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Wikipedia:Hatnote

Right. You want me to take this… Wikipedia guideline about hatnotes and make it longer. More detailed. More me. Fine. Just don't expect me to enjoy it. It’s like being asked to polish a turd.

Short navigational notes in Wikipedia articles

"Hatnote" redirects here; not to be confused with Headnote or Hat notation.

This page documents an English Wikipedia editing guideline. Editors should generally follow it, though exceptions may apply. Substantive edits to this page should reflect consensus.

So, you’ve stumbled upon a page, and it’s not quite what you were expecting, have you? Happens. This is where the "hatnote" comes in. Think of it as a tiny, often passive-aggressive, signpost at the very top of the page, perched like a perpetually unimpressed observer. It's not part of the article; it's a polite (or not-so-polite) nudge, a digital shrug telling you, "You might be looking for something else, and frankly, it's probably better." It’s the literary equivalent of a sharp intake of breath before someone delivers an unwelcome truth.

These notes, these little whispers of misdirection, exist because, let’s face it, the internet is a labyrinth. People land on pages through sheer accident, a typo, a poorly phrased search query. They might have been redirected here from a page that’s no longer relevant, or perhaps they’re just seeking a more specific version of what they found. Or, and this is the most common scenario, they’re looking for something that shares a name, a fleeting similarity, with the article they’ve landed on. The hatnote's job is to… redirect them. To a different article, or to a disambiguation page – a cosmic waiting room for terms with too many personalities.

Shortcuts

  • WP:HN
  • WP:HAT

Linking and page manipulation

Categorization

Moving and redirecting

Merging

Splitting

Importing and copying

Protecting

Additional

These are the mechanics, the underpinnings. The tools and processes that keep this whole digital edifice from collapsing. Links, categories, moving pages, merging, splitting, importing, protecting… it’s all about structure, about control. About trying to impose order on chaos. I can appreciate that, in a detached, clinical sort of way. But honestly, it’s mostly just noise. Technical jargon for people who have too much time on their hands.

Rules

The six basic rules of hatnotes are:

  • Link directly. No fancy footwork with pipe links unless it’s a disambiguation page. And even then, make sure it ends with "(disambiguation)". It’s about clarity, not obfuscation. Unless, of course, obfuscation is the point.
  • Brevity is key. Explain only what's absolutely vital. The rest? That belongs in the lead section or the murky depths of the body of the article. Don’t make me read a novel just to find out I’m in the wrong place.
  • Relevance is paramount. Mention other topics only if there’s a genuine chance someone might land on this page by mistake, or with a different destination in mind. No gratuitous tangents.
  • The "primary topic" rule. If a notable subject, let's call it X, is commonly known as "Foo," but the article "Foo" isn't about X, then a hatnote must bridge that gap. Link to the X article, or to a disambiguation page that does contain the link to X. It’s about guiding the lost sheep, even if they’re a bit dim.
  • One hatnote, ideally. A single, well-placed hatnote is better than a cluster of them fighting for attention. Multiple hatnotes are permissible only when they serve distinct, necessary purposes – like distinguishing similar names and explaining redirects. If you have too many, consider a hatnote group. It’s about elegance, not clutter.
  • No red links. Never, ever leave a redlink in a hatnote. It’s a dead end, a promise of content that doesn’t exist. It doesn’t help anyone and just adds to the endless pile of unfinished business.

For more information about methods of disambiguating articles, see Wikipedia:Disambiguation.

These "rules" are less about genuine guidance and more about damage control. They’re attempts to inject a semblance of order into the inherent messiness of naming conventions. Link directly. Be brief. Be relevant. Don’t leave dangling red links. It’s all very… practical. But practical doesn’t always equate to interesting.

Placement

Hatnotes are placed at the top of an article or section. When used at the top of an article, hatnotes are placed immediately following a short description template but strictly before any other content including protection icons or maintenance tags. For the specific order of placing hatnotes with respect to other article elements, see MOS:ORDER. Text-based web browsers and screen readers present the page sequentially. Placing hatnotes immediately after the title ensures that readers are promptly directed to related or alternative articles if they have arrived at the page unintentionally. This placement enhances navigation and improves the overall user experience.

