See the source.
Know the limit.

Start with something useful

We look for a feature worth explaining, an online discovery, a change affecting everyday users, or a question our existing articles haven't answered. We keep the article focused on what a reader can learn or do.

Go to the original source

Official documentation, release notes, collection records, and other primary sources support our explanations. A source-checked article describes information we reviewed there. A tested article reports an action we performed and the result we inspected. The article and badge distinguish the two.

Say what we actually tried

Our first PDF series used synthetic files with known page counts and visible labels. We recorded the service page, input, settings, date, and downloaded file, then checked the pages and text in the output. That result covers the stated files and steps. Reading a provider's instructions alone does not establish that we completed a task ourselves.

Check the draft before publishing

We compare facts with the recorded sources, check links, and remove exaggerated or repetitive language. If an article has weak support or repeats an existing story without adding anything useful, it can stay unpublished.

Editing fiction

Short fiction follows a separate editorial review for originality, character, scene development, prose, and the ending. Its Original fiction label distinguishes invented narratives from our factual guides; source-checked and tested badges apply to guides.

Keep dates meaningful

The checked date records when we reviewed the cited source or test. The published date records the article's first public release. The modified date changes when its content changes. If a service changes or a reader reports a problem, we review the affected information.