Help:Wikitext quick reference

Wikitext markup – making your page look the way you want

• If you want to try out things without danger of doing any harm, you can do so in the Wiktionary:Sandbox.

Basic text formatting

What it looks like	What you type
You can emphasize text by putting two apostrophes on each side. Three apostrophes will emphasize it strongly. Five apostrophes is even stronger.	You can ''emphasize text'' by putting two apostrophes on each side. Three apostrophes will emphasize it '''strongly'''. Five apostrophes is '''''even stronger'''''.
A single newline has no effect on the layout. But an empty line starts a new paragraph.	A single newline has no effect on the layout. But an empty line starts a new paragraph.
You can break lines without starting a new paragraph. Please use this sparingly.	You can break lines<br> without starting a new paragraph.<br> Please use this sparingly.
You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: Three tildes gives your user name: Karl Wick Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: Karl Wick 07:46, 27 November 2005 (UTC) Five tildes gives the date/time alone: 07:46, 27 November 2005 (UTC)	You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: : Three tildes gives your user name: ~~~ : Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: ~~~~ : Five tildes gives the date/time alone: ~~~~~
You can use HTML tags, too, if you want. Some useful ways to use HTML: Put text in a typewriter font. The same font is generally used for computer code. Strike out or underline text, or write it in small caps. Superscripts and subscripts: x2, x2 Invisible comments that only appear while editing the page. Comments should usually go on the talk page, though.	You can use <b>HTML tags</b>, too, if you want. Some useful ways to use HTML: Put text in a <samp>typewriter font</samp>. The same font is generally used for <code>computer code</code>. <s>Strike out</s> or <u>underline</u> text, or write it <span style="font-variant:small-caps"> in small caps</span>. Superscripts and subscripts: x<sup>2</sup>, x<sub>2</sub> Invisible comments that only appear while editing the page. <!-- Note to editors: blah blah blah. --> Comments should usually go on the talk page, though.

For a list of HTML tags that are allowed, see w:Help:HTML in wikitext. However, you should avoid HTML in favor of Wiki markup whenever possible.

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 two equals signs; don't use single equals signs.	== 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 two equals signs; don't use single equals signs.
Unordered lists are easy to do: Start every line with a star. More stars indicate a deeper level. A newline in a list marks the end of the list. Of course you can start again.	* ''Unordered lists'' are easy to do: ** Start every line with a star. *** More stars indicate a deeper level. *A newline *in a list marks the end of the list. *Of course you can start again.
Numbered lists are also good: Very organized Easy to follow A newline marks the end of the list. New numbering starts with 1.	# Numbered lists are also good: ## Very organized ## Easy to follow A newline marks the end of the list. #New numbering starts with 1.
You can even do mixed lists and nest them or break lines in lists.	* You can even do mixed lists *# and nest them *#* or break lines<br>in lists.
Another kind of list is a definition list: word definition of the word longer phrase phrase defined	Another kind of list is a '''definition list''': ; word : definition of the word ; longer phrase : phrase defined
A colon indents a line or paragraph. A newline after that starts a new paragraph. This is often used for discussion on Talk pages.	:A colon indents a line or paragraph. A newline after that starts a new paragraph. ::This is often used for discussion on talk pages.
You can make horizontal dividing line|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.

Links

You will often want to make clickable links to other pages.

What it looks like	What you type
You can link to a page section by its title: link#Dutch. link#German. 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: *[[link#Dutch]]. *[[link#German]]. 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. About Links definition of Dutch word link	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]] *[[link#Dutch| definition of Dutch word link]]
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]	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]
You can redirect the user to another page with a special link. For example, you might want to redirect USA to United States.	#REDIRECT [[United States]]
Category links don't show up, but add the page to a category. [[Category:English documentation]] Add an extra colon to actually link to the category: Category:English documentation	Category links don't show up, but add the page to a category. [[Category:English documentation]] Add an extra colon to actually link to 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: July 20, 1969 20 July 1969 1969-07-20	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|]]: * [[July 20]], [[1969]] * [[20 July]] [[1969]] * [[1969]]-[[07-20]]

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
<nowiki> tags	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: &rarr; </nowiki>
<pre> tags	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: &rarr; </pre>
Leading spaces	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: &rarr;

Images, tables, video, and sounds

This is a very quick introduction. For more information, see:

• Help:Extended image syntax for how to arrange images on the page

What it looks like	What you type
A picture, including alternate text: You can put the image in a frame with a caption: The logo for this Wiki	A picture, including alternate text: [[Image:Wikipedia-logo-v2-en.svg|The logo for this Wiki]] You can put the image in a frame with a caption: [[Image:Wikipedia-logo-v2-en.svg|frame|The logo for this Wiki]]
A link to Wikipedia's page for the image: Image:Wikipedia-logo-v2-en.svg Or a link directly to the image itself: Media:Wikipedia-logo-v2-en.svg	A link to Wikipedia's page for the image: [[:Image:Wikipedia-logo-v2-en.svg]] Or a link directly to the image itself: [[Media:Wikipedia-logo-v2-en.svg]]
Use media: links to link to sounds or videos: A sound file	Use '''media:''' links to link to sounds or videos: [[media:Sg_mrob.ogg|A sound file]]
This is a table	{{center top}} {| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | This | is |- | a | '''table''' |} {{center bottom}}

Mathematical formulas

You can format mathematical formulas with TeX markup. See Help:Formula.

What it looks like	What you type
$\sum _{n=0}^{\infty }{\frac {x^{n}}{n!}}$	<math>\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{x^n}{n!}</math>