Jeff Layman wrote

I've been making a featheredge garden gate this weekend, and have
just got to fit the diagonal bracing. Most gates I've seen in the Sheds
and garden centres have the diagonals parallel - bottom left to centre
right, and centre left to top right. One or two have them meeting in
the middle - bottom left to centre right, and centre right to top left.

Any reason one should be better than the other?

The first is mechanically better.

The second looks better if you are an obsessive.
..