Linking pages in Fandom wikis is a fundamental way to connect related content, improve navigation, and enhance the user experience. You can create links using both the visual editor and Wikitext, allowing you to connect to other pages within your wiki or to external websites.
Creating Links Using the Visual Editor
The visual editor offers an intuitive, step-by-step process to insert links directly into your Fandom wiki page.
- Highlight the Text: Begin by selecting and highlighting the specific words or phrase on your page that you want to turn into a clickable link.
- Click the Link Button: Locate and click the link icon (often depicted as a chain link symbol) on the toolbar at the top of the editing interface.
- Choose Link Type: A pop-up window will appear, presenting you with two primary options:
- Internal Link: For connecting to another page within the same Fandom wiki. As you type the page name, the editor often suggests existing pages.
- External Link: For connecting to a URL outside of your Fandom wiki.
- Verify Display Text: Ensure the "Text to display" field accurately reflects the highlighted text you want users to see as the link. Adjust it if necessary for clarity.
- Click "OK": Once you've entered the destination (internal page name or external URL) and confirmed the display text, click "OK" to insert the link into your content.
Understanding Link Types
Fandom wikis support two main types of links, each serving a different purpose:
1. Internal Links
Internal links connect one page to another within the same Fandom wiki. These are crucial for building a cohesive and navigable wiki structure.
- Purpose: To guide users through related topics, provide context, and make information easily discoverable within your wiki.
- Best Practice: Use descriptive anchor text that clearly indicates where the link leads.
Wikitext Syntax for Internal Links:
While the visual editor is user-friendly, many experienced editors use Wikitext for quick and precise linking.
| Syntax | Description | Example Result |
|---|---|---|
[[Page Name]] |
Links to "Page Name," using the page name as the display text. | [[Main Page]] (Displays: Main Page) |
[[Page Name|Display Text]] |
Links to "Page Name," but shows "Display Text" instead. | [[Main Page |
[[Page Name#Section Heading]] |
Links to a specific section within "Page Name." | [[Article Title#History]] (Displays: Article Title#History) |
[[Page Name#Section Heading|Text]] |
Links to a specific section, with custom display text. | [[Article Title#History |
2. External Links
External links connect your wiki page to websites or resources outside of Fandom.
- Purpose: To cite sources, provide additional information, link to official websites, or direct users to related content on other platforms.
- Best Practice: Only link to reputable and relevant external sources. Avoid broken links or irrelevant external content.
Wikitext Syntax for External Links:
| Syntax | Description | Example Result |
|---|---|---|
[URL] |
Creates a simple numbered external link (e.g., [1]). |
[https://www.fandom.com] (Displays: [1]) |
[URL Display Text] |
Links to the URL, using "Display Text" instead of a number. | [https://www.fandom.com Fandom Website] (Displays: Fandom Website) |
https://www.fandom.com (bare) |
Displays the full URL directly, making it clickable. Used sparingly for readability. | https://www.fandom.com (Displays: https://www.fandom.com) |
Advanced Linking Tips
- Descriptive Anchor Text: Always use clear and descriptive text for your links (e.g., "learn more about characters" instead of "click here"). This improves accessibility and SEO.
- Check for Broken Links: Regularly review your wiki for broken internal or external links, as these can frustrate users and harm your wiki's credibility. Many Fandom wikis have tools or bots that can help identify these.
- Interwiki Links: For advanced users, Fandom supports interwiki links, which allow you to link directly to pages on other Fandom wikis or even Wikipedia using special prefixes (e.g.,
[[w:Wikipedia article]]or[[wikipedia:Article Name]]). - Opening in New Tab: For external links, you might want them to open in a new tab so users don't leave your wiki. In the visual editor, this is usually an option in the link creation pop-up. In Wikitext, this is often handled by a site-wide configuration rather than individual link syntax.
By effectively utilizing internal and external links, you can create a robust, user-friendly, and highly informative Fandom wiki. For more detailed information on specific Fandom features, refer to the official Fandom help documentation.
