Categories in MediaWiki

File:Mediawiki logo.png

1. Categories in MediaWiki

Introduction

Categories are a fundamental organizational tool within MediaWiki, enabling the classification of pages and facilitating easy navigation and retrieval of related content. They are essential for maintaining a well-structured and user-friendly wiki, especially as the number of pages grows. This article provides a comprehensive guide to understanding and utilizing categories in MediaWiki, covering their creation, application, management, and best practices. While seemingly simple, effective categorization is crucial for a successful wiki. Think of categories like the fundamental analysis of a binary options market; without a clear understanding of the underlying structure, identifying profitable opportunities becomes significantly harder. Just as a trader analyzes trends, categories help users navigate the "trends" of information within the wiki.

What are Categories?

In essence, a category is a grouping mechanism. Pages are assigned to one or more categories based on their content or subject matter. This allows users to browse pages by category, discovering related information they might not have found through search alone. It’s analogous to a trader using technical analysis to group stocks with similar chart patterns; categories group pages with similar themes.

Categories are implemented using special pages named "Category:" followed by the category name (e.g., ). These pages are not intended to be edited directly; instead, they automatically display a list of pages assigned to them.

Creating Categories

Creating a category is straightforward. You simply create a page with the title "Category:[Category Name]". For example, to create a category for pages about extensions, you would create a page titled "Category:Extensions".

However, consider these best practices:

• Naming Conventions: Category names should be descriptive and specific. Avoid overly broad categories like "Information," as they become unwieldy. Think about the precision required in binary options trading – a vague signal isn't useful; precise categorization isn't either.
• Hierarchical Structure: Categories can be organized hierarchically, creating a parent-child relationship. This allows for more granular and organized categorization. For instance, you might have "Category:Help" as a parent category, with "Category:Help:Editing" and "Category:Help:Templates" as child categories. This is similar to identifying a long-term trend in a market and then breaking it down into shorter-term trends.
• Avoid Redundancy: Don't create multiple categories that essentially cover the same topic. Consolidation improves usability. Over-categorization is like trying to apply too many indicators to a binary options chart; it leads to confusion.
• Think Long-Term: Consider how the category structure might evolve as the wiki grows. Planning ahead saves rework later. Just as a trader anticipates market shifts, anticipate the evolving needs of your wiki.

Applying Categories

To assign a page to a category, add one or more category tags to the page's content. A category tag is simply text enclosed in double square brackets with a "Category:" prefix. For example:

```wiki ```

This would add the page to both the "Help" and "MediaWiki" categories.

You can also use hidden categories. These categories are not displayed on the page itself but are used for administrative or organizational purposes. To create a hidden category, add "Hidden" to the category tag:

```wiki ```

This would add the page to the "Maintenance" category, but the category link would not be visible on the page. Hidden categories are useful for tracking pages that need attention, much like a trader might use a private watchlist.

Category Pages and Listing

When a page is categorized, it automatically appears on the corresponding category page. The category page lists all pages assigned to that category. The listing is typically alphabetical by page title.

By default, category pages display the page title and a brief excerpt. You can customize the display format using templates and parser functions.

