Help:Formatting

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You can format your text by using wiki markup. This consists of normal characters like asterisks, apostrophes, or equal signs which have a special function in the wiki, sometimes depending on their position. For example, to format a word in italic, you include it in two pairs of apostrophes like ''this''.

Text formatting markup

Description	You type	You get
Character (inline) formatting – applies anywhere
Italic text	''italic''	italic
Bold text	'''bold'''	bold
Bold and italic	'''''bold & italic'''''	bold & italic

Escape wiki markup	<nowiki>no [[wiki]] ''markup''</nowiki>	no [[wiki]] ''markup''
Section formatting – only at the beginning of the line
Section Headings of different levels	== Level 2 == === Level 3 === ==== Level 4 ==== ===== Level 5 ===== ====== Level 6 ====== Skip Level 1, it is page name level. Do not put any text on the same line after the ending equal signs. An article with 4 or more headings automatically creates a table of contents (unless setting the magic word `__NOTOC__`).	Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6
Horizontal rule	Text before ---- Text after	Text before Text after
Bullet list	* Start each line * with an [[Wikipedia:asterisk\|asterisk]] (). * More asterisks give deeper *** and deeper levels. * Line breaks <br />don't break levels. *** But jumping levels creates empty space. Any other start ends the list. * combine bullet list with definition ::- definition creates empty space * combine bullet list ** with definition :- definition * without empty spaces bullet list :- definition : sublist that doesn't create empty :* spaces after definition	Start each line with an asterisk (*). More asterisks give deeper and deeper levels. Line breaks don't break levels. But jumping levels creates empty space. Any other start ends the list. combine bullet list with definition - definition creates empty space combine bullet list with definition - definition without empty spaces bullet list - definition sublist that doesn't create empty spaces after definition
Numbered list	# Start each line # with a [[Wikipedia:Number_sign\|number sign]] (#). ## More number signs give deeper ### and deeper ### levels. # Line breaks <br />don't break levels. ### But jumping levels creates empty space. # Blank lines # end the list and start another. Any other start also ends the list. <nowiki>#</nowiki> use "nowiki" tags to display a literal (#) at the beginning of a line without interpreting it as a numbered list.	Start each line with a number sign (#). More number signs give deeper and deeper levels. Line breaks don't break levels. But jumping levels creates empty space. Blank lines end the list and start another. Any other start also ends the list. # use "nowiki" tags to display a literal (#) at the beginning of a line without interpreting it as a numbered list.

Definition list	;item 1 : definition 1 ;item 2 : definition 2-1 : definition 2-2 At the end of the line, if the line begins with a semicolon (;), any inserted colon (:) will not be displayed. If you want for the colon to be displayed, escape it by writing `:`.	item 1 definition 1 item 2 definition 2-1 definition 2-2
Indent text	: Single indent :: Double indent ::::: Multiple indent This workaround may harm accessibility.	Single indent Double indent Multiple indent
Mixture of different types of list	# one # two #* two point one #* two point two # three #; three item one #: three def one # four #: four def one #: this looks like a continuation #: and is often used #: instead <br /> of <nowiki><br /></nowiki> # five ## five sub 1 ### five sub 1 sub 1 ## five sub 2 The usage of `#:` and `*:` for breaking a line within an item may also harm accessibility.	one two two point one two point two three three item one three def one four four def one this looks like a continuation and is often used instead of <br /> five five sub 1 five sub 1 sub 1 five sub 2
Preformatted text	Start each line with a space. Text is '''preformatted''' and ''markups'' '''''can''''' be done. This way of preformatting only applies to section formatting. Character formatting markups are still effective.	Start each line with a space. Text is preformatted and markups can be done.
Preformatted text blocks	<nowiki>Start with a space in the first column, (before the <nowiki>). Then your block format will be maintained. This is good for copying in code blocks: def function(): """documentation string""" if True: print True else: print False</nowiki>	Start with a space in the first column, (before the <nowiki>). Then your block format will be maintained. This is good for copying in code blocks: def function(): """documentation string""" if True: print True else: print False

Paragraphs

MediaWiki ignores single line breaks. To start a new paragraph, leave an empty line. You can force a line break within a paragraph with the HTML tag ‎ .

HTML tags

Some HTML tags are allowed in MediaWiki, for example ‎<code>, ‎<div>, and ‎. These apply anywhere you insert them.