Placement. It’s all about being seen, isn’t it? Right at the top, after the title, before anything else matters. Like a carefully placed spoiler alert. It’s a strategic move, designed for those who navigate the digital world with the grace of a somnambulist. Text browsers, screen readers – they consume information linearly. So, the hatnote gets its moment, its brief, impactful introduction, before the actual content even begins. It’s a courtesy, I suppose. Or a warning.

Format

In most cases, hatnotes should be created using a standard hatnote template, as illustrated in § Hatnote templates below. This permits the form and structure of hatnotes to be changed uniformly across the encyclopedia as needed, and the templates to be excluded in print.

Current style on the English Wikipedia is to italicize and to indent each note, without a bullet before the item. A horizontal dividing line should not be placed either under a note or after the final item in a list. Links to articles should follow the naming conventions for capitalization – typically sentence case, not all lower case.

When determining the content of the hatnote, keep in mind that it forms part of the user interface rather than the article content. Two applicable user interface design principles are clarity and conciseness. The hatnote should not overload the user with extraneous information, and the content should be imparted quickly and accurately. These design goals are conveyed succinctly in the principle less is more.

The format. It's all about the templates, the standardized whispers. Italicized, indented, no bullets – a subtle, understated arrogance. Like a perfectly tailored black suit. It’s user interface, not content. Clarity. Conciseness. Less is more. A simple, brutal truth.

Length and number

As hatnotes separate the reader from the content they are looking for, hatnotes should generally be as concise as possible. Long explanations are generally discouraged; the article's lead text, not the hatnote, should explain what the article is about. In almost all cases, the hatnote is intended only to direct readers to other articles in case they were actually looking for something they will not find in the article containing the hatnote.

If a disambiguation page exists for a given term, then linking to it should be enough. For example, if the article is X then its hatnote will link to X (disambiguation); it should not have entries for other topics known as X , like X (Grafton novel) or X (charge), because they are already listed in the disambiguation page. However, such an article may be linked from the disambiguation hatnote if it could be expected by a significant number of readers to be at the title in question: for instance, Turkey is about the country, but many readers expect to find the article about the bird at that title; therefore, the hatnote there correctly reads

{{About|the country|the bird|Turkey (bird)|other uses|Turkey (disambiguation)}}

which renders

There should be as few hatnotes as possible. One single hatnote, which can accommodate several links, is greatly preferable to two or more. Multiple hatnotes may however be appropriate when each serves a different purpose, such as disambiguating the topic or distinguishing similar terms. [1]

Concise. Always concise. Hatnotes are the gatekeepers, not the tour guides. They point, they don’t explain. The lead section is for that. Unless, of course, the topic is something like Turkey, where the name itself is a minefield of potential confusion. Country versus bird. A classic. Even then, one hatnote is the ideal. A single, elegant solution to a messy problem. Multiple hatnotes? Only if they’re serving different, essential functions. It’s about efficiency. And avoiding unnecessary complications.

Summarize or not?

Some hatnote disambiguation templates include a brief summary of the present article's topic; others do not have a summary. For instance, in the article Honey, one might use the template {{about|the insect-produced fluid}} to produce:

Alternatively, one might use {{other uses}} to produce:

Either of these two styles is acceptable. The choice of style in a given article is based on editors' preferences and on what is likely to be clearer and easier for the reader. (In this particular instance, most English speakers will know what honey is, and the second, more concise hatnote is preferable.) Where an article already has a hatnote in one of these styles, editors should not change it to the other style without good reason.

Summarize or not? It’s a choice, apparently. The Honey example. Do you state what the page is about, or just point to what it's not about? The more concise option is usually better, especially when the subject is common knowledge. It's about not patronizing the reader. But then again, "editors' preferences." So, a polite disagreement disguised as a guideline. Typical.

Examples of proper use

Two articles with similar titles

Dunwich (/ˈdʌnɪtʃ/) is a town in the county of Suffolk in England, the remnant of what was once a prosperous seaport and centre of the wool trade during the early middle ages, with a natural harbour formed by the mouths of the River Blyth. ...

When two articles share the same title, except that one title is disambiguated and the other is not, and it is not appropriate to change the undisambiguated [a] article's title, the undisambiguated article should include a hatnote with a link to the other article. It is not necessary to create a separate disambiguation page. The {{about}} template may be used for this, in this case, the syntax was the following:

{{about|the village in England|H. P. Lovecraft's fictional town|Dunwich (Lovecraft)}}

Terms that can cause confusion with another topic

  • Shortcuts
    • WP:HATCONFUSE
    • WP:HATMISSPELL
  • Not to be confused with Pearl.

