Help:Introduction

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Help:Introduction is a guide designed to assist new users in understanding the basics of using MediaWiki help pages. This introduction provides an overview of the essential features and functionalities of MediaWiki, helping users to navigate and utilize the platform effectively.

Getting Started

MediaWiki is a free and open-source wiki software platform used to create and manage collaborative websites. It is best known for powering Wikipedia, one of the largest and most popular reference websites in the world.

Creating an Account

To get the most out of MediaWiki, it is recommended to create an account. Having an account allows you to:

• Edit pages
• Track your contributions
• Communicate with other users
• Customize your user preferences

Navigating the Interface

The MediaWiki interface consists of several key components:

• Navigation Bar: Located on the left side of the screen, it provides links to important pages such as the Main Page, Recent changes, and Random page.
• Search Box: Found at the top right, it allows you to search for articles and pages within the wiki.
• Content Area: The main section where the content of the page is displayed.
• Tabs: Located at the top of each page, these tabs allow you to view the page, edit it, view its history, and more.

Editing Pages

One of the core features of MediaWiki is the ability to edit pages. To edit a page, click the "Edit" tab at the top of the page. This will open the VisualEditor or the Wikitext editor, depending on your preferences.

Using the VisualEditor

The VisualEditor is a user-friendly, WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor that allows you to edit pages without needing to know wikitext. It provides a toolbar with options to format text, insert links, add images, and more.

Using Wikitext

For users who prefer more control over their edits, the wikitext editor is available. Wikitext is a markup language used to format pages. Some basic wikitext commands include:

• Bold text: bold
• Italic text: italic
• Internal links: Page name
• External links: [1]

Communicating with Other Users

MediaWiki provides several ways to communicate with other users:

• User Talk Pages: Each user has a talk page where you can leave messages.
• Discussion Pages: Each article has a discussion page where users can discuss improvements to the content.
• Watchlist: You can add pages to your watchlist to keep track of changes and discussions.

Related Pages

• Help:Contents
• Help:Editing
• Help:Navigation
• Help:Talk pages
• Help:Watchlist