doc: make the style of notes consistent

Make the style of "Note:" paragraphs consistent and document the
guidelines in `doc/STYLE_GUIDE.md`.

PR-URL: #13133
Fixes: #13131
Reviewed-By: Refael Ackermann <refack@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: Luigi Pinca <luigipinca@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: Daijiro Wachi <daijiro.wachi@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: Michael Dawson <michael_dawson@ca.ibm.com>
Reviewed-By: James M Snell <jasnell@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: Sam Roberts <vieuxtech@gmail.com>

doc/STYLE_GUIDE.md

@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@
 * References to constructor instances should use camelCase.
 * References to methods should be used with parentheses: for example,
   `socket.end()` instead of `socket.end`.
+* To draw special attention to a note, adhere to the following guidelines:
+  * Make the "Note:" label italic, i.e. `*Note*:`.
+  * Use a capital letter after the "Note:" label.
+  * Preferably, make the note a new paragraph for better visual distinction.
 
 [plugin]: http://editorconfig.org/#download
 [Oxford comma]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_comma

doc/api/addons.md

@@ -113,13 +113,13 @@ specifically to compile Node.js Addons.
 }
 ```
 
-*Note: A version of the `node-gyp` utility is bundled and distributed with
+*Note*: A version of the `node-gyp` utility is bundled and distributed with
 Node.js as part of `npm`. This version is not made directly available for
 developers to use and is intended only to support the ability to use the
 `npm install` command to compile and install Addons. Developers who wish to
 use `node-gyp` directly can install it using the command
 `npm install -g node-gyp`. See the `node-gyp` [installation instructions][] for
-more information, including platform-specific requirements.*
+more information, including platform-specific requirements.
 
 Once the `binding.gyp` file has been created, use `node-gyp configure` to
 generate the appropriate project build files for the current platform. This

doc/api/buffer.md

@@ -193,11 +193,11 @@ The character encodings currently supported by Node.js include:
 
 * `'hex'` - Encode each byte as two hexadecimal characters.
 
-_Note_: Today's browsers follow the [WHATWG spec] which aliases both 'latin1' and
-ISO-8859-1 to win-1252. This means that while doing something like `http.get()`,
-if the returned charset is one of those listed in the WHATWG spec it's possible
-that the server actually returned win-1252-encoded data, and using `'latin1'`
-encoding may incorrectly decode the characters.
+*Note*: Today's browsers follow the [WHATWG spec] which aliases both 'latin1'
+and ISO-8859-1 to win-1252. This means that while doing something like
+`http.get()`, if the returned charset is one of those listed in the WHATWG spec
+it's possible that the server actually returned win-1252-encoded data, and
+using `'latin1'` encoding may incorrectly decode the characters.
 
 ## Buffers and TypedArray
 <!-- YAML
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ Returns the actual byte length of a string. This is not the same as
 [`String.prototype.length`] since that returns the number of *characters* in
 a string.
 
-*Note* that for `'base64'` and `'hex'`, this function assumes valid input. For
+*Note*: For `'base64'` and `'hex'`, this function assumes valid input. For
 strings that contain non-Base64/Hex-encoded data (e.g. whitespace), the return
 value might be greater than the length of a `Buffer` created from the string.
 
@@ -1868,8 +1868,8 @@ changes:
 Returns a new `Buffer` that references the same memory as the original, but
 offset and cropped by the `start` and `end` indices.
 
-**Note that modifying the new `Buffer` slice will modify the memory in the
-original `Buffer` because the allocated memory of the two objects overlap.**
+*Note*: Modifying the new `Buffer` slice will modify the memory in the
+original `Buffer` because the allocated memory of the two objects overlap.
 
 Example: Create a `Buffer` with the ASCII alphabet, take a slice, and then modify
 one byte from the original `Buffer`

doc/api/child_process.md

@@ -163,9 +163,9 @@ exec('echo "The \\$HOME variable is $HOME"');
 //The $HOME variable is escaped in the first instance, but not in the second
 ```
 
