A parameter identifies something passed from one part of a computer system to another. In this regard parameter is fairly generic, but it may have a more constrained semantic in some contexts (e.g., in a paramdef).

In a document that describes more than one kind of parameter—for example, parameters to functions and commands—the class attribute can be used to distinguish between them, if necessary.

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<article xmlns='http://docbook.org/ns/docbook'>
<title>Example parameter</title>

<para>Using the <parameter class='command'>-l</parameter> parameter on the
Linux <command>ls</command> command prints a long directory listing.
</para>

</article>