Help:Creating a template


 * If you need help creating a template, please ask in the Grease pit.

Form-of templates

 * Examples:, , ; main category: Form-of templates.

These are for use as, or in, definition lines, where the definition desired is simply "alternative spelling of something", "past-tense of something", or the like. If a dedicated template is not needed, one can use or, for conjugations or declensions,.

To create such a template, first decide on its name. If the template is specific to a certain language, it should be named with that language's code and a hyphen, e.g. . (Otherwise, it should not start with a language code and a hyphen.) Normally, form-of templates' names end in "of", but some languages' templates do not. (For example, the Portuguese obsolete-form templates, like, do not.)

The content of the template should be Description of what form the word is of {{{{{sc|Xyzy}}}|lang={{{lang|}}}|{{#if:{{isValidPageName|{{{1}}}}}|{{{lang|}}}|{{{1}}}|{{{1}}}}}}}

If the template is language-specific, e.g. for Albanian, this should be instead: Description of what form the word is of {{{{{sc|Xyzy}}}|lang={{{lang|sq}}}|{{#if:{{isValidPageName|{{{1}}}}}|{{{lang|sq}}}|{{{1}}}|{{{1}}}}}}}

In either case, this can be adjusted to allow for various parameters, such as some which regulate capitalization of the first letter, existence of a final period (full stop), etc. It can also be adjusted for parameters specific to the template, such as gender, dialect, register, tense{{,}} etc. The above is a bare-bones template. Please announce any new form-of template in the Grease pit.

Usage-note templates

 * For examples, look in Category:Usage templates by language.

To create such a template, first decide on its name. It should begin with the prefix. If the template is specific to a certain language, it should next have that language's code; for example, the template which explains the usage of the English words and  is Template:U:en:less and fewer.

The content of the template should simply be the text to display as a usage note. An initial asterisk may or may not be included within the template.

New-entry boilerplate templates

 * Examples:, ; main category: Entry templates.

See Entry templates.

List templates

 * Examples:, ; main category: List templates by language.

Userboxes

 * Examples:, ; category: Language user templates.

Users are encouraged to indicate language proficiency by the usage of Babel boxes; they may also indicate proficiency in various writing systems. Some users also indicate time zone. Other user boxes are forbidden by vote.

To create a language-proficiency box, first decide on the proficiency level: 0 (none), 1 (basic), 2 (intermediate), 3 (advanced), 4 (proficient or near-native), or N (native). the template will then be named [ [template:User language code -0]] through [ [template:User language code -4]] or, for native, [ [template:User language code ]] alone.

The content of the template is: { {User lang- number of proficiency | language code | Translation into the language of "This user knows [ [:category:User language-code|Language name]] at a [ [:category:User language-code-level|proficiency]] level"}}

Thus, for example, 's content is

and 's content is

Afterward, starting on the same line, include also