<page xmlns="http://projectmallard.org/1.0/"
      type="guide"
      id="essentials">

  <info>
    <credit type="author">
      <name>Allan Day</name>
      <email>aday@gnome.org</email>
    </credit>
    <include href="legal.xml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"/>
  </info>

<title>Essentials</title>

<p>This section of the Human Interface Guidelines covers essential themes. It provides an initial starting point when designing an application, as well as common design guidelines that are necessary when using all the patterns and user interface elements found in later sections.</p>

<section id="getting-started">
<title>Getting started</title>

<table>
<tr>
<td><p><link xref="design-principles"><em style="strong">Design principles</em></link></p></td>
<td><p>General design guidelines and advice.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><link xref="application-basics"><em style="strong">Application basics</em></link></p></td>
<td><p>Basic application behavior and characteristics.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><link xref="compatibility"><em style="strong">Compatibility</em></link></p></td>
<td><p>Using the HIG for cross-platform or GNOME 2 style applications.</p></td>
</tr>

</table>

</section>

<section id="common-guidelines">
<title>Common guidelines</title>

<table>
<tr>
<td><p><link xref="visual-layout"><em style="strong">Visual layout</em></link></p></td>
<td><p>Arranging elements within user interfaces.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><link xref="writing-style"><em style="strong">Writing style</em></link></p></td>
<td><p>Writing text for your user interface, including capitalization rules.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><link xref="icons-and-artwork"><em style="strong">Icons and artwork</em></link></p></td>
<td><p>Guidelines on selecting and creating icons.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><link xref="typography"><em style="strong">Typography</em></link></p></td>
<td><p>Advice on font sizes, weights and styles, as well as special characters.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><link xref="pointer-and-touch-input"><em style="strong">Pointer and touch input</em></link></p></td>
<td><p>Mouse, touchpad and touchscreen interaction.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><link xref="keyboard-input"><em style="strong">Keyboard input</em></link></p></td>
<td><p>Keyboard navigation, access and shortcut keys.</p></td>
</tr>
</table>

</section>
</page>
