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Line 1: − '''MediaWiki''' is a [[World Wide Web|web-based]] [[wiki software]] application used by all projects of the [[Wikimedia Foundation]], all wikis hosted by [[Wikia]], and many other wikis, including some of the largest and most popular ones. [http://s23.org/wikistats/wikis_html.php]Originally developed to serve the needs of the [[free content]] [[Wikipedia]] encyclopedia, today it has also been deployed by companies as an internal [[knowledge management]] solution, and as a [[content management system]]. Notably, [[Novell]] uses it to operate several of its high traffic websites. e.g.: http://developer.novell.com/ ; http://hula-project.org/ ; http://en.opensuse.org/ ; http://www.ifolder.com/+ − MediaWiki is written in the [[PHP|PHP programming language]], and can use either the [[MySQL]] or [[PostgreSQL]] [[relational database management system]]. Distributed under the terms of the [[GNU General Public License]], MediaWiki is [[free software]].+ − == History ==+ − The current software was originally written for [[Wikipedia]] by [[User:Lee Daniel Crocker|Lee Daniel Crocker]], based on the user interface − design of [[Germany|German]] [[University of Cologne]] student and developer Magnus Manske. Wikipedia had originally used a small wiki engine called [[UseModWiki]] written in [[Perl]]. Wikipedia was later switched to Manske's PHP-based software to offer more functionality. − Increasing usage caused load problems, leading Crocker to re-write the software with a more scalable [[MySQL]] database backend. − Later, Brion Vibber would take up the role of release manager and most active developer. [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/MediaWiki_history] − Since the release of the first version of Manske's script, the software had been given multiple nicknames representing the state of development—"the PHP script", "phase II", "phase III", "the new codebase"—but no product name. After the [[Wikimedia Foundation]] was announced on [[June 20]] [[2003]], the name "MediaWiki" was coined by Wikipedia contributor Daniel Mayer as a play on "Wikimedia," [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikipedia-l/2003-July/011021.html] Phase IV, Wikibooks.org/.com and WikimediaFoundation.org/.com mailing list archives and the name was gradually phased in beginning in August 2003. The name has frequently caused confusion due to its intentional similarity to the "Wikimedia" name (which itself is similar to "Wikipedia"). Nevertheless, "MediaWiki" has become a recognizable brand, with a [[Google]] search yielding over 181 million results on the name in August, 2007.+ + − The product logo was created by Erik Moeller using a flower photograph taken by [[Florence Nibart-Devouard]], and was originally submitted to an international logo contest for a new Wikipedia logo held in summer 2003. [http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=International_logo_contest/Results&oldid=509000], [[Wikimedia Foundation]]. The logo came in third place, and was chosen to represent MediaWiki instead of Wikipedia, with the second place logo used for the [[Wikimedia Foundation]] and the first place logo for Wikipedia itself. Wikimedia contributors , Historical/Logo history [http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meta:Historical/Logo_history&oldid=513925], [[Wikimedia Foundation]] + − The double square brackets around the photo of a [[sunflower]] symbolize the [[Syntax of programming languages|syntax]] MediaWiki uses for creating [[hyperlinks]] to other wiki pages. − + + + − [http://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?release_id=202383&group_id=34373 Full release notes 1.1]+ − * New wiki table syntax. − * User-editable interface messages through "MediaWiki namespace". − * [[XML]]-wrapped page source export with optional history. − * "Magic words" – special variables and parser instructions. − [http://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?release_id=226003&group_id=34373 Full release notes 1.2] − * Experimental web-based installer. − * Image resizing and thumbnail generation. − * Editing toolbar for learning wiki syntax. − * User rights management within the wiki. − [http://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?release_id=259965&group_id=34373 Full release notes 1.3] − * New, highly [[Cascading Style Sheets|CSS]]-based default look and feel ("MonoBook" skin) and better web standards compliance. − * Parametrized templates. − * Category feature. − * Automatic merging of edit conflicts when possible. − * Improved installation. − [http://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?release_id=314389&group_id=34373 Full release notes 1.4] − *User interface language can be changed by the user. − *Significant performance improvements. − *Support for compressing old revisions of articles to reduce storage needs. − *Image gallery generation, list of recently uploaded images. − *SVG rasterization support (requires external support tools). − [http://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?release_id=361506&group_id=34373 Full release notes 1.5] − * Major database redesign decoupling text storage from revision tracking, resulting in: − ** Significant performance boosts for some operations. − ** [[Permalink]] functionality for all revisions. − ** Support