External links

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  1. External Links

External links are hyperlinks that point to websites *outside* of the current wiki. They are a crucial part of a well-developed MediaWiki site, allowing you to provide readers with further information, sources for your content, and connections to related resources. This article will cover everything a beginner needs to know about creating, managing, and using external links effectively within MediaWiki. We will cover syntax, best practices, advanced techniques, and common troubleshooting. This guide is geared towards MediaWiki version 1.40, though most principles apply to earlier versions as well.

Why Use External Links?

Before diving into the 'how', let's understand the 'why'. External links are vital for several reasons:

  • Verifiability & Citations: Linking to original sources (news articles, studies, official websites) allows readers to verify the information presented in your wiki. This is especially important for factual or controversial topics. This builds trust and establishes your wiki as a reliable information source. Consider the principles of Wikipedia:No original research.
  • Providing Context: A wiki article can't cover everything. External links allow you to direct readers to more detailed explanations, alternative perspectives, or related information that may be beyond the scope of the article.
  • Enhancing User Experience: Links make your wiki more useful. Readers can easily explore related topics and deepen their understanding. This encourages them to stay on your wiki and return in the future.
  • Attribution: Properly attributing information to its source is essential for ethical writing and avoiding plagiarism.
  • Further Reading: A section dedicated to "Further Reading" with external links provides readers with a clear path to explore the topic in more depth.

Basic Syntax

The fundamental syntax for creating an external link in MediaWiki is remarkably simple:

```wiki Example Website ```

This will render as:

Example Website

Let's break this down:

  • `[` and `]` (Square Brackets): These enclose the entire link definition.
  • `https://www.example.com` (URL): This is the web address you want to link to. Always include the `http://` or `https://` prefix. Using `https` is preferred for security.
  • `Example Website` (Link Text): This is the text that will be displayed as the clickable link. Choose descriptive text that clearly indicates where the link leads. Avoid generic phrases like "Click here."

Advanced Syntax & Options

MediaWiki offers several ways to refine your external links:

  • Titles (Tooltips): You can add a title attribute to the link, which will display a tooltip when the user hovers their mouse over the link. This provides additional information.

```wiki Example Website Title="Learn more about example.com" ```

  • Classes (CSS Styling): You can apply CSS classes to external links to customize their appearance. This requires knowledge of CSS and your wiki's stylesheet. This is an advanced feature.
  • Automatic Link Formatting: MediaWiki automatically recognizes and formats URLs that are not enclosed in square brackets. However, it's *strongly recommended* to use the bracket syntax for clarity and control.

Best Practices for External Linking

Following these best practices will ensure your external links are effective and contribute to a high-quality wiki:

  • Relevance: Only link to websites that are directly relevant to the content of your article. Avoid linking to irrelevant or unrelated pages.
  • Reliability: Link to reputable and trustworthy sources. Avoid linking to websites known for misinformation, bias, or poor quality. Consider using sources cited in Academic publishing.
  • Clarity: Use descriptive link text that clearly indicates the destination of the link. Avoid vague or misleading text.
  • Avoid Broken Links: Regularly check your external links to ensure they are still working. Broken links frustrate users and diminish the credibility of your wiki. Tools like Broken link checker can automate this process.
  • Link Sparingly: Don't overload your article with links. Too many links can be distracting and overwhelming. Focus on the most important and relevant resources.
  • Consider "nofollow" Attribute: In some cases, you may want to use the `nofollow` attribute to prevent search engines from following the link. This is typically used for links to untrusted or potentially spammy websites. This feature may require an extension.
  • Open in New Tab/Window: While MediaWiki doesn't have a native option to force links to open in a new tab/window, many users have this setting configured in their browsers. Don't rely on forcing this behavior.
  • Avoid Link Rot: Websites change and disappear. Consider using services like the Internet Archive Wayback Machine to archive important web pages, providing a backup in case the original link becomes broken.

Managing External Links

  • Categories: Use categories to organize your articles and make it easier for users to find information. is a good starting point.
  • Templates: Create templates for frequently cited sources to ensure consistency and simplify the linking process.
  • Lists of Links: For articles with many external links, consider creating a dedicated section titled "External Resources" or "Further Reading" and presenting the links in a bulleted or numbered list.
  • Link Farms: Avoid creating link farms – pages that exist solely to link to other websites. This is considered spam and is detrimental to your wiki.
  • Regular Audits: Perform periodic audits of your external links to identify and fix broken links or outdated information.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

  • Link Doesn't Work:
   * Typo in the URL: Double-check the URL for any typos or errors.
   * Website is Down: The website you're linking to may be temporarily unavailable.
   * URL Changed: The website may have changed its URL.  Check for redirects or updated links.
   * Incorrect Syntax: Ensure you've used the correct MediaWiki syntax (square brackets and `http://` or `https://`).
  • Link Text Doesn't Display Correctly:
   * Syntax Error: Check for any syntax errors in the link definition.
   * Conflicting Markup:  Make sure the link text isn't enclosed in other markup that's interfering with its display.
  • Link Opens in the Same Tab: This is the default browser behavior. You can't control this directly from MediaWiki.
  • Broken Link Checker Not Working: Ensure the broken link checker extension is properly installed and configured.

External Links and SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

While the primary goal of external links should be to provide value to your readers, they can also indirectly contribute to your wiki's SEO. Linking to high-quality, authoritative websites can signal to search engines that your wiki is a reliable source of information. However, avoid excessive or irrelevant linking, as this can be seen as spammy. Focus on providing a positive user experience and building a valuable resource. Understanding Search engine indexing is crucial.

External Linking in Specific Contexts

Further Resources

This comprehensive guide provides a solid foundation for understanding and utilizing external links in MediaWiki. By following these guidelines, you can create a more informative, reliable, and user-friendly wiki.

Help:Contents MediaWiki Editing in MediaWiki Categories Templates User:YourUsername/Sandbox (For practice!)

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