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theletterf merged 2 commits into from
Jun 5, 2026
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Add quick reference to applies_to syntax page #3475

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Add quick reference to applies_to syntax page
leemthompo Jun 5, 2026
242c9ca
Fix lead-in sentence grammar in quick reference
leemthompo Jun 5, 2026
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28 changes: 20 additions & 8 deletions docs/syntax/applies.md
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# Applies to

Starting with Elastic Stack 9.0, ECE 4.0, and ECK 3.0, documentation follows a [cumulative approach](https://www.elastic.co/docs/contribute-docs/how-to/cumulative-docs): instead of creating separate pages for each product and release, we update a single page with product- and version-specific details over time.
Elastic documentation on [elastic.co/docs](https://www.elastic.co/docs) follows a [cumulative](https://www.elastic.co/docs/contribute-docs/how-to/cumulative-docs) model. We don't maintain versioned branches or separate copies of a page for each release. Instead, every page covers all supported versions, and writers use `applies_to` metadata to tag content with the versions, products, deployment models, and lifecycle states it applies to.

To support this, source files use a tagging system to indicate:
:::{tip}
You can use the [applies-to-tagging](https://github.com/elastic/elastic-docs-skills/tree/main/skills/authoring/applies-to-tagging) skill in Claude Code to validate and generate `applies_to` tags. [**Learn more**](https://github.com/elastic/elastic-docs-skills/tree/main#elastic-docs-skills)
:::

* Which Elastic products and deployment models the content applies to.
* When a feature changes state relative to the base version.
## Quick reference

This is what the `applies_to` metadata is for. It can be used at the [page](#page-level), [section](#section-level), or [inline](#inline-level) level to specify applicability with precision.
When documenting a new feature or behavior, answer these two questions:

:::{note}
For detailed guidance, refer to [Write cumulative documentation](https://www.elastic.co/docs/contribute-docs/how-to/cumulative-docs).
:::
1. **Where should I add `applies_to` metadata?** Find where your changes sit on the page and match to a type below.
2. **What keys and values do I use?** Refer to the [key-value reference](#key-value-reference) for the full list of valid keys, lifecycles, and version formats.

### Where should I put the `applies_to` metadata?

| When | Use |
|------|-----|
| You're creating a new page | [Frontmatter](#page-level) |
| You're adding a new section to an existing page | [Section-level annotation](#section-level) |
| You're adding a single new item to a list or definition term | [Inline annotation](#inline-level) |
| You're marking a single item as a technical preview | [Preview shorthand](#inline-level) |
| You need to show entirely different content for each variant, not just tag the same content | [Versioned tabs](applies-switch.md) |
| You're adding a version-specific note, tip, or warning | [Admonition annotation](admonitions.md) |
| You're adding a version-specific dropdown | [Dropdown annotation](dropdowns.md) |

## Syntax reference

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