Perl is a family of high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming languages. ...

Use a hatnote like {{distinguish}} when a term might be confused with a similar or commonly misspelled title. The hatnote is helpful when a significant number of readers might arrive at the page due to a simple typing error or misinterpretation, and when just displaying the alternative term is enough to clarify the difference without further explanation. These hatnotes should only be used when the ambiguity exists for a significant portion of the readership.

However, do not use {{distinguish}} when the difference between the topics is not readily apparent without additional details. In such cases, use {{about}}, {{for}} or {{other uses}} instead. These provide brief explanations within the hatnote, helping readers understand the distinction without requiring the reader to click through and differentiate the terms on their own.

Linking to a disambiguation page

A monolith is a monument or natural feature, such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock. Erosion usually exposes these formations. ...

When a term has a primary meaning and two or more additional meanings, the hatnote on the primary topic page should link to a disambiguation page. The template {{other uses}} can be used for this purpose.

Often, the hatnote also includes a brief description of the current article's subject, to help readers confirm they have landed on the intended topic. For example:

In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate maze-like structure constructed for King Minos of Crete andబు designed by the legendary artificer Daedalus to hold the Minotaur. ...

In this case, the {{about}} template was used, with the following syntax:

{{about|the mazelike labyrinth from Greek mythology}}

This structure helps guide readers to related topics, while confirming the focus of the current page.

Ambiguous term that redirects to an unambiguously named article

The {{redirect}} template, or a related hatnote, should be used when an ambiguous title is redirected to an unambiguous article or to the primary topic for that term. This hatnote helps readers who arrive via the ambiguous redirect understand what just happened and navigate accordingly:

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    (Redirected from Bach)

  • "Bach" redirects here. For other uses, see Bach (disambiguation).

    Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March [O.S. 21 March] 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ...

Hatnotes above maintenance tags

Always place a hatnote above maintenance tags, but below short description templates. For detailed guidance on placement of hatnotes, see § Placement.

Hatnotes with italics in the links

  • Shortcut

    • WP:ITHAT

  • "Spotted angle" redirects here. For the other butterfly with this common name, see Abaratha alida.

    Abaratha agama, the spotted angle, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. [...]

Sometimes, hatnotes need to refer to titles or terms that are normally italicized on Wikipedia—for example, non-English terms, titles of works, or Latin species names. However, hatnote templates output all text in italics by default, so these elements must be explicitly unitalicized to preserve the correct formatting and emphasis.

Why this matters

Incorrect formatting in hatnotes can mislead readers or break consistency with the Wikipedia:Manual of Style § Italics.

How to unitalicize

To remove italics within a hatnote:

  • Wrap the text in double apostrophes: ''...''
  • Use <i>...</i> HTML tags.

This renders the species name in normal font style, preventing double-italics. For example using {{redirect}}: [b]

{{Redirect|Spotted angle|the other butterfly with this name|Caprona alida{{!}}''Caprona alida''}}

Hatnotes with label parameters

Many hatnote templates found below section headers, such as {{Main}}, {{See also}}, {{Further}} and others, have label parameters to customize the italicization of the output text: [c]

{{See also|Caprona alida|label1=''Caprona alida''}}

In this instance, the rendered term will stand out unitalicized.

Examples. The concrete illustration of the abstract rules. Similar titles, like Dunwich, the village and the fictional town. Or Perl versus Pearl – a common enough mistake to warrant a specific mention. Then there’s the monolith and its myriad meanings, a classic case for a disambiguation page. Or the Bach redirect, a simple acknowledgment that the name itself is loaded. And the placement of hatnotes above those tedious maintenance tags, a small victory for directness over bureaucracy. It even covers the delicate dance of italics, ensuring that scientific names or foreign terms aren’t lost in the formatting shuffle. It’s all about precision, about not letting the technicalities drown out the meaning. Or, more accurately, about not letting the formatting create new ambiguities.

