Syntax diagrams

 

The syntax for commands is presented in the form of a diagram. The diagram tells you what we can do with the particular command, and indicates relationships between different options and, sometimes, different values of an option. There are two different types of syntax diagrams: railroad diagrams and dotted decimal diagrams. Railroad diagrams are a visual format suitable for sighted users. Dotted decimal diagrams are text-based diagrams that are more helpful for blind or partially-sighted users.

The following sections describe how to interpret each of the two types of diagram:

• How to read railroad diagrams

• How to read dotted decimal diagrams