-**Note: Never pass unsanitised user input to this function. Any input
+*Note*: Never pass unsanitised user input to this function. Any input
 containing shell metacharacters may be used to trigger arbitrary command
-execution.**
+execution.
 
 ```js
 const exec = require('child_process').exec;
@@ -211,8 +211,8 @@ If `timeout` is greater than `0`, the parent will send the signal
 identified by the `killSignal` property (the default is `'SIGTERM'`) if the
 child runs longer than `timeout` milliseconds.
 
-*Note: Unlike the exec(3) POSIX system call, `child_process.exec()` does not
-replace the existing process and uses a shell to execute the command.*
+*Note*: Unlike the exec(3) POSIX system call, `child_process.exec()` does not
+replace the existing process and uses a shell to execute the command.
 
 If this method is invoked as its [`util.promisify()`][]ed version, it returns
 a Promise for an object with `stdout` and `stderr` properties.
@@ -348,8 +348,8 @@ parent process using the file descriptor (fd) identified using the
 environment variable `NODE_CHANNEL_FD` on the child process. The input and
 output on this fd is expected to be line delimited JSON objects.
 
-*Note: Unlike the fork(2) POSIX system call, `child_process.fork()` does
-not clone the current process.*
+*Note*: Unlike the fork(2) POSIX system call, `child_process.fork()` does
+not clone the current process.
 
 ### child_process.spawn(command[, args][, options])
 <!-- YAML
@@ -387,9 +387,9 @@ The `child_process.spawn()` method spawns a new process using the given
 `command`, with command line arguments in `args`. If omitted, `args` defaults
 to an empty array.
 
-**Note: If the `shell` option is enabled, do not pass unsanitised user input to
+*Note*: If the `shell` option is enabled, do not pass unsanitised user input to
 this function. Any input containing shell metacharacters may be used to
-trigger arbitrary command execution.**
+trigger arbitrary command execution.
 
 A third argument may be used to specify additional options, with these defaults:
 
@@ -476,13 +476,13 @@ child.on('error', (err) => {
 });
 ```
 
-*Note: Certain platforms (macOS, Linux) will use the value of `argv[0]` for the
-process title while others (Windows, SunOS) will use `command`.*
+*Note*: Certain platforms (macOS, Linux) will use the value of `argv[0]` for
+the process title while others (Windows, SunOS) will use `command`.
 
-*Note: Node.js currently overwrites `argv[0]` with `process.execPath` on
+*Note*: Node.js currently overwrites `argv[0]` with `process.execPath` on
 startup, so `process.argv[0]` in a Node.js child process will not match the
 `argv0` parameter passed to `spawn` from the parent, retrieve it with the
-`process.argv0` property instead.*
+`process.argv0` property instead.
 
 #### options.detached
 <!-- YAML
@@ -673,9 +673,11 @@ The `child_process.execFileSync()` method is generally identical to
 [`child_process.execFile()`][] with the exception that the method will not return
 until the child process has fully closed. When a timeout has been encountered
 and `killSignal` is sent, the method won't return until the process has
-completely exited. *Note that if the child process intercepts and handles
-the `SIGTERM` signal and does not exit, the parent process will still wait
-until the child process has exited.*
+completely exited.
+
+*Note*: If the child process intercepts and handles the `SIGTERM` signal and
+does not exit, the parent process will still wait until the child process has
+exited.
 
 If the process times out, or has a non-zero exit code, this method ***will***
 throw.  The [`Error`][] object will contain the entire result from
@@ -729,9 +731,9 @@ If the process times out, or has a non-zero exit code, this method ***will***
 throw.  The [`Error`][] object will contain the entire result from
 [`child_process.spawnSync()`][]
 
-**Note: Never pass unsanitised user input to this function. Any input
+*Note*: Never pass unsanitised user input to this function. Any input
 containing shell metacharacters may be used to trigger arbitrary command
-execution.**
+execution.
 
 ### child_process.spawnSync(command[, args][, options])
 <!-- YAML
@@ -789,9 +791,9 @@ completely exited. Note that if the process intercepts and handles the
 `SIGTERM` signal and doesn't exit, the parent process will wait until the child
 process has exited.
 
-**Note: If the `shell` option is enabled, do not pass unsanitised user input to
-this function. Any input containing shell metacharacters may be used to
-trigger arbitrary command execution.**
+*Note*: If the `shell` option is enabled, do not pass unsanitised user input
+to this function. Any input containing shell metacharacters may be used to
+trigger arbitrary command execution.
 
 ## Class: ChildProcess
 <!-- YAML
@@ -1166,8 +1168,8 @@ tracking when the socket is destroyed. To indicate this, the `.connections`
 property becomes `null`. It is recommended not to use `.maxConnections` when
 this occurs.
 
-*Note: this function uses [`JSON.stringify()`][] internally to serialize the
-`message`.*
+*Note*: This function uses [`JSON.stringify()`][] internally to serialize the
+`message`.
 
 ### child.stderr
 <!-- YAML

doc/api/cli.md

@@ -290,8 +290,8 @@ added: v0.1.3
 
 Print v8 command line options.
 
-Note: v8 options allow words to be separated by both dashes (`-`) or underscores
-(`_`).
+*Note*: V8 options allow words to be separated by both dashes (`-`) or
+underscores (`_`).
 
 For example, `--stack-trace-limit` is equivalent to `--stack_trace_limit`.
 
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ added: v0.1.32
 
 `':'`-separated list of directories prefixed to the module search path.
 
-_Note: on Windows, this is a `';'`-separated list instead._
+*Note*: On Windows, this is a `';'`-separated list instead.
 
