- For our WikiNode, see WikiNode.
A WikiNode is a special page that links similar wikis together. It positions a wiki within a neighborhood of similar communities. If you have decent knowledge of wikis, you may like to add a WikiNode to one or more wikis you love.
Note: This guide assumes you have at least a beginner-level skill with wikis.
For clarity's sake, we describe "your" wiki and "neighbor" wikis. However, a wiki isn't truly "yours" (even if you founded it). It belongs to a community. We use this wording so it's easy to understand.
Getting started
Here's what you'll need to do before you start:
- Make sure you have a basic knowledge of wikis. To make a WikiNode, you'll need to know how to make and edit pages. If you want to add images and templates, you'll need familiarity with those too.
- Confirm that the wiki doesn't have a WikiNode already. Try searching "WikiNode."
- Find some neighbors. Neighbor wikis should have topics related to your wiki's topic. Try exploring the relevant Fandom hub for ideas.
Choosing templates (optional)
Decide whether you'd like any special templates for your new WikiNode. This requires some basic familiarity with templates, so skip this step if it gets too confusing. (You can always go back and add them to the WikiNode later.)
Here are some templates you can try:
- A PicList template, or something similar, to display wiki logos/icons alongside the names
- A Wiki sidebar template (which also requires the Sidebar template) to help people explore your wiki
 | The PicList template puts images next to words. |
To install these templates:
- Go to the wiki where you're adding the WikiNode.
- Add a new page named Template:PicList (or the name of the template you're doing).
- Copy-paste the code from the Coding Help Wiki to your new page.
- Edit the code to suit your wiki.
- The PicList includes a default image, Icon Laptop Gray LR26.png. Either copy over the image or use Control/Command + F to swap in the name of a different image. You can also populate the description with icons from the wiki.
- The wiki sidebar template has links specific to our wiki. Make sure to change the links, including switching mentions of "coding-help" to your wiki's URL prefix and "Coding Help Wiki" to your wiki's name.
Making the page
Make the page. On a Fandom wiki, go to the upper right corner and click the "Add new page" button. Enter the name "WikiNode."
Next, you'll need some introductory text. This should tell readers:
- What a WikiNode is
- What your wiki is about
Here's an example:
Our WikiNode connects you to related wikis. If you like our wiki, you may enjoy our neighbor wikis too. If you're new here, welcome! The Flower Wiki is all about flowers: biology, gardening, and photography. Come appreciate the beauty of nature with us.
Adding links to neighbors
Make a heading called "Neighbor Wikis." Below it, start adding links to neighbor wikis. Each neighbor wiki's name should link to their WikiNode page.
You can use a plain bulleted list or the PicList template.
Adding extra content (optional)
You may like to add other content to help readers explore the wiki. For example, you could add a wiki sidebar with relevant links.
Below your "Neighbor Wikis" section, you might include a new section, e.g. "More About Us." Then add content that shows visitors more about the wiki. You could try:
- A bulleted list of popular articles
- An image gallery, with each image linking to a relevant article
- Links to other wikis' pages about this wiki (e.g. if there's an entry for it on The Wiki Wiki or Wiki Index)
You can also try linking to other interesting content. This could be:
- Info about WikiNodes (Some wikis link to "All About WikiNodes" and/or The Wiki Wiki's WikiNodes page)
- A relevant Fandom hub
- Anything else you think visitors might like
Connecting other WikiNodes
Once you're happy with the new WikiNode page, you have the next task: connecting the neighbors' pages back to yours.
Visit each neighboring WikiNode. Add the name of your wiki and a link to the WikiNode you just created.
Some neighbor wikis use PicList templates. You can either:
- Upload the logo of your wiki as an image, then add it
- Use a relevant icon if there is no logo or you can't find the file (for example, checking if the neighbor has a Category:Icons category and using one of those)
Examples
- For our WikiNode, see WikiNode.
