- For basic information see Help:Editing.
Basic text formatting
You can format the page using Wikitext special characters.
| What it looks like | What you type |
|---|---|
|
You can italicize text by putting 2 apostrophes on each side. 3 apostrophes will embolden the text. 5 apostrophes will embolden and italicize the text. (Using 4 apostrophes doesn't do anything special -- |
You can ''italicize text'' by putting 2 apostrophes on each side. 3 apostrophes will '''embolden the text'''. 5 apostrophes will '''embolden''' and ''italicize'' '''''the text'''''. (Using 4 apostrophes doesn't do anything special -- <br /> the last pair are just ''''left over ones'''' that are included as part of the text.) |
|
A single newline generally has no effect on the layout. These can be used to separate sentences within a paragraph. Some editors find that this aids editing and improves the diff function (used internally to compare different versions of a page). But an empty line starts a new paragraph. When used in a list, a newline does affect the layout (see below). |
A single newline generally has no effect on the layout. These can be used to separate sentences within a paragraph. Some editors find that this aids editing and improves the ''diff'' function (used internally to compare different versions of a page). But an empty line starts a new paragraph. When used in a list, a newline ''does'' affect the layout ([[#lists|see below]]). |
|
You can break lines Please do not start a link or italics or bold text on one line and end on the next. |
You can break lines<br/> without a new paragraph.<br/> Please use this sparingly. Please do not start a link or ''italics'' or '''bold''' text on one line and end on the next. |
| You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: - Three tildes gives your signature: Example |
You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: - Three tildes gives your signature: ~~~ - Four tildes give your signature plus date/time: ~~~~ - Five tildes gives the date/time alone: ~~~~~ |
HTML tags
You can use some HTML tags, too. However, you should avoid HTML in favor of Wiki markup whenever possible.
| What it looks like | What you type |
|---|---|
|
Put text in a typewriter
font. The same font is
generally used for |
Put text in a <tt>typewriter font</tt>. The same font is generally used for <code> computer code</code>. |
|
|
<strike>Strike out</strike> or <u>underline</u> text, or write it <span style= "font-variant:small-caps"> in small caps</span>. |
|
Superscripts and subscripts: X2, H2O |
Superscripts and subscripts: X<sup>2</sup>, H<sub>2</sub>O |
|
<center>Centered text</center> * Please note the American spelling of "center". |
|
<blockquote> The '''blockquote''' command formats block quotations, typically by surrounding them with whitespace and a slightly different font. </blockquote> |
|
Invisible comments to editors (<!-- -->) appear only while editing the page.
|
Invisible comments to editors (<!-- -->) appear only while editing the page. <!-- Note to editors: blah blah blah. --> |
Organizing your writing
| What it looks like | What you type |
|---|---|
|
Section headings
Headings organize your writing into sections. The Wiki software can automatically generate a table of contents from them. Subsection
Using more "equals" (=) signs creates a subsection. A smaller subsection
Don't skip levels, like from two to four equals signs. Start with 2 equals signs not 1 because 1 creates H1 tags which should be reserved for page title. |
== Section headings == ''Headings'' organize your writing into sections. The ''Wiki'' software can automatically generate a [[table of contents]] from them. === Subsection === Using more "equals" (=) signs creates a subsection. ==== A smaller subsection ==== Don't skip levels, like from two to four equals signs. Start with 2 equals signs not 1 because 1 creates H1 tags which should be reserved for page title. |
marks the end of the list.
|
* ''Unordered lists'' are easy to do: ** Start every line with a star. *** More stars indicate a deeper level. *: Previous item continues. ** A newline * in a list marks the end of the list. *Of course you can start again. |
A newline marks the end of the list.
|
# ''Numbered lists'' are: ## Very organized ## Easy to follow A newline marks the end of the list. # New numbering starts with 1. |
|
Here's a definition list:
Begin with a semicolon. One item per line; a newline can appear before the colon, but using a space before the colon improves parsing. |
Here's a ''definition list'': ; Word : Definition of the word ; A longer phrase needing definition : Phrase defined ; A word : Which has a definition : Also a second one : And even a third Begin with a semicolon. One item per line; a newline can appear before the colon, but using a space before the colon improves parsing. |
|
* You can even do mixed lists *# and nest them *# inside each other *#* or break lines<br>in lists. *#; definition lists *#: can be *#:; nested : too |
A newline starts a new paragraph.