Subcategories

As mentioned earlier, categories can have subcategories, creating a hierarchical structure. To make a category a subcategory of another category, simply add the parent category tag to the subcategory's page. For example, to make "Category:Help:Editing" a subcategory of "Category:Help", add the following to the "Category:Help:Editing" page:

```wiki ```

This creates a parent-child relationship, allowing users to navigate the category structure more easily. Subcategories are essential for organizing large amounts of information. Think of it as a trading strategy with multiple layers – a primary trend, secondary corrections, and entry signals.

Managing Categories

Several tools and techniques are available for managing categories:

• Special:Categories: This special page provides a list of all categories on the wiki. It's a central hub for category management.
• Special:UncategorizedPages: This special page lists all pages that have not been assigned to any category. Regularly reviewing this page is crucial for maintaining a well-organized wiki. It’s like identifying untraded assets in a portfolio – they need attention.
• Category Renaming: Renaming a category is possible, but it requires careful consideration. The renaming process updates all category tags to reflect the new name.
• Category Deletion: Deleting a category removes the category page and removes the category association from all pages. However, it doesn't delete the pages themselves.
• HotCat: The HotCat extension (if installed) provides a user-friendly interface for adding and removing categories from pages. It streamlines the categorization process. It’s akin to using automated trading software – it simplifies a complex task.

Best Practices for Categorization

• Consistency: Maintain a consistent categorization scheme throughout the wiki. This makes it easier for users to find information.
• Specificity: Use specific categories whenever possible. Avoid overly broad categories that contain a diverse range of unrelated pages.
• Relevance: Only assign pages to categories that are directly relevant to their content.
• Regular Review: Periodically review the category structure to ensure it remains effective and up-to-date.
• User Feedback: Solicit feedback from users on the categorization scheme. Their input can help identify areas for improvement.

Advanced Categorization Techniques

• Defaultsort: The `

1. Template:DEFAULTSORT – Controlling Article Categorization

Template:DEFAULTSORT is a crucial, yet often overlooked, feature within MediaWiki that significantly impacts how articles are organized and displayed in category listings. For beginner wiki editors, understanding and utilizing this template is essential for maintaining a clean, logical, and user-friendly wiki. This article will provide a comprehensive guide to DEFAULTSORT, covering its purpose, functionality, implementation, best practices, troubleshooting, and advanced considerations. We'll also connect its importance to broader wiki maintenance strategies.

What is DEFAULTSORT?

At its core, DEFAULTSORT dictates the *sort key* used when an article appears within a category. Without DEFAULTSORT, articles are categorized alphabetically based on their full page title. This can lead to a disorganized and confusing category listing, especially when dealing with articles that begin with articles like "The," "A," or "An," or with numerical prefixes.

Consider a category of articles about trading strategies. Without DEFAULTSORT, articles titled "A Beginner's Guide to Moving Averages," "The Power of Fibonacci Retracements," and "10 Tips for Day Trading" would appear at the top of the category, pushing more relevant entries further down. This is clearly undesirable.

DEFAULTSORT allows you to specify a different sorting key, effectively overriding the default alphabetical sorting based on the full title. In the examples above, you might use DEFAULTSORT keys like "Beginner's Guide to Moving Averages," "Power of Fibonacci Retracements," and "Tips for Day Trading," respectively, resulting in a much more logical and useful category arrangement.

Why is DEFAULTSORT Important?

• Improved Category Navigation: The primary benefit is a well-organized category structure, making it easier for users to find the information they need. Think of categories as the index of your wiki – a poorly organized index is useless.
• Enhanced User Experience: A logical category order boosts the overall user experience, encouraging exploration and knowledge acquisition. Users are more likely to find and utilize information when it’s easily accessible.
• Consistent Categorization: DEFAULTSORT promotes consistency across the wiki, ensuring that articles are categorized in a predictable and standardized manner.
• Reduced Maintenance: While it requires initial effort, implementing DEFAULTSORT correctly reduces the need for frequent category reorganization and cleanup. Proactive organization is always more efficient than reactive fixing.
• SEO Benefits (Indirectly): While not a direct SEO factor, a well-structured wiki with easily navigable categories can indirectly improve search engine rankings by increasing user engagement and time spent on site. This relates to overall wiki design principles.

How to Implement DEFAULTSORT

The implementation of DEFAULTSORT is remarkably simple. It involves adding the following code to the *bottom* of the page, typically within the category links section:

```wiki DEFAULTSORT:Your Sort Key ```

• Replace "Your Category Name" with the actual name of the category you're adding the page to.
• Replace "Your Sort Key" with the text you want the article to be sorted by within that category.

Example:

Let's say you're creating an article titled "The Impact of Volume Spread Analysis on Trading Decisions" and want to categorize it under "Trading Strategies." You would add the following to the bottom of the page:

```wiki DEFAULTSORT:Impact of Volume Spread Analysis ```

This will ensure that the article appears in the "Trading Strategies" category sorted alphabetically by "Impact of Volume Spread Analysis" rather than "The Impact..."

Best Practices for Choosing Sort Keys

Choosing the right sort key is critical. Here are some best practices:

• Remove Articles and Prepositions: Generally, remove leading articles ("The," "A," "An") and common prepositions ("of," "in," "on," "for," "to," "with") from the sort key. This ensures a more natural sorting order.
• Use Key Words: Focus on the most important keywords that describe the article's content.
• Maintain Consistency: Establish a consistent pattern for creating sort keys across the wiki. For example, if you always remove "The" from titles, do so consistently. Consistency is paramount in wiki standards.
• Consider Alternative Titles: If the article title is overly verbose, consider a shorter, more concise sort key that still accurately reflects the content.
• Handle Numbers Carefully: For articles with numbers in the title, decide whether to include the number in the sort key or spell it out. Consistency is key here. For example, "10 Tips for Day Trading" could be sorted as "10 Tips" or "Ten Tips."
• Use Lowercase: Sorting is generally case-insensitive, but using lowercase for sort keys can help avoid potential issues and maintain consistency.
• Avoid Special Characters: While MediaWiki generally handles special characters, it's best to avoid them in sort keys to prevent unexpected behavior.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting

• Placement: The DEFAULTSORT tag *must* be placed after the category tag. Placing it before will not work.
• Typos: Double-check for typos in both the category name and the sort key. Even a small error can prevent the article from being categorized correctly.
• Missing Tag: Ensure you haven't forgotten to add the DEFAULTSORT tag altogether.
• Conflicting Categories: If an article is assigned to multiple categories, each category should have its own DEFAULTSORT tag with a key appropriate for that category.
• Category View: Sometimes, changes to DEFAULTSORT may not be immediately visible in category listings. This is often due to caching. Try purging the page cache (see Help:Purge ) or waiting a few minutes for the cache to update.
• Hidden Categories: Ensure the category you are trying to sort into isn't a hidden category. Hidden categories, typically used for maintenance, won't display articles in the usual category view.

Advanced Considerations and Special Cases

• Multiple Categories: When an article belongs to multiple categories, you need a DEFAULTSORT tag for *each* category. The sort key should be tailored to the context of that specific category.
• Redirects: DEFAULTSORT applies to the target of a redirect, not the redirect page itself.
• Templates and Modules: If you're using templates or modules to generate category links, make sure the DEFAULTSORT tag is included within the template/module code. This is especially important for articles generated dynamically.
• Sorting by Date: For articles related to events or news, you might want to sort by date. Use a format like "YYYY-MM-DD" in the sort key to ensure correct chronological ordering.
• Sorting by Author: In some cases, you might want to sort by author. Use the author's last name as the sort key.
• Using Parameters in Templates: More complex scenarios may involve using parameters within templates to dynamically generate the sort key. This requires advanced knowledge of template programming.

DEFAULTSORT and Wiki Maintenance

Regularly reviewing and updating DEFAULTSORT tags is an important part of wiki maintenance. Pay attention to:

• New Articles: Always add a DEFAULTSORT tag when creating new articles.
• Category Reorganization: When you reorganize categories, review the DEFAULTSORT tags of the articles within those categories to ensure they are still appropriate.
• Article Title Changes: If you change an article's title, update the DEFAULTSORT tag accordingly.
• Broken Category Links: Check for broken category links and fix them. Broken links can disrupt the category structure.
• Category Size: Large categories can be difficult to navigate. Consider splitting them into smaller, more focused categories and updating the DEFAULTSORT tags accordingly. This relates to Information Architecture.

Connecting to Trading Concepts (Illustrative Examples)

To demonstrate the practical application of DEFAULTSORT in a trading-related context, consider these scenarios:

• **Category: Technical Indicators:**

   * Article: "The Relative Strength Index (RSI) Explained" --> `DEFAULTSORT:Relative Strength Index`
   * Article: "Understanding Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD)" --> `DEFAULTSORT:MACD`
   * Article: "Bollinger Bands: A Beginner's Guide" --> `DEFAULTSORT:Bollinger Bands`

• **Category: Trading Strategies:**

   * Article: "Scalping Strategies for Beginners" --> `DEFAULTSORT:Scalping Strategies`
   * Article: "Day Trading with Support and Resistance" --> `DEFAULTSORT:Day Trading Support Resistance`
   * Article: "Swing Trading Using Candlestick Patterns" --> `DEFAULTSORT:Swing Trading Candlestick Patterns`

• **Category: Market Analysis:**

   * Article: "Fundamental Analysis vs. Technical Analysis" --> `DEFAULTSORT:Fundamental Technical Analysis`
   * Article: "Elliott Wave Theory Explained" --> `DEFAULTSORT:Elliott Wave Theory`
   * Article: "The Role of Sentiment Analysis in Trading" --> `DEFAULTSORT:Sentiment Analysis Trading`