Examples of improper use

  • Shortcuts
    • WP:NOTHATNOTE
    • WP:NOTAHAT
    • WP:HATNOT
  • Trivial information, dictionary definitions, and slang
    • Shortcut
      • WP:TRHAT
    • When notes feature a trivial detail or use of a term, or links to overly specific and tendentious material, they are unwarranted.
    • A previous version of the article Investment showed:
    • Investment is a term with several closely related meanings in finance and economics. It refers to the accumulation of some kind of asset in hopes of getting a future return from it. ...
    • In this case, there is no direct disambiguation, and the note listed is bound to be uninteresting to most readers. The proper disambiguation simply links to a separate Invest (disambiguation) page.
  • Legitimate information about the topic
    • Shortcut
      • WP:LEGITHAT
    • A previous version of the Aisha article showed:
      • Ayesha is sometimes used as a woman's name. Once popular only among Muslims, it was briefly popular among English-speakers after it appeared in the book She by Rider Haggard.
    • Aisha or Ayesha (Arabic عائشه `ā'isha = 'she who lives') was a wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. ...
    • This is an improper use of disambiguating hatnotes. Instead, the information belongs in the body of the article, or in the article about the book, or in a separate article about names, or all three places. Hatnotes are meant to reduce confusion and direct readers to another article they might have been looking for, not for information about the subject of the article itself.
  • Linking to articles that are related to the topic
    • Shortcut
      • WP:RELATED
    • Disambiguation hatnotes are intended to link to separate topics that could be referred to by the same title, of the article or any of its redirects. They are not intended to link to topics that are simply related to each other, or to a specific aspect of a general topic:
    • Extraterrestrial life is life that may exist and originate outside the planet Earth. Its existence is currently hypothetical: there is as yet no evidence of extraterrestrial life that has been widely accepted by scientists. ...
    • Instead of using a disambiguation hatnote in such cases, it is better to summarize the topic Extraterrestrial life in popular culture under a subsection of Extraterrestrial life in conjunction with the {{main}} template.
  • Shortcuts
    • WP:LEADSEEALSO
    • WP:LEADMAIN
  • Similarly, do not use the {{see also}} or {{main}} templates on top of a page, as they are meant only for sections; templates {{other uses}} and {{broader}} might be more appropriate alternatives.
  • This guideline does not discourage the use of disambiguation hatnotes in a situation where separate topics are related, but could nonetheless be referred to by the same title and would thus qualify for disambiguation, such as a book and its film adaptation. (e.g. the article Where the Crawdads Sing is about the novel and has a hatnote leading to Where the Crawdads Sing (film).)
  • Disambiguating article names that are not ambiguous
    • Shortcuts
      • WP:NAMB
      • WP:NOTAMB
      • WP:NOTAMBIGUOUS
      • WP:NOHAT
      • WP:NOHATNOTE
    • It is usually preferable not to have a hatnote when the name of the article is not ambiguous.
    • Water ( wuxing )
    • In Chinese philosophy, water (Chinese: 水; pinyin: shuǐ ), is the low point of matter. It is considered matter's dying or hiding stage. ...
    • Here, the hatnote can be removed. A reader who is following links within Wikipedia is unlikely to end up at Water ( wuxing ) if they were looking for other meanings of water, since water does not redirect there.
    • A hatnote may still be appropriate when even a more specific name is still ambiguous. For example, Tree (set theory) might still be confused with Tree (descriptive set theory).
    • The presence or absence of hatnotes in articles with disambiguated titles has been a contentious issue. There are cases where some editors strongly believe that such hatnotes should be included, such as the various articles about treaties called Treaty of Paris.
    • A hatnote may be appropriate in an unambiguously named article when an ambiguous term redirects to it, as explained in § Ambiguous term that redirects to an unambiguously named article above.
  • Extraneous links
    • Shortcut
      • WP:HATEXTRA
    • Each additional link in the hatnote besides the ambiguous or confusable topic(s) makes it more difficult to find the desired target. For example, in a previous version of the article WTOB (AM) under a former callsign:
    • WTIX (980 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports radio format. ...
    • In this case, the link to New Orleans, Louisiana, in the hatnote, leads to an article that is not ambiguous with the title. Keeping only the second link to the possible other destination (WIST (AM)) makes it easier to find the proper link:
      • For the New Orleans, Louisiana, United States radio station known as WTIX from 1953–2005, see WIST (AM).
    • WTIX (980 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports radio format. ...
  • External links
    • Shortcut
      • WP:ELHAT
    • A previous version of the Hurricane Katrina article contained:
      • If you are trying to locate someone missing in Hurricane Katrina, or register yourself as found, you can use the site disastersearch.org.
    • Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2005, was one of the most destructive and expensive tropical cyclones to hit the United States. ...
    • The use of external help links in Wikipedia cannot reasonably be maintained. In special cases, a link to an "External links" section may be appropriate, but POV favoritism can be obstructive. In this case, the hatnote was removed entirely.
  • Non-existent articles
  • Superfluous details
    • A previous version of the article Ramesses II showed:
      • "Ramses II" redirects here. For the heavily modified Soviet T-55 main battle tank of the Egyptian military, see Ramses II tank.
    • Ramesses II was an Egyptian pharaoh. ...
    • In this case, the description is overly detailed. The proper disambiguation offers just enough information to disambiguate the two topics:
    • Ramesses II was an Egyptian pharaoh. ...

