Help:Category

Chicken Eyeglasses categories

Help:Category is a fundamental feature within the MediaWiki software, which powers many wikis, including the renowned Wikipedia. Categories in MediaWiki are a system for organizing and indexing pages. They serve as a method to group content that shares a common characteristic, making it easier for users to navigate and find related information. This article aims to provide an in-depth understanding of how categories work in MediaWiki and how to effectively use them.

Overview

A category in MediaWiki is a special kind of page that is used to group other pages and files based on similarity or relevance. Each category can contain subcategories, allowing for a hierarchical organization of content. Categories help in structuring a wiki's content systematically, making it accessible and manageable.

Creating a Category

To create a category, one simply needs to create a new page in the Category namespace by prefixing the page title with "Category:". For example, to create a category named "Physics", one would create a page titled "Category:Physics".

The syntax to add a page to a category is straightforward. By adding [[Category:Name]] to a page's content, the page is automatically included in the "Name" category. Pages can be included in multiple categories.

Managing Categories

Adding a Page to a Category

To add a page or file to a category, edit the page and insert [[Category:Category name]] at the bottom of the page. This will automatically link the page to the category.

Creating Subcategories

Subcategories are created in the same way as categories. The difference lies in adding the subcategory page to a parent category. This is done by including the subcategory page in a higher-level category.

Sorting Pages in Categories

By default, pages in a category are sorted alphabetically by their page title. However, a custom sort key can be specified by adding a pipe "|" followed by the sort key. For example, [[Category:Name|Sort key]].

Best Practices

• Use clear and descriptive names for categories.
• Avoid over-categorization. A page should not be in both a category and its subcategory.
• Keep the category structure simple and intuitive to facilitate easy navigation.

Special Pages Related to Categories

MediaWiki includes several special pages that help in managing and navigating categories:

• Special:Categories - Lists all categories on the wiki.
• Special:CategoryTree - Provides an interactive tree structure of the category hierarchy.
• Special:UnusedCategories - Shows categories that have no pages.
• Special:WantedCategories - Lists categories that are linked to but do not exist.

Conclusion

Categories are a powerful tool for organizing content on a wiki. By understanding how to create, manage, and effectively use categories, contributors can enhance the navigability and structure of the wiki's content.

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