Help:User Preferences

Here's how to create and use a template:

Usage
First, consider what the template would be used for. What would its purpose be? Some common uses are:


 * A utility template
 * A notice template

Code
Make sure you know the MediaWiki syntax for a template:
 * For an input, type   for the first input,    for the second, and so on.
 * This can also be substituted with   or another name.
 * For current page information, type   for the page's namespace, and    for the page's name.
 * These will be inserted and changed as the location of the template changes.

Make sure you know how to use the template once it's been created:
 * If the template is in a Template: namespace, simply type   to use it.
 * If the template is in any other namespace, simply type   to use it.
 * For an input,  , type   .
 * For an input,  , type   .

To include text in the template that you don't want to show up in pages that use it, such as:


 * Instructions on how to use the template
 * A category to organize the template

Place the text in a set of   tags at the bottom of the template page.

Substituting
For some templates, it is a better idea to take load off the server and use subst: before the template name. This substitutes the dynamic code on the page with static text. For example,  ✅  will display as  ✅  in the code, while   will display as    in the code.

Example
Here is a simple example, creating a signature for any user typing  :


 * If the template contains the code:
 * User: (talk &middot; edits)
 * Typing inserts this code:
 * User (talk &middot; edits)
 * Which shows on the page as:


 * User (talk &middot; edits)