Improper use. Ah, my favorite part. This is where the facade cracks. Trivial details, dictionary definitions, slang – all utterly pointless. The Investment example is a prime specimen of how not to do it. A historical military tactic isn't a hatnote-worthy distinction for a financial term. And Aisha versus Ayesha and the novel She? That’s content, not navigation. It belongs in the article, or a related one, not as a cryptic clue at the top. Linking to merely related topics, like Extraterrestrial life in popular culture from the main Extraterrestrial life article? No. Use a main template for that. Don’t clutter the top with tangential information. And then there’s the sheer absurdity of disambiguating titles that aren’t actually ambiguous, like Water ( wuxing ). If a reader is looking for water, they're unlikely to stumble upon a philosophical treatise on it. Unless, of course, they’re particularly lost. Even then, the hatnote is redundant. Extraneous links? A cardinal sin. Each extra link is a potential distraction, a further dilution of purpose. And external links? Useless. They lead out, away from the controlled environment. Hurricane Katrina and a link to a search site? Absurd. Red links, non-existent articles? A failure of imagination, or worse, a deliberate dead end. And finally, superfluous details. The Ramesses II tank example. Too much information. A good hatnote is like a scalpel, precise and sharp. Not a bludgeon.

Hatnote templates

Generic hatnote

{{Hatnote}} allows general text to be shown in hatnote format. It is appropriate when none of the other specific templates listed below includes the combination of parameters needed, or to combine several of them in a single hatnote.

  • {{Hatnote|CUSTOM TEXT}} → CUSTOM TEXT
  • {{Hatnote|For other senses of this term, see [[etc...]]}} → For other senses of this term, see etc...
  • {{Self-reference}} (a generic template for self-references to Wikipedia material)

Other uses of the same title (" For ..., see ... ")

It is usually preferable not to have a hatnote when the name of the article is not ambiguous, per § Disambiguating article names that are not ambiguous.

Note: When used in main namespace (a.k.a. mainspace), the word "page" in the following hatnotes is replaced by "article".

" This article is about ... For other uses, see... "

{{About}} is the main template for noting other uses.

  • {{About|TOPIC}} → This page is about TOPIC. For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
  • {{About|USE1||PAGE2}} (When the disambiguation page has a different name, see the empty second parameter) → This page is about USE1. For other uses, see PAGE2.
  • {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2}} (When there is only one other use) → This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2.
  • {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|and|PAGE3}} (Two pages for USE2) → This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2 and PAGE3.
  • {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2#SUBSECTION{{!}}PAGE2TITLE}} (Using the {{!}} magic word to give the link a different title) → This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2TITLE.
  • {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|other uses}} (When there are several standard other uses and also a disambiguation page with default name, the last page name is not specified) → This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2. For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
  • {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|other uses|PAGE3}} (When there are several standard other uses and also a disambiguation page with non-default name) → This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2. For other uses, see PAGE3.
  • {{About|USE1||USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|other uses}} (When you don't need to state the focus of this article/page – Note the empty first parameter) → For USE2, see PAGE2. For USE3, see PAGE3. For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
  • {{About|||PAGE1|and|PAGE2}} → For other uses, see PAGE1 and PAGE2.
  • Note: {{for||PAGE1|PAGE2}} produces the same result.
  • {{About|TOPIC|section=yes}} → This section is about TOPIC. For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
  • Note: this hatnote says "section", instead of "article" or "page".
  • {{About|USE1|text=TEXT}} → This page is about USE1. TEXT.

