButton>
  </div>
);

// ✅ Helpful empty states
<EmptyState
  title="No collectibles yet"
  description="Browse the marketplace to find unique digital art and items"
  action="Explore marketplace"
/>

<EmptyState
  title="Portfolio is empty"
  description="Add funds to start tracking your crypto investments"
  action="Add funds"
/>

Copy Review Checklist

Before submitting your MiniApp, review all text against these criteria:

Content Standards

• Value Clear: First screen explains what the app does in ≤ 80 chars
• No Jargon: No crypto/technical terms in primary UI
• User Benefits: Copy focuses on outcomes, not mechanisms
• Plain English: Uses familiar words and concepts
• Sentence Case: All UI text uses sentence case

Button & CTA Text

• Outcome-Oriented: Buttons describe what happens next
• Specific Actions: No generic “Submit” or “Continue” buttons
• Character Limits: Button text ≤ 32 characters
• Clear Alternatives: Secondary actions are meaningful

Error & State Messages

• Helpful Errors: Errors explain what happened and next steps
• Encouraging Success: Success messages celebrate outcomes
• Informative Loading: Loading states describe what’s happening
• Actionable Empty: Empty states guide users to next actions

Brand & Terminology

• Consistent Platform: Uses “Base app” not other platform names
• Approved Terms: All terminology follows the preferred terms list
• User-Focused: Language centers user benefits over technical features

Automated Copy Linting

Use the Base MiniKit CLI to automatically check for banned terms:

# Scan all text in your app
mini-kit lint-copy

# Check specific files
mini-kit lint-copy src/components/

# Get suggestions for improvements
mini-kit lint-copy --suggestions

Banned Terms List

The linter will flag these terms in user-facing text:

{
  "bannedTerms": [
    "connect wallet",
    "authenticate",
    "farcaster",
    "web3",
    "dapp",
    "smart contract",
    "mint nft",
    "stake tokens",
    "sign transaction",
    "ens domain"
  ],
  "suggestions": {
    "connect wallet": "continue",
    "authenticate": "sign in",
    "farcaster": "Base app",
    "mint nft": "create collectible",
    "stake tokens": "earn rewards"
  }
}

Common Copy Mistakes

❌ Crypto Jargon in Primary UI

// Bad: Technical language upfront
function WelcomeScreen() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Connect Your Wallet</h1>
      <p>Authenticate to interact with smart contracts</p>
      <button>Connect Wallet</button>
    </div>
  );
}

// Good: User-friendly language
function WelcomeScreen() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Start Earning Rewards</h1>
      <p>Play daily games and win real crypto prizes</p>
      <button>Get started</button>
    </div>
  );
}

❌ Unclear Value Proposition

// Bad: Technical description
<h1>Decentralized Finance Dashboard</h1>
<p>Monitor your DeFi positions across multiple protocols</p>

// Good: Clear user benefit
<h1>Track Your Crypto Investments</h1>
<p>See all your holdings in one place with real-time updates</p>

❌ Generic Button Text

// Bad: Unclear action
<button>Submit</button>
<button>Continue</button>
<button>OK</button>

// Good: Specific outcomes
<button>Join Tournament</button>
<button>Save Progress</button>
<button>Claim Reward</button>

Resources

• Authentication Guide: Copy for auth flows
• Quality Checklist: Complete copy requirements
• Error Handling: Error message guidelines

String Localization

For apps targeting multiple languages, maintain these principles in all locales. Focus on clear, benefit-oriented language that translates well across cultures.