|
: A colon (:) indents a line or paragraph. A newline starts a new paragraph. Should only be used on talk pages. For articles, you probably want the blockquote tag. : We use 1 colon to indent once. :: We use 2 colons to indent twice. ::: 3 colons to indent 3 times, and so on. |
|
You can make horizontal dividing lines (----) to separate text. But you should usually use sections instead, so that they go in the table of contents. |
You can make horizontal dividing lines (----) to separate text. ---- But you should usually use sections instead, so that they go in the table of contents. |
|
You can add footnotes to sentences using the ref tag -- this is especially good for citing a source.
For details, see Wikipedia:Footnotes and Help:Footnotes. |
You can add footnotes to sentences using the ''ref'' tag -- this is especially good for citing a source. :There are over six billion people in the world.<ref>CIA World Factbook, 2006.</ref> References: <references/> For details, see [[Wikipedia:Footnotes]] and [[Help:Footnotes]]. |
Links
You will often want to make clickable links to other pages.
| What it looks like | What you type |
|---|---|
|
Here's a link to a page named Official position. You can even say official positions and the link will show up correctly. |
Here's a link to a page named [[Official position]]. You can even say [[official position]]s and the link will show up correctly. |
|
You can put formatting around a link. Example: Wikipedia. |
You can put formatting around a link. Example: ''[[Wikipedia]]''. |
|
The first letter of articles is automatically capitalized, so wikipedia goes to the same place as Wikipedia. Capitalization matters after the first letter. |
The ''first letter'' of articles is automatically capitalized, so [[wikipedia]] goes to the same place as [[Wikipedia]]. Capitalization matters after the first letter. |
|
Intentionally permanent red link is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link. |
[[Intentionally permanent red link]] is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link. |
|
You can link to a page section by its title: If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. #Example section 3 goes to the third section named "Example section". |
You can link to a page section by its title: * [[List of cities by country#Morocco]]. If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. [[#Example section 3]] goes to the third section named "Example section". |
|
You can make a link point to a different place with a piped link. Put the link target first, then the pipe character "|", then the link text. Or you can use the "pipe trick" so that a title that contains disambiguation text will appear with more concise link text. |
You can make a link point to a different place with a [[Help:Piped link|piped link]]. Put the link target first, then the pipe character "|", then the link text. * [[Help:Link|About Links]] * [[List of cities by country#Morocco|Cities in Morocco]] Or you can use the "pipe trick" so that a title that contains disambiguation text will appear with more concise link text. * [[Spinning (textiles)|]] * [[Boston, Massachusetts|]] |
|
You can make an external link just by typing a URL: http://www.nupedia.com You can give it a title: Nupedia Or leave the title blank: [1] External link can be used to link to a wiki page that cannot be linked to with [[page]]: http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fotonotes&oldid=482030#Installation |
You can make an external link just by typing a URL: http://www.nupedia.com You can give it a title: [http://www.nupedia.com Nupedia] Or leave the title blank: [http://www.nupedia.com] External link can be used to link to a wiki page that cannot be linked to with <nowiki>[[page]]</nowiki>: http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fotonotes &oldid=482030#Installation |
|
Linking to an e-mail address works the same way: mailto:someone@example.com or someone |
Linking to an e-mail address works the same way: mailto:someone@example.com or [mailto:someone@example.com someone] |
|
You can redirect the user to another page. |
#REDIRECT [[Official position]] |
|
Category links do not show up in line but instead at page bottom and cause the page to be listed in the category. Add an extra colon to link to a category in line without causing the page to be listed in the category: Category:English documentation |
[[Help:Category|Category links]] do not show up in line but instead at page bottom ''and cause the page to be listed in the category.'' [[Category:English documentation]] Add an extra colon to ''link'' to a category in line without causing the page to be listed in the category: [[:Category:English documentation]] |
|
The Wiki reformats linked dates to match the reader's date preferences. These three dates will show up the same if you choose a format in your Preferences: |
The Wiki reformats linked dates to match the reader's date preferences. These three dates will show up the same if you choose a format in your [[Special:Preferences|]]: * [[1969-07-20]] * [[July 20]], [[1969]] * [[20 July]] [[1969]] |
Just show what I typed
A few different kinds of formatting will tell the Wiki to display things as you typed them.