for storing bulk data outside the database. − * Support for e-mail notification upon changes. − * Page content must be encoded in [[UTF-8]]. − [http://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?release_id=407308&group_id=34373 Full release notes 1.6] − * The account creation form has been separated from the user login form. − * Page protection/unprotection uses a new, expanded form. − * "Job queue" for background updates. − * Improved tracking of template usage. − * Tracking of external link usage for more systematic anti-spam measures. − * Template parameters can have default values. − [http://svn.wikimedia.org/viewvc/mediawiki/tags/REL1_7_0/phase3/RELEASE-NOTES?revision=15419&view=markup Full release notes 1.7] − * MediaWiki 1.7 requires PHP 5 (5.1 recommended). PHP 4 is no longer supported. − * Deleted files can now be restored. − [http://svn.wikimedia.org/viewvc/mediawiki/tags/REL1_8_0/phase3/RELEASE-NOTES?&revision=16921&view=markup Full release notes 1.8] − | − * Full support for [[PostgreSQL]] (8.1 or better) database backend − * Support for [[DjVu]] thumbnailing and multipage navigation − * Various improvements to user blocking; blocks can be placed only on unregistered users using a particular IP address − * Uploading files from publicly accessible URLs is possible if enabled − [http://svn.wikimedia.org/viewvc/mediawiki/tags/REL1_9_0/phase3/RELEASE-NOTES?view=markup Full release notes 1.9]+ − − * "Undo revision" feature − * Various improvements to blocking and special page caching − * Tables with [[Help:Sorting|sortable columns]] − * Addition of an edit counter field to the user database − * Revision size displayed on watchlists and recent changes − − [http://svn.wikimedia.org/viewvc/mediawiki/tags/REL1_10_0/phase3/RELEASE-NOTES?view=markup Full release notes 1.10] − − * "Cascading protection" feature − * Improved tooltips and accesskey feature − * Various improvements to blocking and special page caching − * [[IPv6]] support − − − == Key features == − − MediaWiki provides a rich core feature set and a mechanism to attach [[extension (computing)|extensions]] to provide additional functionality. Due to the strong emphasis on multilinguality in the Wikimedia projects, [[internationalization]] has received significant attention by developers. The user interface has been fully or partially translated into more than 70 languages, and can be further customized by site administrators (the entire interface is editable through the wiki). Because Wikipedia is one of the world's largest websites, achieving scalability through multiple layers of [[cache|caching]] and [[database replication]] has also been a major concern for developers. Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects continue to define a large part of the requirement set for MediaWiki. − − One of the earliest differences between MediaWiki (and its predecessor, UseModWiki) and other wiki engines was the use of "[[free link]]s" instead of [[CamelCase]]. Where, in a typical wiki, text like "WorldWideWeb" would have to be typed to create a link to a page about the [[World Wide Web]], links in MediaWiki are created by surrounding words with double square brackets, and any spaces between them are left intact, e.g. [[World Wide Web]]. This change was logical for the purpose of creating an encyclopedia, where accuracy in titles is very important. − − To make editing long pages such as comprehensive Wikipedia articles easier, MediaWiki allows the editing of a subsection of a page (as identified by its header). − − === Rich content === − − MediaWiki supports rich content generated through specialized syntax. For example, the software comes with support for rendering mathematical formulas using [[LaTeX]] and a special parser written in [[OCaml]]. Similar functionality for other content, ranging from graphical timelines over mathematical [[plotting]] and [[musical score]]s to [[Egyptian hieroglyphs]], is available in the form of extensions. − − As the name ''MediaWiki'' suggests, the software has become ever more powerful at dealing with a wide variety of uploaded media files. Its richest functionality is in the area of images, where image galleries and thumbnails can be generated with relative ease if the software is set up correctly. There is also support for [[Exif]] [[metadata]]. The use of MediaWiki to operate the [[Wikimedia Commons]], one of the largest [[free content]] media archives, has driven the need for further functionality in this area. − − MediaWiki currently provides no native [[WYSIWYG]] support, though it does come with a graphical toolbar for simplifying the process of learning the wiki syntax. It also has a simple interface to allow the transparent use of external editors for uploaded files and wiki pages. − − === Organization === − − MediaWiki provides many features beyond hyperlinks for structuring content. One of the earliest features is ''[[namespace]]s''. One problem for Wikipedia had long been the separation of encyclopedic content from discussions surrounding it, as well as personal pages about encyclopedia editors. Namespaces are prefixes before a page title (like "User:" or "Talk:") which allow a page to exist under multiple names, but serving different purposes depending on their prefix. For instance, a page " [[The Terminator]] could describe [[The Terminator|the 1984 