OpenWiki

OpenWiki is a free, collaborative encyclopedia that allows people to create, edit, and improve articles using a lightweight markup language called wikitext. The project is designed to make information accessible while keeping the underlying source readable as plain text.

OpenWiki was created as a community-driven encyclopedia where contributors could share knowledge and improve existing articles. Unlike traditional encyclopedias that rely on a small group of editors, OpenWiki allows many people to participate in writing and maintaining its content.

The project encourages contributors to create new articles, correct mistakes, add references, improve organization, and expand topics that may not yet have comprehensive coverage.

Pages on OpenWiki are written in wikitext. Wikitext uses simple characters and tags to control how text is displayed.

For example, text can be made italic by surrounding it with two apostrophes, while bold text uses three apostrophes. Headings are created with pairs of equals signs.

Common formatting includes:

• Italic text
• Bold text
• Bold italic text
• Code text

A blank line can be used to separate paragraphs and make the source easier to read.

An OpenWiki article can cover almost any notable subject. Articles may describe people, places, organizations, historical events, scientific concepts, technologies, animals, works of art, and many other topics.

Contributors are encouraged to write articles in a clear and neutral style. Information should be organized into sections so that readers can easily find the material they are looking for.

Sections are created using headings:

A single equals sign should not be used because the article title already serves as the highest-level heading.

Links allow articles to reference other pages within OpenWiki.

For example:

A different label can be displayed using a pipe:

Links can also point directly to a section:

External websites can be linked using bracketed URLs:

Links to pages that do not yet exist can help contributors identify subjects that need new articles.

OpenWiki supports several kinds of lists.

• First item
• Second item
• Third item

Nested items can be created by adding additional asterisks:

• Main item
  • Nested item
    • Further nested item

1. First step
2. Second step
3. Third step

Nested numbered items can also be created:

1. First step
   1. Substep
   2. Another substep
2. Second step

Wikitext

A lightweight markup language used to format OpenWiki pages.

Article

A page containing information about a particular subject.

Editor

A person who creates or improves pages.

Reliable sources are an important part of OpenWiki. References allow readers to verify claims and find additional information about a subject.

A reference can be placed directly after the statement it supports:

OpenWiki articles can contain references.^[1]

Multiple references can be used throughout an article:

Wikitext is designed to remain readable as plain text.^[2]

Sources are displayed together under a References heading:

Tables can be used when information is easier to understand in rows and columns.

Tables should generally be used when they make information clearer rather than simply for visual decoration.

OpenWiki supports images referenced by URL. Images can be displayed using the File syntax.

For example:

Images can also be served from files stored by the wiki:

Images should be used responsibly. Contributors should make sure that they have permission to publish an image and should provide appropriate attribution when required.

Templates are reusable pieces of content stored in the Template namespace. They can be inserted into articles using double curly brackets.

For example:

Templates can also accept parameters. An infobox might be written as:

Templates can make articles more consistent and reduce repeated formatting.

Categories help organize articles by subject.

A category can be added at the bottom of an article:

Articles can belong to more than one category:

Categories allow readers and editors to discover related pages.

A redirect sends readers from one page title to another. A redirect page consists of a single instruction:

1. REDIRECT OpenWiki

Redirects are useful when a subject has alternative names, abbreviations, or common spellings.

OpenWiki depends on contributors who create and maintain articles. Editors can improve pages by correcting errors, adding useful information, improving formatting, and providing reliable references.

New contributors can begin by making small changes before creating larger articles. Reading existing pages and examining their source is a useful way to learn the conventions of the project.

A high-quality OpenWiki article should aim to be:

• Clear and easy to understand.
• Well organized with appropriate headings.
• Supported by reliable references where appropriate.
• Neutral and informative.
• Free from unnecessary duplication.
• Properly categorized.
• Respectful of copyright and licensing requirements.

• Help:Editing
• Special:WantedPages
• Special:Categories

1. ^ OpenWiki Help: Editing.
2. ^ OpenWiki Help: Editing.