| What it looks like | What you type |
|---|---|
|
The nowiki tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It reformats text by removing newlines and multiple spaces. It still interprets special characters: → |
<nowiki> The nowiki tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It reformats text by removing newlines and multiple spaces. It still interprets special characters: → </nowiki> |
The pre tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It also doesn't reformat text. It still interprets special characters: → |
<pre> The pre tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It also doesn't reformat text. It still interprets special characters: → </pre> |
|
Leading spaces are another way to preserve formatting. Putting a space at the beginning of each line stops the text from being reformatted. It still interprets Wiki markup and special characters: → |
Leading spaces are another way to preserve formatting. Putting a space at the beginning of each line stops the text from being reformatted. It still interprets [[Wiki]] ''markup'' and special characters: → |
Source code
If the syntax highlighting extension is installed, you can display programming language source code in a manner very similar to the HTML <pre> tag, except with the type of syntax highlighting commonly found in advanced text editing software.
Here's an example of how to display some C# source code:
<source lang="csharp">
// Hello World in Microsoft C# ("C-Sharp").
using System;
class HelloWorld
{
public static int Main(String[] args)
{
Console.WriteLine("Hello, World!");
return 0;
}
}
</source>
Results in:
// Hello World in Microsoft C# ("C-Sharp").
using System;
class HelloWorld
{
public static int Main(String[] args)
{
Console.WriteLine("Hello, World!");
return 0;
}
}
Images, tables, video, and sounds
This is a very quick introduction. For more information, see:
- Help:Images and other uploaded files, for how to upload files;
- w:en:Wikipedia:Extended image syntax, for how to arrange images on the page;
- Help:Table, for how to create a table.
After uploading, just enter the filename, highlight it and press the "embedded image"-button of the edit_toolbar.
This will produce the syntax for uploading a file [[Image:filename.png]]
| What it looks like | What you type | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
A picture, including alternate text:
You can put the image in a frame with a caption:  This is Wiki's logo |
A picture, including alternate text: [[Image:Wiki.png|This is Wiki's logo]] You can put the image in a frame with a caption: [[Image:Wiki.png|frame|This is Wiki's logo]] | ||||
|
A link to Wikipedia's page for the image: Image:Wiki.png Or a link directly to the image itself: Media:Wiki.png |
A link to Wikipedia's page for the image: [[:Image:Wiki.png]] Or a link directly to the image itself: [[Media:Wiki.png]] | ||||
| Use media: links to link
directly to sounds or videos: A sound file |
Use '''media:''' links to link directly to sounds or videos: [[media:Classical guitar scale.ogg|A sound file]] | ||||
| Provide a spoken rendition of some text in a template: | Provide a spoken rendition of some text in a template:
{{listen
|title = Flow my tears
|filename = Flow my tears.ogg
|filesize = 583KB
}}
| ||||
|
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" align="center"
! This
! is
|-
| a
| table
|}
|
Galleries
- Main article: w:Gallery tag
Images can also be grouped into galleries using the <gallery> tag, such as the following:
-
Captioned
-
-
Links can be put in captions.
Mathematical formulas
- Main article: Help:Displaying a formula
You can format mathematical formulas with TeX markup.
| What it looks like | What you type |
|---|---|
|
<math>\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{x^n}{n!}</math> |
<math>\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{x^n}{n!}</math>
|
Templates
- Main article: Help:Template
Templates are segments of Wiki markup that are meant to be copied automatically ("transcluded") into a page. You add them by putting the template's name in {{double braces}}. It is also possible to transclude other pages by using {{:colon and double braces}}.
Some templates take parameters, as well, which you separate with the pipe character.
| What it looks like | What you type |
|---|---|
{{Transclusion demo}}
| |
{{Help:Transclusion Demo}}
| |
|
This template takes two parameters, and creates underlined text with a hover box for many modern browsers supporting CSS: Go to this page to see the H:title template itself: {{H:title}} |
This template takes two parameters, and
creates underlined text with a hover box
for many modern browsers supporting CSS:
{{H:title|This is the hover text|
Hover your mouse over this text}}
Go to this page to see the H:title template
itself: {{tl|H:title}}
|