movie]] starring [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], while a page " could be a profile describing a user who chooses this name as a pseudonym. More commonly, each page has an associated "Talk:" page which can be used to discuss its contents. − − Namespaces can be viewed as [[file folder|folders]] which separate different basic types of information or functionality. While new namespaces can be added, the number of namespaces in a wiki is typically relatively low. − − In addition to namespaces, pages can be structured using ''subpages''. This simple feature provides automatic [[backlink]]s from a page of the pattern [[Page title/Subpage title]] to the component before the slash (in this case, "Page title"). − − MediaWiki supports user-created ''categories''. These are similar to [[Tag (metadata)|tags]] used in many web applications, but hierarchical and descriptive. In large wikis like [[Wikipedia]], very complex hierarchies have grown using this system without any central planning. Compare Erik Zachte's [http://stats.wikimedia.org/EN/CategoryOverviewIndex.htm category trees] generated from Wikipedia category information. − − === Customization === − − If the feature is enabled, users can customize their stylesheets and configure client-side [[JavaScript]] to be executed with every pageview. On Wikipedia, this has led to a large number of additional tools and helpers developed through the wiki and shared among users. For instance, ''Lupin's navigation popups'' is a custom JavaScript tool that shows previews of articles when the user hovers over links, and also provides shortcuts for common maintenance tasks. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Tools/Navigation_popups] Another example is ''wikEd'', a full-featured MediaWiki-integrated text editor that provides syntax highlighting and search and replace functions. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Cacycle/] − − The entire MediaWiki user interface can be edited through the wiki itself by users with the necessary permissions (typically so-called "administrators"). This is done through a special namespace with the prefix "MediaWiki:", where each page title identifies a particular user interface message. The "MediaWiki:" namespace was also originally used for creating custom text blocks that could then be dynamically loaded into other pages using a special syntax. This content was later moved into its own namespace, "Template:". − − Templates are text blocks which can be dynamically loaded inside another page whenever that page is requested. − The template "tag" is simply a special link in double [[curly bracket]]s (for example " which calls the template (in this case located at [[Template:Disputed]]) to load where the tag is. − Templates support [[parameter]]s, so that parts of the text can be substituted for each specific use case. − A related method, called template ''substitution'' (called by adding at the beginning of a template tag) inserts (like a [[copy and paste]] operation) the contents of the template into the target page, instead of loading the template contents dynamically whenever the page is loaded. This limits the consistency of using templates, but may be useful in certain cases, and is (perhaps) less demanding on the [[server (computing)|server]]. − − Templates have found many different uses, such as: − * Identifying problems with a Wikipedia article by putting a template in the article. This template will then output a graphical box stating that the article is disputed, and also categorize it so that articles of this nature can be located. − * Creating complex table layouts which are used consistently across multiple pages, and where only the content of the tables gets inserted using template parameters. − * Sending users standard messages when they are blocked from editing, when their behavior is considered inappropriate, and so on. − − MediaWiki has the user interface in different languages. A language for the wiki content itself can also be set, but multilingual wiki ''content'' is not supported, i.e. one cannot choose the [[ISO 639]] code for multilingual content. − − The MediaWiki codebase contains various "hooks" where additional code can be attached. This allows programmers to write extensions without modifying the core or having to submit their code for review. Installing an extension typically consists of adding a line to the configuration file, though in some cases additional changes such as database updates are required. − − Many of the available extensions are simple scripts to allow embedding content such as [[Adobe Flash]] files or HTML forms. Others add complex new behavior to the wiki syntax, such as [[Semantic MediaWiki]] which provides the ability to add structured and searchable relations and attributes to wiki pages (cf. [[semantic web]]). The Wikimedia Foundation operates a [[Subversion (software)|Subversion]] server where many extensions are hosted, and a directory of them can be found on the MediaWiki website.see [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Contents − − === Access and groups === − − While MediaWiki comes with a basic set of features related to restricting access and defining user groups, page access control does not tend to be given high priority in development. For instance, it is not possible to define the access