Editing in MediaWiki is the process of modifying the content of a wiki page. It’s the fundamental action that allows a community to collaboratively build and maintain a knowledge base. This article is designed for beginners and will cover everything you need to know to start editing pages effectively in a MediaWiki 1.40 environment. We’ll cover the basics of the editing interface, the syntax used for formatting, common editing tasks, and best practices for contributing to a collaborative project.
When you view a page in MediaWiki, you'll typically see a tab labeled “Edit” (or “Edit source” for advanced editing – discussed later). Clicking this tab takes you to the editing interface. The interface is generally divided into three main sections:
The Edit Box: This is a large text area where you make your changes to the page content. It displays the wikitext – the source code of the page.
The Editing Toolbar: Located above or below the edit box, the toolbar provides quick access to commonly used formatting options. It includes buttons for making text bold, italic, creating lists, adding links, and more. The toolbar is a visual aid and translates your clicks into wikitext code.
The Preview, Changes & Publish Buttons: At the bottom of the page, you’ll find buttons for:
* Show Preview: This allows you to see how your changes will look *before* saving them. This is *highly* recommended to avoid accidental errors or unwanted formatting.
* Show Changes: This displays the differences between your edited version and the current version of the page, highlighted for easy review. It’s useful for checking exactly what you’ve changed.
* Watch this page: Adding a page to your watchlist allows you to receive notifications when others make changes. This is particularly useful for pages you contribute to frequently or are interested in tracking.
* Publish page/Save changes: This saves your edits to the wiki. You’ll be prompted to provide a summary of your changes in the “Edit summary” field.
Basic Formatting with Wikitext
MediaWiki uses a simple markup language called wikitext to format content. It’s designed to be easy to learn and read, even in its source form. Here's a breakdown of some essential wikitext elements:
Headings: Headings are created using equal signs (=). The number of equal signs determines the heading level.
* `= Heading 1 =` creates a main heading.
* `== Heading 2 ==` creates a subheading.
* `=== Heading 3 ===` creates a sub-subheading, and so on.
Paragraphs: To start a new paragraph, simply leave a blank line between lines of text. MediaWiki automatically interprets this as a paragraph break.
Bold Text: Enclose text in three single quotes (`text`) or two double apostrophes (`text`) to make it bold.
Italic Text: Enclose text in two single quotes (`'text'`) or three double apostrophes (`"""text"""`) to make it italic.
Lists:
* Unordered Lists (Bullet Points): Use an asterisk (*) at the beginning of each line.
```
* Item 1
* Item 2
* Item 3
```
* Ordered Lists (Numbered Lists): Use a hash (#) at the beginning of each line.
```
# Item 1
# Item 2
# Item 3
```
Links:
* Internal Links: Link to other pages within the wiki using double square brackets: `Page Name`. This creates a hyperlink to the specified page. For example, Main Page links to the Main Page.
* External Links: Link to websites outside the wiki by enclosing the URL in square brackets: `Example Website`. The text within the brackets is the link text.
Images: Insert images using the following syntax: `File:ImageName.jpgCaption`. Replace `ImageName.jpg` with the actual filename of the image, and `Caption` with the desired caption. `thumb` creates a thumbnail version of the image.
Horizontal Rule: Create a horizontal line using three hyphens (`---`).
Code: Display preformatted text (code) using the `<nowiki>` tag or triple backticks (```). The `<nowiki>` tag preserves formatting characters literally.
Common Editing Tasks
Beyond basic formatting, here are some common editing tasks you’ll likely encounter:
Adding New Content: Simply type your content into the edit box and use the appropriate wikitext to format it. Remember to preview your changes before saving.
Modifying Existing Content: Locate the text you want to change in the edit box and make your edits. Be careful not to inadvertently delete or alter content you didn't intend to.
Correcting Errors: If you find a typo, grammatical error, or factual inaccuracy, correct it directly in the edit box.
Updating Information: If information on a page becomes outdated, update it with the latest information. Be sure to cite your sources when appropriate. Consider the impact of your changes – are they minor corrections, or substantial revisions?
Adding Citations: Use the `<ref>` tag to add citations. For example: `<ref>Author, Book Title, Year, Page Number</ref>`. You'll need to define the references at the bottom of the page using `<references />`. Proper citation is crucial for maintaining the credibility of the wiki. See Help:Footnotes for more details.
Creating New Pages: If a page doesn't exist yet, you can create it by typing the page name in double square brackets (`Page Name`) and clicking the red link. This will take you to the editing interface for the new page.
Advanced Editing Techniques
Edit Source: The “Edit source” tab provides access to the raw wikitext code of the page. This is useful for advanced users who want more control over the formatting or need to edit complex templates.
Templates:Templates are reusable blocks of wikitext that can be inserted into multiple pages. They’re useful for maintaining consistency and simplifying complex formatting.
Categories:Categories are used to organize pages into logical groups. You can add a page to a category by adding a category link at the bottom of the page: ``.
Infoboxes:Infoboxes are tables that summarize key information about a topic. They’re often used for articles about people, places, or things.
Redirects:Redirects allow you to automatically forward one page to another. This is useful for consolidating similar pages or providing alternative names for a page.
Revision History: Every edit to a page is saved, creating a history of revisions. You can view the revision history by clicking the “View history” tab. This allows you to see who made what changes and when. You can also revert to an earlier version of the page if necessary.
Best Practices for Editing
Preview Your Changes: Always preview your changes before saving them to ensure they look as expected.
Provide a Clear Edit Summary: In the “Edit summary” field, briefly describe the changes you’ve made. This helps other editors understand your intentions.
Be Bold, But Be Careful: Don’t be afraid to make edits, but always double-check your work and be mindful of the impact of your changes.
Discuss Changes on the Talk Page: If you’re making significant changes or are unsure about something, discuss it on the Talk:Page Name page first.
Respect Other Editors: Be respectful of other editors’ opinions and contributions. Collaborate and find consensus when disagreements arise.
Follow Wiki Style Guidelines: Most wikis have style guidelines that define standards for formatting, language, and content. Follow these guidelines to ensure consistency.
Cite Your Sources: When adding new information, always cite your sources to ensure accuracy and credibility.
Don't Engage in Edit Wars: If you disagree with another editor, discuss the issue on the talk page instead of repeatedly reverting each other’s changes. Edit wars can disrupt the collaborative process.
Be Patient: Building a wiki is a collaborative process that takes time and effort. Be patient and contribute constructively.
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