 
 ### `NODE_DISABLE_COLORS=1`
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ added: v7.7.0
 If `--use-openssl-ca` is enabled, this overrides and sets OpenSSL's directory
 containing trusted certificates.
 
-Note: Be aware that unless the child environment is explicitly set, this
+*Note*: Be aware that unless the child environment is explicitly set, this
 evironment variable will be inherited by any child processes, and if they use
 OpenSSL, it may cause them to trust the same CAs as node.
 
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ added: v7.7.0
 If `--use-openssl-ca` is enabled, this overrides and sets OpenSSL's file
 containing trusted certificates.
 
-Note: Be aware that unless the child environment is explicitly set, this
+*Note*: Be aware that unless the child environment is explicitly set, this
 evironment variable will be inherited by any child processes, and if they use
 OpenSSL, it may cause them to trust the same CAs as node.
 

doc/api/console.md

@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ console.assert(false, 'Whoops %s', 'didn\'t work');
 // AssertionError: Whoops didn't work
 ```
 
-*Note: the `console.assert()` method is implemented differently in Node.js
-than the `console.assert()` method [available in browsers][web-api-assert].*
+*Note*: The `console.assert()` method is implemented differently in Node.js
+than the `console.assert()` method [available in browsers][web-api-assert].
 
 Specifically, in browsers, calling `console.assert()` with a falsy
 assertion will cause the `message` to be printed to the console without
@@ -282,10 +282,10 @@ console.timeEnd('100-elements');
 // prints 100-elements: 225.438ms
 ```
 
-*Note: As of Node.js v6.0.0, `console.timeEnd()` deletes the timer to avoid
+*Note*: As of Node.js v6.0.0, `console.timeEnd()` deletes the timer to avoid
 leaking it. On older versions, the timer persisted. This allowed
 `console.timeEnd()` to be called multiple times for the same label. This
-functionality was unintended and is no longer supported.*
+functionality was unintended and is no longer supported.
 
 ### console.trace([message][, ...args])
 <!-- YAML

doc/api/crypto.md

@@ -1820,7 +1820,7 @@ comparing HMAC digests or secret values like authentication cookies or
 `a` and `b` must both be `Buffer`s, `TypedArray`s, or `DataView`s, and they
 must have the same length.
 
-**Note**: Use of `crypto.timingSafeEqual` does not guarantee that the
+*Note*: Use of `crypto.timingSafeEqual` does not guarantee that the
 *surrounding* code is timing-safe. Care should be taken to ensure that the
 surrounding code does not introduce timing vulnerabilities.
 

doc/api/deprecations.md

@@ -531,8 +531,8 @@ Type: Documentation-only
 The `http` module `ServerResponse.prototype.writeHeader()` API has been
 deprecated. Please use `ServerResponse.prototype.writeHead()` instead.
 
-*Note*: The `ServerResponse.prototype.writeHeader()` method was never documented
-as an officially supported API.
+*Note*: The `ServerResponse.prototype.writeHeader()` method was never
+documented as an officially supported API.
 
 <a id="DEP0064"></a>
 ### DEP0064: tls.createSecurePair()
@@ -568,8 +568,8 @@ properties have been deprecated. Please instead use one of the public methods
 `outgoingMessage.removeHeader()`, `outgoingMessage.setHeader()`) for working
 with outgoing headers.
 
-*Note*: `outgoingMessage._headers` and `outgoingMessage._headerNames` were never
-documented as officially supported properties.
+*Note*: `outgoingMessage._headers` and `outgoingMessage._headerNames` were
+never documented as officially supported properties.
 
 <a id="DEP0067"></a>
 ### DEP0067: OutgoingMessage.prototype.\_renderHeaders

doc/api/domain.md

@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ if (cluster.isMaster) {
     d.on('error', (er) => {
       console.error(`error ${er.stack}`);
 
-      // Note: we're in dangerous territory!
+      // Note: We're in dangerous territory!
       // By definition, something unexpected occurred,
       // which we probably didn't want.
       // Anything can happen now!  Be very careful!

doc/api/events.md

@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ myEmitter.emit('error', new Error('whoops!'));
 