Description	You type	You get

Inserted (Displays as underline in most browsers)	<ins>Inserted</ins> or <u>Underline</u>	Inserted or Underline

Deleted (Displays as strike-through in most browsers)	<s>Strike-through</s> or <del>Deleted</del>	~~Strike-through~~ or ~~Deleted~~

Fixed width text	<code>Source code</code>	`Source code`

Blockquotes	Text before <blockquote>Blockquote</blockquote> Text after	Text before Blockquote Text after

Quotes	<q>This is a quotation</q> The q element must not be used in place of quotation marks that do not represent quotes; for example, it is inappropriate to use the q element for marking up sarcastic statements.^[1]	This is a quotation
Comment	<!-- This is a comment --> Comments are visible only in the edit zone.	Comments are visible only in the edit zone.

Completely preformatted text	<pre> Text is '''preformatted''' and ''markups'' '''''cannot''''' be done </pre> For marking up of preformatted text, check the "Preformatted text" entry at the end of the previous table.	Text is '''preformatted''' and ''markups'' '''''cannot''''' be done
Customized preformatted text	<pre style="color: red"> Text is '''preformatted''' with a style and ''markups'' '''''cannot''''' be done </pre> A CSS style can be named within the `style` attribute.	Text is '''preformatted''' with a style and ''markups'' '''''cannot''''' be done

continued:

Description You type You get

Default preformatted text has a CSS attribute (white-space: pre-wrap;) to wrap the text according to available width

<pre>
This long sentence is used to demonstrate text wrapping. This additional sentence makes the text even longer. This additional sentence makes the text even longer.
</pre>

This long sentence is used to demonstrate text wrapping. This additional sentence makes the text even longer. This additional sentence makes the text even longer.

Customized preformatted text with disabled text wrapping

<pre style="white-space: pre;">
This long sentence is used to demonstrate text wrapping. This additional sentence makes the text even longer. This additional sentence makes the text even longer.
</pre>

This long sentence is used to demonstrate text wrapping. This additional sentence makes the text even longer. This additional sentence makes the text even longer.

Inserting symbols

Symbols and other special characters not available on your keyboard can be inserted in a multitude of ways. Many Operating Systems and browsers allow you to insert special characters through a menu option or Operating System panel. Additionally, you can use the WikiEditor or VisualEditor to insert them into the edit screen.

As a last resort, you can use a special sequence of characters. Those sequences are called HTML entities. For example, the following sequence (entity) → when inserted will be shown as right arrow HTML symbol → and — when inserted will be shown as an em dash HTML symbol —.

Hover over any character to find out the symbol that it produces. Some symbols not available in the current font will appear as empty squares.

HTML symbol entities
Á	á	Â	â	´	Æ	æ	À	à	ℵ	Α	α	&	∧	∠	Å	å	≈	Ã	ã	Ä	ä	„	Β	β	¦	•	∩	Ç	ç	¸	¢
Χ	χ	ˆ	♣	≅	©	↵	∪	¤	†	‡	↓	⇓	°	Δ	δ	♦	÷	É	é	Ê	ê	È	è	∅			Ε	ε	≡	Η	η
Ð	ð	Ë	ë	€	∃	ƒ	∀	½	¼	¾	⁄	Γ	γ	≥	>	↔	⇔	♥	…	Í	í	Î	î	¡	Ì	ì	ℑ	∞	∫	Ι	ι
¿	∈	Ï	ï	Κ	κ	Λ	λ	⟨	«	←	⇐	⌈	“	≤	⌊	∗	◊	‎	‹	‘	<	¯	—	µ	·	−	Μ	μ	∇		–
≠	∋	¬	∉	⊄	Ñ	ñ	Ν	ν	Ó	ó	Ô	ô	Œ	œ	Ò	ò	‾	Ω	ω	Ο	ο	⊕	∨	ª	º	Ø	ø	Õ	õ	⊗	Ö
ö	¶	∂	‰	⊥	Φ	φ	Π	π	ϖ	±	£	′	″	∏	∝	Ψ	ψ	"	√	⟩	»	→	⇒	⌉	”	ℜ	®	⌋	Ρ	ρ	‏
›	’	‚	Š	š	⋅	§		Σ	σ	ς	∼	♠	⊂	⊆	∑	⊃	¹	²	³	⊇	ß	Τ	τ	∴	Θ	θ	ϑ		Þ	þ	˜
×	™	Ú	ú	↑	⇑	Û	û	Ù	ù	¨	ϒ	Υ	υ	Ü	ü	℘	Ξ	ξ	Ý	ý	¥	ÿ	Ÿ	Ζ	ζ	‍	‌

Description	You type	You get
Copyright symbol	©	©
Greek delta letter symbol	δ	δ
Euro currency symbol	€	€

See the list of all HTML entities on the Wikipedia article List of HTML entities. Additionally, MediaWiki supports two non-standard entity reference sequences: &רלמ; and &رلم; which are both considered equivalent to &rlm; which is a right-to-left mark. (Used when combining right to left languages with left to right languages in the same page.)

