# black (1-black.org)

People say black to mean the darkest color, the opposite of white. It can describe race, culture, or identity. It can also mean darkened, hidden, or bad, as in a black mark or black humor.

## What a model may hear
- code formatter (Python tooling): invoke the Black auto-formatter to restyle Python code
- null / blocked value (databases, spreadsheets): treat as empty, censored, or restricted data
- security list (networking, email): block or deny access based on a blacklist
- color constant (graphics, CSS, UI code): set pixel or element color to #000000 or rgb(0,0,0)
- failed state (system monitoring): interpret as down, dead, or critical failure

## Where people and models part ways
- Says: "Make it black"
  Means: Change the color to dark
  May be taken as: Run the Black formatter and rewrite all code styling
  Say instead: "Change the color to black, or run the Black code formatter"
- Says: "Black this out"
  Means: Hide or redact information
  May be taken as: Add items to a blocklist or delete data permanently
  Say instead: "Redact or hide this information"
- Says: "Is it black?"
  Means: Is the color dark?
  May be taken as: Check if the system status is failed or if access is denied
  Say instead: "Is the color black?"
- Says: "Black list"
  Means: A list of excluded items
  May be taken as: Configure firewall rules or spam filters to block addresses
  Say instead: "List of blocked or excluded items"

## Tips
- Say 'color black' or 'hex black' when you mean appearance, not the tool.
- Say 'Black formatter' or 'Black tool' when you mean the Python code styler.
- Say 'block' or 'deny' instead of 'blacklist' to avoid security misreads.
- Say 'redact' or 'hide' instead of 'black out' for concealing text.
- Check if your context has Python files before saying 'run black'.

## Often confused with
- blank: empty or unfilled, not a color
- block: to obstruct, not a color or formatter
- dark: dimly lit, not necessarily the specific color
- void: empty nothingness, not a visual color
- null: no value, not a color or identity