permissions to pages on a per-namespace basis. Here, wikis like [[TWiki]] and [[MoinMoin]] provide more power by supporting advanced security mechanisms like [[Access Control List]]s. − − == Performance == − Because it is used to run one of the highest traffic sites on the World Wide Web, [[Wikipedia]], MediaWiki performance and [[scalability]] have been highly optimized. MediaWiki supports [[Squid cache]]s, [[load balancing (computing)|load balanced]] database replication, client-side caching, [[memcached]] or table-based caching for frequently accessed processing or query results, a simple static file cache, feature-reduced operation, revision compression, and a job queue for database operations. − − The software is suitable for the operation of large scale [[wiki farm]]s, such as the Wikimedia project and language family. However, MediaWiki comes with no built-in functionality to manage such installations. − − ==Limitations== − Aside from the aforementioned lack of [[WYSIWYG]] features, user documentation is found online only (there is no printed manual) and is not proprietary (dozens of authors have contributed to the documentation). The installation and usage of the Mediawiki software is not intuitive for inexperienced computer users (compared to purpose made software such as [[FrontPage]] for example). − − There is no complete MediaWiki syntax definition — the syntax is defined by the parser PHP code, and an [[Extended Backus–Naur form]] (EBNF) syntax definition may not be possible. This has caused difficulties in creating a WYSIWYG editor or complete ports of the parser to other languages. − − Furthermore, there is no offline version of MediaWiki, which would enable users to update pages on their client offline, and then have those pages automatically transferred to the server when re-connected, in a similar way to the client-server operation of [[Lotus Notes]]. An offline MediaWiki client could also help users with the back-up of important pages. − − Table operations could be improved. While the syntax for creating tables is not difficult for most IT-literate people to learn, it is offputting for the wider audience of subject-matter experts that Wikipedia would want to update its pages. Adding and removing columns from a table is tedious for all users. Calculations on data in table cells are also time-consuming to set up, compared to any spreadsheet. − − ---- − − fr. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_wiki − − == See also == − − * [[Comparison of wiki software]] − * [[GetWiki]] − * [[IpbWiki]] − * [[List of content management systems]] − * [[List of wiki software]] − − ==External links== − * [http://www.mediawiki.org/ MediaWiki official homepage], with [[mw:User hub|Hubs for users]], [[mw:Sysadmin hub| system administrators]] and [[mw:Developer hub| developers]]. − * {{SourceForge|name=MediaWiki|project=wikipedia}} − * [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=34373 MediaWiki Download page] at [[SourceForge|SourceForge.net]] − * [[meta:MediaWiki|MediaWiki on the Meta-Wiki]], [[Wikimedia|Wikimedia's]] [[meta]] website.
Text replacement - "http://" to "https://"
[[Image:lighterstill.jpg]][[Image:Mediawiki.jpg|right|frame]]
You probably know [https://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia], the free encyclopedia, and may possibly be a little bit confused by similar, but different, words such as Wiki, Wikimedia or '''MediaWiki'''.
To avoid a possible confusion between the words you may first want to read the [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikipmediawiki article about the names] where the differences are explained.
==General Overview==
MediaWiki is free server-based software which is licensed under the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License GNU General Public License] (GPL). It's designed to be run on a large server farm for a website that gets millions of hits per day. MediaWiki is an extremely powerful, scalable software and a feature-rich wiki implementation, that uses [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PHP PHP] to process and display data stored in its [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MySQL MySQL] database.
Pages use MediaWiki's wikitext format, so that users without knowledge of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XHTML XHTML] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascading_Style_Sheets CSS] can edit them easily.
=== Release history ===
When a user submits an edit to a page, MediaWiki writes it to the database, but without deleting the previous versions of the page, thus allowing easy reverts in case of vandalism or spamming. MediaWiki can manage image and multimedia files, too, which are stored in the filesystem. For large wikis with lots of users, MediaWiki supports caching and can be easily coupled with Squid proxy server software.
==Try out Wikitext==
Yes, you can easily modify pages and you can (temporarily) publish dummy sentences, and you can even (temporarily) completely destroy a page in a wiki. You don't need to have any programming skills to do this.
We suggest you exercise yourself within our sandbox.
You can also look up the [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Cheatsheet-en.png cheat sheet] with basic formatting commands.
[[Category: General Reference]]
[[Category: General Reference]]