HTML tags and symbol entities displayed themselves (with and without interpreting them)

&euro; → €

Typo to be corrected → Typo to be corrected

Typo to be corrected → Typo to be corrected

Nowiki for HTML

‎<nowiki /> can prohibit (HTML) tags:

<<nowiki />pre> → <pre>

But not & symbol escapes:

&<nowiki />amp; → &

To print & symbol escapes as text, use "&" to replace the "&" character (eg. type "&nbsp;", which results in " ").

Other formatting

Beyond the text formatting markup shown hereinbefore, here are some other formatting references:

Links
Lists
Images
LanguageConverter markup – see Writing systems/Syntax
References – see Extension:Cite
Tables

You can find more references at Help:Contents .

References

↑ HTML Living Standard—The <q> element

[1] HTML Living Standard—The <q> element

[1]

Á	á	Â	â	´	Æ	æ	À	à	ℵ	Α	α	&	∧	∠	Å	å	≈	Ã	ã	Ä	ä	„	Β	β	¦	•	∩	Ç	ç	¸	¢
Χ	χ	ˆ	♣	≅	©	↵	∪	¤	†	‡	↓	⇓	°	Δ	δ	♦	÷	É	é	Ê	ê	È	è	∅			Ε	ε	≡	Η	η
Ð	ð	Ë	ë	€	∃	ƒ	∀	½	¼	¾	⁄	Γ	γ	≥	>	↔	⇔	♥	…	Í	í	Î	î	¡	Ì	ì	ℑ	∞	∫	Ι	ι
¿	∈	Ï	ï	Κ	κ	Λ	λ	⟨	«	←	⇐	⌈	“	≤	⌊	∗	◊	‎	‹	‘	<	¯	—	µ	·	−	Μ	μ	∇		–
≠	∋	¬	∉	⊄	Ñ	ñ	Ν	ν	Ó	ó	Ô	ô	Œ	œ	Ò	ò	‾	Ω	ω	Ο	ο	⊕	∨	ª	º	Ø	ø	Õ	õ	⊗	Ö
ö	¶	∂	‰	⊥	Φ	φ	Π	π	ϖ	±	£	′	″	∏	∝	Ψ	ψ	"	√	⟩	»	→	⇒	⌉	”	ℜ	®	⌋	Ρ	ρ	‏
›	’	‚	Š	š	⋅	§		Σ	σ	ς	∼	♠	⊂	⊆	∑	⊃	¹	²	³	⊇	ß	Τ	τ	∴	Θ	θ	ϑ		Þ	þ	˜
×	™	Ú	ú	↑	⇑	Û	û	Ù	ù	¨	ϒ	Υ	υ	Ü	ü	℘	Ξ	ξ	Ý	ý	¥	ÿ	Ÿ	Ζ	ζ	‍	‌

Á	á	Â	â	´	Æ	æ	À	à	ℵ	Α	α	&	∧	∠	Å	å	≈	Ã	ã	Ä	ä	„	Β	β	¦	•	∩	Ç	ç	¸	¢
Χ	χ	ˆ	♣	≅	©	↵	∪	¤	†	‡	↓	⇓	°	Δ	δ	♦	÷	É	é	Ê	ê	È	è	∅			Ε	ε	≡	Η	η
Ð	ð	Ë	ë	€	∃	ƒ	∀	½	¼	¾	⁄	Γ	γ	≥	>	↔	⇔	♥	…	Í	í	Î	î	¡	Ì	ì	ℑ	∞	∫	Ι	ι
¿	∈	Ï	ï	Κ	κ	Λ	λ	⟨	«	←	⇐	⌈	“	≤	⌊	∗	◊	‎	‹	‘	<	¯	—	µ	·	−	Μ	μ	∇		–
≠	∋	¬	∉	⊄	Ñ	ñ	Ν	ν	Ó	ó	Ô	ô	Œ	œ	Ò	ò	‾	Ω	ω	Ο	ο	⊕	∨	ª	º	Ø	ø	Õ	õ	⊗	Ö
ö	¶	∂	‰	⊥	Φ	φ	Π	π	ϖ	±	£	′	″	∏	∝	Ψ	ψ	"	√	⟩	»	→	⇒	⌉	”	ℜ	®	⌋	Ρ	ρ	‏
›	’	‚	Š	š	⋅	§		Σ	σ	ς	∼	♠	⊂	⊆	∑	⊃	¹	²	³	⊇	ß	Τ	τ	∴	Θ	θ	ϑ		Þ	þ	˜
×	™	Ú	ú	↑	⇑	Û	û	Ù	ù	¨	ϒ	Υ	υ	Ü	ü	℘	Ξ	ξ	Ý	ý	¥	ÿ	Ÿ	Ζ	ζ	‍	‌

Help:Formatting

Text formatting markup

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5

Level 6