Week13-Utilize templates to enhance editing efficiency-jiangjiashan（강가삼)


  Summary:


The template in Wikipedia is a preset format of wiki text code that can be referenced by multiple pages. By calling templates, editors can quickly insert standardized content into the page without manually entering complex syntax.                                                                   1. Standardized format: For example, the "information box" template for character entries, which uniformly displays birth dates, nationalities, occupations, and other details.

2. Reduce redundant work: The same structure can be reused across multiple entries, saving editing time.

3. Enhance Maintainability: After template updates, all pages that call this template will automatically update.

4. Improve Item Quality: Mandatory or recommended use of certain templates can remind editors to provide additional necessary information.

The earliest template features emerged around 2004, when they were relatively simple and primarily used for reusing code blocks and standard text, such as page warnings or unified guide content.Through the "Visual Editor" and template input interface, users can insert templates without needing to learn complex Wiki syntax. Newcomers can also quickly edit entries in a professional format. For example, if the official spelling of a country's name changes, all pages that call this template can synchronize the changes with just one update. This centralized management significantly reduces labor maintenance costs.

Templates typically feature parameter limitations and structural validation functions to reduce formatting errors or information gaps caused by manual input.


Interesting points:


Although templates have improved efficiency, there are also some issues: there are certain technical barriers to using complex templates. Some entry templates are stacked too much, affecting readability. The template structure is not entirely consistent across different language versions, affecting cross-language editing.

Therefore, it is necessary to further enhance the performance of the template system by optimizing template design, improving the user interface, and strengthening community training.


Discussion:


Structured template information facilitates search engines' understanding and knowledge graph construction. In the context of semantic web and open knowledge networks, templates will continue to serve as one of the core infrastructures of "structured encyclopedias." The future wiki platform may allow users to customize template interface styles and field priorities, providing a more flexible editing experience while enhancing the personalized presentation capabilities of entries.

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