@faircopy/rules-default

Default ruleset for faircopy. Ships nine rules targeting the most common landing-page copy patterns.

Install

Included automatically when you install faircopy. To use standalone:

npm i @faircopy/rules-default

Rules

no-complex-sentences

Flags individual sentences whose Flesch-Kincaid grade level exceeds a target.

warn[no-complex-sentences]: sentence readability is grade 18.5 — simplify to 12 or below

Options:

{
  maxGradeLevel?: number  // Default: 12
  minWords?: number       // Minimum words before scoring a sentence. Default: 10
}

Config example:

rules: {
  'no-complex-sentences': ['warn', { maxGradeLevel: 10, minWords: 8 }],
}

no-em-dash

Bans the em-dash character (—, U+2014) in marketing copy.

error[no-em-dash]: use a sentence break instead of an em-dash

Options:

{
  flagEnDash?: boolean        // Also flag en-dashes (–). Default false.
  flagDoubleHyphen?: boolean  // Also flag --. Default false.
}

Config example:

rules: {
  'no-em-dash': ['error', { flagDoubleHyphen: true }],
}

no-weasel-words

Bans reinforcement adverbs that weaken claims.

error[no-weasel-words]: remove "actually" — it weakens the claim

Options:

{
  words: string[]  // Default: ['actually', 'truly', 'really', 'literally']
}

Config example:

rules: {
  'no-weasel-words': ['error', { words: ['actually', 'truly', 'really', 'literally', 'just', 'simply'] }],
}

no-filler-words

Bans filler words that pad out a sentence without adding meaning.

error[no-filler-words]: remove "just" — it's filler

Options:

{
  words: string[]  // Default: ['just']
}

Config example:

rules: {
  'no-filler-words': ['error', { words: ['just', 'basically', 'literally'] }],
}

no-rhetorical-scaffolding

Bans three formulaic patterns:

1. X is Y, not Z constructions
2. Without X... With X... sentence pairs
3. Standalone This/That distinction/difference matters. importance announcements

error[no-rhetorical-scaffolding]: avoid "X is Y, not Z" — state the claim directly
error[no-rhetorical-scaffolding]: avoid "Without X / With X" — drop the setup and make the claim
error[no-rhetorical-scaffolding]: avoid "That distinction matters" — state the point directly

Options:

{
  allowIsNotConstruction?: boolean       // Disable pattern 1. Default false.
  allowWithoutWithConstruction?: boolean // Disable pattern 2. Default false.
  allowImportanceAnnouncements?: boolean // Disable pattern 3. Default false.
  extraPatterns?: string[]               // Additional regex patterns to ban.
}

Importance announcements match only the four combinations of This or That, distinction or difference, and matters, case-insensitively. They must start the extracted text, a sentence, or a blank-line-separated paragraph, and end with ., !, ?, or the end of the extracted text. Whitespace between words may include line breaks; surrounding quotes and parentheses are allowed. Diagnostics highlight the phrase and terminal punctuation, excluding leading whitespace and surrounding quotes. No automatic deletion or replacement is offered.

State the consequence directly:

• Before: That distinction matters. Only owners can change the file.
• After: Only owners can change the file.

Substantive uses remain valid, including That distinction matters because only owners can change the file., This difference matters when access changes., and The distinction between read and write access determines who can change the file. Clauses continued with a comma, colon, or semicolon are also retained. This is a bounded stock-phrase check, not a ban on these words.

Use the existing severity and suppression conventions, or allow only this family while retaining the other scaffolding checks:

rules: {
  'no-rhetorical-scaffolding': ['warn', { allowImportanceAnnouncements: true }],
}

Set the rule to 'off' to disable every family, or use a rule-specific comment such as // faircopy-ignore-next-line no-rhetorical-scaffolding for an intentional use. The CLI and downstream consumers use the same exported rule and registry.

no-non-inclusive-language

Flags non-inclusive terms and suggests neutral alternatives.

error[no-non-inclusive-language]: replace "guys" with a neutral alternative such as "everyone, team, folks"

Default terms:

Options:

{
  terms?: { term: string; alternatives: string[]; exact?: boolean }[]
  allowedTerms?: string[]
}

Config example:

rules: {
  'no-non-inclusive-language': ['error', {
    terms: [
      { term: 'guys', alternatives: ['everyone', 'team'] },
      { term: 'rockstar', alternatives: ['expert', 'skilled'] },
    ],
    allowedTerms: ['master'],
  }],
}

Single-word terms always match with word boundaries, so master will not flag masterpiece. Default multi-word phrases such as sanity check and blind spot use exact: true, so sanity checker is not flagged. Set exact: false on a custom multi-word term to match it as a substring anywhere in the text.

allowedTerms is case-insensitive: adding master also permits Master or MASTER.

no-redundant-phrases

Flags wordy redundant phrases and suggests concise replacements.

Default phrases include:

warn[no-redundant-phrases]: "in order to" is redundant — use "to"

Options:

{
  phrases?: { phrase: string; replacement: string }[]
}

Config example:

rules: {
  'no-redundant-phrases': ['warn', {
    phrases: [
      { phrase: 'in order to', replacement: 'to' },
      { phrase: 'touch base', replacement: 'talk' },
    ],
  }],
}

Set replacement to an empty string to suggest deleting the phrase entirely.

no-cliches

Flags overused or clichéd phrases and suggests fresher alternatives.

Default phrases include:

warn[no-cliches]: replace "world-class" with a fresher alternative such as "top-tier, exceptional, outstanding"

Options:

{
  phrases?: { phrase: string; alternatives: string[] }[]
  allow?: string[]
}

Config example:

rules: {
  'no-cliches': ['warn', {
    phrases: [
      { phrase: 'world-class', alternatives: ['top-tier', 'exceptional'] },
      { phrase: 'low-hanging fruit', alternatives: ['easy wins'] },
    ],
    allow: ['robust'],
  }],
}

no-passive-voice

Flags likely passive-voice constructions using auxiliary + past participle patterns.

warn[no-passive-voice]: rewrite passive construction "was approved" with a named actor

Passive voice often hides the actor and adds drag. Prefer naming who did the action unless the actor genuinely does not matter.

Options:

{
  auxiliaries?: string[]  // Default: ['is', 'are', 'was', 'were', 'be', 'been', 'being']
  participles?: string[]  // Past participles to flag. Default is a curated list of common action participles.
  allowedPhrases?: string[] // Phrases to allow even if they match the passive pattern.
}

Config example:

rules: {
  'no-passive-voice': ['warn', {
    allowedPhrases: ['is licensed', 'was founded'],
  }],
}