I was editing this answer to change the syntax from := to = and I received a message saying the edit must be at least 6 characters.
Could this be changed if editing code syntax?
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1 Answer
Until a user has earned the Edit Questions And Answers privilege, suggested edits need to be at least six characters, and preferably many more than that. This may seem like an unfair restriction, but we want people learning to use the site to follow the advice in Why can people edit my posts? How does editing work?
Edits are expected to be substantial and to leave the post better than you found it. Common reasons for edits include:
- To fix grammar and spelling mistakes
- To clarify the meaning of the post (without changing that meaning)
- To include additional information only found in comments, so all of the information relevant to the post is contained in one place
- To correct minor mistakes or add updates as the post ages
- To add related resources or hyperlinks
Trivial edits can be made by experienced users without review because the network trusts them to make those changes correctly. They have all been through the process of suggested edit reviews to learn what kinds of edits are considered acceptable by this community.
Users without the edit privilege are better served making more substantial edits that others can review and provide constructive feedback on where necessary.
Until the edit privilege is earned, anyone coming across a truly essential small edit (that other experienced users are expected to miss) can leave a comment, ask in chat, on meta, or raise a moderator flag.
In the example cited, another user (without the edit privilege) spotted the error, alerted the author with a comment, and the post was subsequently edited.
Overall, I think it is best we leave things as they are.