Navigation templates
- Navigation Templates
Navigation templates are a powerful feature within MediaWiki that enhance the usability and interconnectedness of a wiki. They provide a standardized and visually consistent way to link to related articles, improving site navigation and helping users discover relevant content. This article is a comprehensive guide to understanding and utilizing navigation templates, tailored for beginners.
At their core, navigation templates are pre-defined sets of internal links, typically displayed as horizontal or vertical bars, often at the top or bottom of an article. They serve as a visual directory, guiding users to articles covering similar topics or within the same broad subject area. Think of them as a curated table of contents for a wider subject, appearing across multiple pages. Unlike a standard table of contents which is specific to *that* page, a navigation template links to *other* pages.
They are fundamentally built using Templates, a core MediaWiki feature allowing for reusable content snippets. A navigation template *is* a template, specifically designed for navigational purposes.
There are several key advantages to employing navigation templates:
- Improved User Experience: They make it easier for users to find related articles, reducing bounce rates and encouraging further exploration of the wiki. A user reading about Fibonacci retracement might immediately see links to other Technical indicators like Moving averages or Bollinger Bands.
- Consistency: They ensure a uniform look and feel across articles, reinforcing the wiki's branding and professionalism. Consistent design builds trust and familiarity.
- Interlinking: They promote internal linking, which is crucial for Search engine optimization (SEO) and helps distribute page rank throughout the wiki. Strong internal linking signals the importance of related topics.
- Organization: They help organize content, especially in large wikis with numerous articles. Properly structured navigation templates can make a complex subject more manageable.
- Discoverability: They expose users to articles they might not have otherwise found, fostering a deeper understanding of the subject matter. A template on Candlestick patterns might introduce a user to Japanese candlesticks or Chart patterns.
- Maintenance: When an article is renamed or moved, updating the template is often easier than updating links in numerous individual articles. This centralized approach to link management reduces errors.
Let's break down the basic structure of a navigation template. The following is a simplified example:
```wiki
```
Let's dissect each part:
- `
