Help:Namespaces
- Help:Namespaces
Introduction
Welcome to the guide on Namespaces in MediaWiki! This article is designed for beginners and aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of what namespaces are, why they are important, and how to use them effectively within a MediaWiki installation. Namespaces are a fundamental concept in MediaWiki, crucial for organizing content and controlling access. Understanding them is key to both reading and contributing to a wiki. This guide will cover everything from the default namespaces to custom namespaces, and how they affect page titles and linking. We'll explore how namespaces contribute to a well-structured and manageable wiki environment.
What are Namespaces?
In simple terms, a namespace is a naming system used to organize pages. Think of it like folders on your computer. Just as folders help you categorize files, namespaces help categorize pages within a wiki. They prevent naming conflicts and provide a logical structure to the information. Without namespaces, every page title would have to be unique across the entire wiki, leading to confusion and difficulty in organization.
A namespace provides a prefix to a page title. For example, the page "Help:Contents" is not simply titled "Contents"; it's specifically the "Contents" page *within* the "Help" namespace. This distinction is vital. It allows multiple pages to have the same base title, as long as they reside in different namespaces. For instance, you could have a "Main Page" in the "Main" namespace and a "Main Page" in the "Project" namespace without any clashes.
Default Namespaces
MediaWiki comes pre-configured with a set of default namespaces. These namespaces are essential for the core functionality of a wiki and are generally consistent across installations (though administrators can customize them to some extent). Here's a breakdown of the common default namespaces, with explanations of their typical usage:
- Main: This is the primary content namespace. Most articles intended for general readers reside here. Think of this as the "encyclopedia" part of the wiki. This is where you'll find information on topics like Help:Contents and Help:Index.
- User: This namespace is for user pages. Each registered user has a dedicated page here, used for personal information, user boxes, or anything else the user wants to share. For example, "User:ExampleUser". This is often used for tracking user contributions and preferences.
- User talk: This namespace is for discussion pages associated with user pages. Other users can leave messages for a specific user on their "talk" page. For example, "User talk:ExampleUser". This is the primary way to communicate with other wiki contributors.
- Project: This namespace is used for pages related to the wiki itself – policies, guidelines, and discussions about the wiki's operation. Think of it as the "behind-the-scenes" documentation. Help:About is a good example.
- Project talk: This namespace is for discussion pages associated with project pages. It's where users can discuss changes to policies or guidelines. For example, "Project talk:Copyright policy".
- File: (Sometimes labelled as "Image" in older versions) This namespace stores uploaded media files, such as images, videos, and audio. For example, "File:Example.jpg". The file description page contains information about the file, including its license and usage rights.
- File talk: This namespace is for discussion pages associated with file pages. It's used to discuss issues related to the uploaded files. For example, "File talk:Example.jpg".
- MediaWiki: This namespace contains pages related to the MediaWiki software itself. These pages are typically used by administrators and developers.
- MediaWiki talk: This namespace is for discussion pages associated with MediaWiki pages.
- Template: This namespace stores templates – reusable blocks of content that can be included on multiple pages. Templates are a powerful tool for maintaining consistency and reducing duplication. Help:Templates provides more detail.
- Template talk: This namespace is for discussion pages associated with templates.
- Help: This namespace contains help pages, like this one, to assist users in using the wiki. Help:Editing is another example.
- Help talk: This namespace is for discussion pages associated with help pages.
- Category: This namespace contains category pages, used to organize pages into logical groupings. Help:Categories explains how to use categories.
- Category talk: This namespace is for discussion pages associated with category pages.
These namespaces are identified by a specific numerical ID, which is used internally by the software. However, you typically interact with namespaces using their names (e.g., "Help:", "User:", "File:").
Accessing Pages in Different Namespaces
There are several ways to access pages within specific namespaces:
- **Using the Namespace Prefix:** As mentioned before, you can simply add the namespace prefix to the page title. For example, to access a user page, use "User:Username".
- **Using Links:** Links can explicitly specify the namespace. For example, `ExampleUser's Page` will create a link to the user page.
- **Using Special Pages:** MediaWiki provides several special pages that allow you to browse content within specific namespaces. For example, "Special:AllPages" can be filtered by namespace.
- **Navigation:** Many wikis have navigation menus or sidebars that provide links to common pages in important namespaces (like Help or Project).
Custom Namespaces
While the default namespaces cover many common needs, MediaWiki allows administrators to create custom namespaces. This is useful for organizing content specific to a particular project or community. For example, a wiki dedicated to a video game might create namespaces for "Character", "Item", and "Location".
Creating custom namespaces requires administrator access and involves modifying the `LocalSettings.php` file. The administrator must define a name and an ID for each custom namespace. After creation, custom namespaces function the same way as default namespaces.
How Namespaces Affect Linking
Namespaces play a crucial role in how links work within a wiki. When you create a link, MediaWiki uses the namespace to determine which page you're referring to.
- **Links Within the Same Namespace:** If you're linking to a page within the *same* namespace, you can simply use the page title. For example, if you're on the "Help:Contents" page, you can link to "Help:Index" by using `Help:Index`.