These examples demonstrate how DEFAULTSORT helps organize articles related to concepts like candlestick patterns, Fibonacci retracement, Ichimoku Cloud, volume analysis, support and resistance, risk management, position sizing, chart patterns, trading psychology, backtesting, algorithmic trading, market sentiment, correlation analysis, volatility indicators, trend following, mean reversion, momentum trading, breakout strategies, gap analysis, price action, economic indicators, and fundamental analysis. A properly sorted category improves the user's ability to quickly find information on these crucial trading topics. Understanding market microstructure is also important.

Help:Contents Help:Editing Help:Categories Help:Templates MediaWiki WikiProject:Standards Special:Search Manual:Linking Manual:Talk pages Help:Purge` magic word allows you to specify a default sort key for pages. This ensures that pages are listed in the correct order within a category, even if their titles are similar. For example, if you have pages titled "Apple Pie Recipe" and "Apple Crumble Recipe", you can use `` on the "Apple Pie Recipe" page and `` on the "Apple Crumble Recipe" page to ensure they are listed in the correct order within the "Category:Recipes" category.

• Hidden Categories for Maintenance: Utilize hidden categories to track pages requiring maintenance, such as those needing updates or revisions.
• Templates for Categorization: Create templates that automatically add categories to pages. This is useful for standardizing categorization across a large number of pages. It’s similar to using a trading algorithm that automatically executes trades based on predefined criteria.
• Conditional Categorization: Use conditional statements within templates to add categories based on specific criteria. For example, you could add a category to pages that contain a specific parameter.

Comparison to Tagging Systems

While categories are a powerful organizational tool, they are distinct from tagging systems. Tags are keywords that can be assigned to pages, providing a more flexible but less structured way to categorize content. Categories are hierarchical and require a predefined structure, while tags are free-form. Both categories and tags can be used together to provide a comprehensive organizational system. Think of categories as long-term investments and tags as short-term trades – both have their place in a well-rounded strategy.

Categories and Search

Categories significantly enhance the wiki's search functionality. Users can search for pages within a specific category, narrowing down the results and finding relevant information more quickly. The search engine indexes category pages, making them readily accessible.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Pages Not Appearing in Categories: Ensure that the category tags are correctly formatted and that the category page exists. Check for typos in the category name.
• Incorrect Category Listing: Verify that the page is assigned to the correct category. Check for conflicting category tags.
• Category Page Display Issues: Examine the category page's content for any errors or formatting issues. Check for conflicts with extensions or skins.

Categories and Binary Options Concepts (Analogies)

| **MediaWiki Category** | **Binary Options Concept** | **Explanation** | |---|---|---| | Category Creation | Defining Asset Lists | Establishing what you are going to trade (stocks, currencies, indices). | | Subcategories | Breaking Down Market Trends | Identifying primary, secondary, and micro-trends. | | Category Management | Portfolio Optimization | Regularly adjusting your holdings based on performance. | | Hidden Categories | Private Watchlists | Tracking assets of specific interest without public display. | | Defaultsort | Risk Assessment | Categorizing trades based on risk level (high, medium, low). | | Consistency in Categories | Consistent Trading Strategy | Applying the same rules and criteria to every trade. | | Regular Category Review | Backtesting | Analyzing past performance to refine your strategy. | | Templates for Categorization | Automated Trading Bots | Using software to automatically execute trades. | | Tagging (in addition to Categories) | Technical Indicators | Adding layers of analysis to refine entry and exit points. | | Search within Categories | Filtering Trading Signals| Focusing on signals that meet specific criteria. | | Uncategorized Pages | Untraded Assets | Identifying opportunities that haven’t been explored. | | Category Renaming | Pivot Trading | Adjusting your strategy based on changing market conditions. | |Category Deletion | Stop-Loss Orders | Removing losing positions from your portfolio.| |Hotcat|Fast Execution|Quickly applying categories| |Category Pages|Trading Volume Analysis|Understanding the level of activity| |Category Hierarchies|Trend Following Strategies|Identifying and capitalizing on established trends| |Conditional Categorization|Martingale Strategy|Adjusting position size based on previous outcomes| |Templates|Copy Trading|Replicating successful strategies|

Conclusion

Categories are an indispensable part of any successful MediaWiki installation. By understanding and utilizing them effectively, you can create a well-organized, user-friendly wiki that is easy to navigate and maintain. Remember to plan your category structure carefully, maintain consistency, and regularly review and update your categories to ensure they remain relevant and effective. Just as a skilled binary options trader understands the intricacies of the market, a skilled wiki administrator understands the power of categorization.

Start Trading Now

Register with IQ Option (Minimum deposit $10) Open an account with Pocket Option (Minimum deposit $5)

Join Our Community

Subscribe to our Telegram channel @strategybin to get: ✓ Daily trading signals ✓ Exclusive strategy analysis ✓ Market trend alerts ✓ Educational materials for beginners