Help:Wikitext Examples

Basic text formatting

What it looks like	What you type
You can italicize text by putting 2 apostrophes on each side. 3 apostrophes will bold the text. 5 apostrophes will bold and italicize the text. (Using 4 apostrophes doesn't do anything special -- there are just ' left over ones' that are included as part of the text.)	You can ''italicize text'' by putting 2 apostrophes on each side. 3 apostrophes will bold '''the text'''. 5 apostrophes will bold and italicize '''''the text'''''. (Using 4 apostrophes doesn't do anything special -- <br> there are just '''' left over ones'''' that are included as part of the text.)
A new line generally does not effect the formatting. An empty line starts a new paragraph. When used in a list, a new line does affect the layout (see below).	A new line generally does not effect the formatting. An empty line starts a new paragraph. When used in a list, a new line ''does'' affect the layout ([[#lists|see below]]).
You can break lines without a new paragraph. Please use this sparingly. Please do not start a or italics or bold on one line and close it on the next.	You can break lines<br> without a new paragraph.<br> Please use this sparingly. Please do not start a or ''italics'' or '''bold''' on one line and close it on the next.
You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: - Three tildes gives your user name: wiki - Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: wiki 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: <br> - Three tildes gives your user name: ~~~ <br> - Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: ~~~~ <br> - Five tildes gives the date/time alone: ~~~~~ <br>

HTML tags

You can use some HTML tags too. For a list of HTML tags that are allowed, see HTML. However, you should avoid HTML in favor of Wiki markup whenever possible.

What it looks like	What you type
Put text in a typewriter font. The same font is generally used for computer code.	Put text in a <tt>typewriter font</tt>. The same font is generally used for <code> computer code</code>.
Strike out or underline text, or write it in small caps.	<strike>Strike out</strike> or <u>underline</u> text, or write it <span style= "font-variant:small-caps"> in small caps</span>.
Superscripts and subscripts: X2, H2O	Superscripts and subscripts: X<sup>2</sup>, H<sub>2</sub>O
Centered text Please note the American spelling of "center".	<center>Centered text</center>
The blockquote command will indent both margins when needed instead of the left margin only as the colon does.	<blockquote> The '''blockquote''' command will indent both margins when needed instead of the left margin only as the colon does. </blockquote>
Invisible comments to editors (<!-- -->) only appear while editing the page. If you wish to make comments to the public, you should usually use the talk page.	Invisible comments to editors (&lt;!-- --&gt;) only appear while editing the page. <!-- Note to editors: blah blah blah. -->

Links

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

What it looks like	What you type
Here's a link to a page named Livejournal. You can even say Livejournal's and the link will show up correctly.	Here's a link to a page named [[Livejournal]]. You can even say [[Livejournal]]'s and the link will show up correctly.
You can put formatting around a link. Example: Livejournal.	You can put formatting around a link. Example: ''[[Livejournal]]''.
The first letter of articles is automatically capitalized, so Livejournal goes to the same place as livejournal. Capitalization matters after the first letter.	The ''first letter'' of articles is automatically capitalized, so [[Livejournal]] goes to the same place as [[livejournal]]. Capitalization matters after the first letter.
The weather in Moscow is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link.	The [[weather in Moscow]] is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link.
You can link to a page section by its title: List of cities by country#Morocco. 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: *[[List of cities by country#Morocco]]. 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 Cities in Morocco Or you can use the "pipe trick" so that text in brackets does not appear. Spinning	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:Links|About Links]] *[[List of cities by country#Morocco| Cities in Morocco]] Or you can use the "pipe trick" so that text in brackets does not appear. *[[Spinning (textiles)|]]
You can make an external link just by typing a URL: http://www.livejournal.com You can give it a title: Livejournal Or leave the title blank: [1]	You can make an external link just by typing a URL: http://www.livejournal.com You can give it a title: [http://www.livejournal.com Livejournal] Or leave the title blank: [http://www.livejournal.com]
Linking to an e-mail address works the same way: mailto:[email protected] or someone	Linking to an e-mail address works the same way: mailto:[email protected] or [mailto:[email protected] someone]
You can redirect the user to another page. If you feel a page may requires a redirect from another page, simply create the page from which you want to redirect the reader. The only text on it should be #REDIRECT and the link to the desired page. For example, Live Journal redirects to Livejournal.	The only text on the Live Journal page: #REDIRECT [[Livejournal]]
Category links do not show up in line but instead at page bottom and cause the page to be listed in the category. [[Category:Help]] Add an extra colon to link to a category in line without causing the page to be listed in the category: Category:Help	[[Help:Category|Category links]] do not show up in line but instead at page bottom ''and cause the page to be listed in the category.'' [[Category:Help]] Add an extra colon to ''link'' to a category in line without causing the page to be listed in the category: [[:Category:Help]]
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]]

Organizing your writing

Headings organize your writing into sections. The Wiki software can automatically generate a table of contents from them.

What it looks like	What you type
Subsection	==Subsection==
A smaller subsection	===A smaller subsection===

Don't skip levels, such as jumping from two to four equals signs.

Start with two equals signs, not one, because one creates an H1 tag, which is reserved for the page title.