- **Links to the Main Namespace:** If you're linking to a page in the Main namespace from another namespace, you can omit the "Main:" prefix. For example, from the "Help:Contents" page, you can link to an article titled "Quantum Mechanics" using `Quantum Mechanics`. MediaWiki automatically assumes you're linking to the Main namespace if no prefix is specified.
- **Links to Other Namespaces:** If you're linking to a page in a *different* namespace, you *must* include the namespace prefix. For example, from the "Help:Contents" page, you can link to a user page using `User:ExampleUser`.
Understanding these linking rules is essential for creating accurate and functional links within a wiki. Incorrectly specifying the namespace can lead to broken links or links to the wrong page.
Technical Details & Considerations
- **Namespace IDs:** Each namespace has a numerical ID assigned to it. These IDs are used internally by MediaWiki. You typically don’t need to know these IDs, but they can be useful for advanced configuration or debugging. You can find a list of namespace IDs on the MediaWiki site.
- **`wgNamespaceIds` in LocalSettings.php:** The `wgNamespaceIds` array in the `LocalSettings.php` file defines the numerical IDs and names of all namespaces, both default and custom.
- **Namespace Restrictions:** Administrators can configure restrictions on which users can edit pages in specific namespaces. This can be used to protect sensitive information or to control the quality of content in important namespaces.
- **Special Pages and Namespaces:** Many special pages allow you to filter results by namespace. This is a powerful way to find specific information within a large wiki. Special:AllPages and Special:ListFiles are good examples.
- **Transclusion and Namespaces:** Templates and other transcluded content inherit the namespace of the page they are included on. This can be important to consider when designing templates.
Best Practices for Using Namespaces
- **Consistency:** Be consistent in your use of namespaces. This makes it easier for users to navigate and understand the wiki's structure.
- **Logical Organization:** Organize content into namespaces that reflect logical groupings. This makes it easier to find information and maintain the wiki.
- **Clear Naming:** Use clear and descriptive namespace names. This helps users understand the purpose of each namespace.
- **Documentation:** Document the purpose of custom namespaces so that other contributors understand how they should be used. Help:Editing is a great place to start learning about contributing.
- **Avoid Overuse:** Don’t create too many namespaces. A complex namespace structure can be confusing and difficult to manage.
Namespaces and Search
The MediaWiki search function respects namespaces. By default, searches span all namespaces. However, you can refine your search to specific namespaces using the advanced search options. This is particularly useful when searching for pages with similar titles in different namespaces. For example, searching for "Contents" without specifying a namespace will return pages from all namespaces with that title. Searching for "Contents" within the "Help" namespace will only return the "Help:Contents" page.
Relevance to Trading & Financial Analysis
While seemingly unrelated to trading, namespaces can be applied to wikis focused on financial topics. Imagine a wiki dedicated to trading strategies. Namespaces could be used to categorize:
- **Strategy:** (e.g., "Strategy:Moving Average Crossover", "Strategy:Fibonacci Retracement") - Contains details of specific trading strategies.
- **Indicator:** (e.g., "Indicator:MACD", "Indicator:RSI") - Details about technical indicators.
- **Pattern:** (e.g., "Pattern:Head and Shoulders", "Pattern:Double Top") - Explanations of chart patterns.
- **Trend Analysis:** (e.g., "Trend Analysis:Elliott Wave", "Trend Analysis:Dow Theory") - Discussions on trend analysis techniques.
- **Risk Management:** (e.g., “Risk Management:Position Sizing”, “Risk Management:Stop-Loss Orders”) - Articles relating to risk mitigation.
- **Market Sentiment:** (e.g., "Market Sentiment:Fear and Greed Index", "Market Sentiment:VIX") - Information on market psychology.
This organizational structure makes it easy for traders and analysts to find the information they need quickly. Related concepts like Technical Analysis can be easily linked within these namespaces. Understanding Candlestick Patterns and Bollinger Bands can be greatly enhanced by a well-organized wiki. Support and Resistance Levels, Moving Averages, Fibonacci Retracements, Relative Strength Index (RSI), Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD), Stochastic Oscillator, Elliott Wave Theory, Dow Theory, Chart Patterns, Risk Reward Ratio, Position Sizing, Stop Loss Order, Take Profit Order, Volatility, Correlation, Diversification, Backtesting, Fundamental Analysis, Value Investing, Growth Investing, Day Trading, Swing Trading, Scalping, Arbitrage, Hedging, and Market Cycles can all be categorized and linked effectively using namespaces. Furthermore, articles on Trading Psychology can be placed in a dedicated namespace to highlight its importance.
Conclusion
Namespaces are a powerful and essential feature of MediaWiki. They provide a structured way to organize content, prevent naming conflicts, and control access. By understanding how namespaces work, you can contribute to a well-maintained and easy-to-navigate wiki. This guide has provided a comprehensive overview of namespaces, from the default namespaces to custom namespaces, and how they affect linking and searching. Remember to use namespaces consistently and logically to create a wiki that is both informative and user-friendly.
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