// Module included in the following assemblies:
//
// topic-operator.adoc

[id='topic-operator-usage-recommendations-{context}']
= Topic Operator usage recommendations

* Be consistent and always operate on `KafkaTopic` resources or always operate on topics directly. Avoid routinely using both methods for a given topic.
* When creating a `KafkaTopic` resource:
** Remember that the name cannot be changed later.
** Choose a name for the `KafkaTopic` resource that reflects the name of the topic it describes.
** Ideally the `KafkaTopic.metadata.name` should be the same as its `spec.topicName`. To do this, the topic name will have to be a link:https://github.com/kubernetes/community/blob/master/contributors/design-proposals/architecture/identifiers.md[valid {KubernetesName} resource name^].
* When creating a topic:
** Remember that the name cannot be changed later.
** It is best to use a name that is a link:https://github.com/kubernetes/community/blob/master/contributors/design-proposals/architecture/identifiers.md[valid {KubernetesName} resource name^], otherwise the operator will have to modify the name when creating the corresponding `KafkaTopic`.