 To guard against crashing the Node.js process, a listener can be registered
 on the [`process` object's `uncaughtException` event][] or the [`domain`][] module
-can be used. (_Note, however, that the `domain` module has been deprecated_)
+can be used. (Note, however, that the `domain` module has been deprecated.)
 
 ```js
 const myEmitter = new MyEmitter();

doc/api/fs.md

@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ filesystems that allow for non-UTF-8 filenames. For most typical
 uses, working with paths as Buffers will be unnecessary, as the string
 API converts to and from UTF-8 automatically.
 
-*Note* that on certain file systems (such as NTFS and HFS+) filenames
+*Note*: On certain file systems (such as NTFS and HFS+) filenames
 will always be encoded as UTF-8. On such file systems, passing
 non-UTF-8 encoded Buffers to `fs` functions will not work as expected.
 
@@ -1546,8 +1546,8 @@ On Linux, positional writes don't work when the file is opened in append mode.
 The kernel ignores the position argument and always appends the data to
 the end of the file.
 
-*Note*: The behavior of `fs.open()` is platform-specific for some flags. As such,
-opening a directory on macOS and Linux with the `'a+'` flag - see example
+*Note*: The behavior of `fs.open()` is platform-specific for some flags. As
+such, opening a directory on macOS and Linux with the `'a+'` flag - see example
 below - will return an error. In contrast, on Windows and FreeBSD, a file
 descriptor will be returned.
 
@@ -2156,9 +2156,9 @@ effectively stopping watching of `filename`.
 Calling `fs.unwatchFile()` with a filename that is not being watched is a
 no-op, not an error.
 
-*Note*: [`fs.watch()`][] is more efficient than `fs.watchFile()` and `fs.unwatchFile()`.
-`fs.watch()` should be used instead of `fs.watchFile()` and `fs.unwatchFile()`
-when possible.
+*Note*: [`fs.watch()`][] is more efficient than `fs.watchFile()` and
+`fs.unwatchFile()`.  `fs.watch()` should be used instead of `fs.watchFile()`
+and `fs.unwatchFile()` when possible.
 
 ## fs.utimes(path, atime, mtime, callback)
 <!-- YAML
@@ -2185,7 +2185,7 @@ changes:
 
 Change file timestamps of the file referenced by the supplied path.
 
-Note: the arguments `atime` and `mtime` of the following related functions
+*Note*: The arguments `atime` and `mtime` of the following related functions
 follow these rules:
 
 - The value should be a Unix timestamp in seconds. For example, `Date.now()`
@@ -2366,11 +2366,12 @@ These stat objects are instances of `fs.Stat`.
 To be notified when the file was modified, not just accessed, it is necessary
 to compare `curr.mtime` and `prev.mtime`.
 
-*Note*: when an `fs.watchFile` operation results in an `ENOENT` error, it will
- invoke the listener once, with all the fields zeroed (or, for dates, the Unix
- Epoch). In Windows, `blksize` and `blocks` fields will be `undefined`, instead
- of zero. If the file is created later on, the listener will be called again,
- with the latest stat objects. This is a change in functionality since v0.10.
+*Note*: When an `fs.watchFile` operation results in an `ENOENT` error, it
+will invoke the listener once, with all the fields zeroed (or, for dates, the
+Unix Epoch). In Windows, `blksize` and `blocks` fields will be `undefined`,
+instead of zero. If the file is created later on, the listener will be called
+again, with the latest stat objects. This is a change in functionality since
+v0.10.
 
 *Note*: [`fs.watch()`][] is more efficient than `fs.watchFile` and
 `fs.unwatchFile`. `fs.watch` should be used instead of `fs.watchFile` and
@@ -2577,8 +2578,9 @@ Synchronous versions of [`fs.write()`][]. Returns the number of bytes written.
 
 ## FS Constants
 
-The following constants are exported by `fs.constants`. **Note:** Not every
-constant will be available on every operating system.
+The following constants are exported by `fs.constants`.
+
+*Note*: Not every constant will be available on every operating system.
 
 ### File Access Constants
 

doc/api/http.md

@@ -268,8 +268,8 @@ Until the data is consumed, the `'end'` event will not fire.  Also, until
 the data is read it will consume memory that can eventually lead to a
 'process out of memory' error.
 
-Note: Node.js does not check whether Content-Length and the length of the body
-which has been transmitted are equal or not.
+*Note*: Node.js does not check whether Content-Length and the length of the
+body which has been transmitted are equal or not.
 
 The request implements the [Writable Stream][] interface. This is an
 [`EventEmitter`][] with the following events:
@@ -765,7 +765,7 @@ Begin accepting connections on the specified `port` and `hostname`. If the
 [unspecified IPv6 address][] (`::`) when IPv6 is available, or the
 [unspecified IPv4 address][] (`0.0.0.0`) otherwise.
 
-*Note*: in most operating systems, listening to the
+*Note*: In most operating systems, listening to the
 [unspecified IPv6 address][] (`::`) may cause the `net.Server` to also listen on
 the [unspecified IPv4 address][] (`0.0.0.0`).
 
@@ -1177,7 +1177,7 @@ the second parameter specifies how to encode it into a byte stream.
 By default the `encoding` is `'utf8'`. `callback` will be called when this chunk
 of data is flushed.
 
-**Note**: This is the raw HTTP body and has nothing to do with
+*Note*: This is the raw HTTP body and has nothing to do with
 higher-level multi-part body encodings that may be used.
 
 The first time [`response.write()`][] is called, it will send the buffered