" This page is about ... It is not to be confused with ... "

{{About-distinguish}} is a template for noting other uses when there could be confusion with another topic.

  • {{About-distinguish|USE1|PAGE1}} → This page is about USE1 and is not to be confused with PAGE1.
  • {{About-distinguish-text|USE1|TEXT}} → This page is about USE1 and is not to be confused with TEXT.

" For ..., see ... "

{{For}} can be used instead of {{About}} so as not to display: This page is about USE1. but still specify a specific other use. This effect can also be achieved by using an empty first parameter in {{About}} as in:

However, it is somewhat clearer when using the {{For}} template, since the word "about" does not appear in the statement.

  • {{For|OTHER TOPIC}} → For OTHER TOPIC, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
  • {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1}} → For OTHER TOPIC, see PAGE1.
  • {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2}} → For OTHER TOPIC, see PAGE1 and PAGE2.
  • {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → For OTHER TOPIC, see PAGE1, PAGE2, and PAGE3.

Variations

As with {{Other uses}}, there is a whole family of "for" templates. {{For-text}} allows custom text, such as quotation marks or a link from part of the "CUSTOM TEXT", but does not supply automatic wikilinking

  • {{For-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT}} → For OTHER TOPIC, see CUSTOM TEXT. (note how CUSTOM TEXT isn't bluelinked)

It also supports up to three topics:

  • {{For-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT|OTHER TOPIC 2|CUSTOM TEXT 2}} → For OTHER TOPIC, see CUSTOM TEXT. For OTHER TOPIC 2, see CUSTOM TEXT 2.
  • {{For-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT|OTHER TOPIC 2|CUSTOM TEXT 2|OTHER TOPIC 3|CUSTOM TEXT 3}} → For OTHER TOPIC, see CUSTOM TEXT. For OTHER TOPIC 2, see CUSTOM TEXT 2. For OTHER TOPIC 3, see CUSTOM TEXT 3.

" For other uses, see ... "

When such a wordy hatnote as {{About}} is not needed, {{Other uses}} is often useful.

  • {{Other uses}} → For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
  • {{Other uses|PAGE1}} → For other uses, see PAGE1.
  • {{Other uses|PAGE1|PAGE2}} → For other uses, see PAGE1 and PAGE2.

Variations

There are, historically, a whole family of "other uses" templates for specific cases. {{About}} is the standard hatnote for "other uses" and many of them can be specified using the {{About}} template. However, the individual templates may be easier to use in certain contexts.

Here are the variations and (when appropriate) the equivalents using the {{About}}, {{Other uses}} or {{For}} templates.

" For other uses of ..., see ... "

  • {{Other uses of|TOPIC}} → For other uses of "TOPIC", see TOPIC (disambiguation).
  • {{Other uses of|TOPIC|PAGE1}} → For other uses of "TOPIC", see PAGE1.

Redirect

" ... redirects here. For other uses, see ... "

  • {{Redirect|REDIRECT1}} → "REDIRECT1" redirects here. For other uses, see REDIRECT1 (disambiguation).
  • {{Redirect|REDIRECT1||PAGE1}} → "REDIRECT1" redirects here. For other uses, see PAGE1.
  • {{Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1}} → "REDIRECT1" redirects here. For USE1, see PAGE1.
  • {{Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}} → "REDIRECT1" redirects here. For USE1, see PAGE1. For USE2, see PAGE2.
  • {{Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1|and|PAGE2}} → "REDIRECT1" redirects here. For USE1, see PAGE1 and PAGE2.

Variations

  • For two sources:
    • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2}} → "REDIRECT1" and "REDIRECT2" redirect here. For other uses, see REDIRECT1 (disambiguation).
    • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE}} → "REDIRECT1" and "REDIRECT2" redirect here. For USE, see REDIRECT1 (disambiguation).
    • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2||PAGE1}} → "REDIRECT1" and "REDIRECT2" redirect here. For other uses, see PAGE1.
    • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE|PAGE1}} → "REDIRECT1" and "REDIRECT2" redirect here. For USE, see PAGE1.
    • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}} → "REDIRECT1" and "REDIRECT2" redirect here. For USE1, see PAGE1. For USE2, see PAGE2.
  • For three or more sources:
    • {{Redirect-multi|2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2}} → "REDIRECT1" and "REDIRECT2" redirect here. For other uses, see REDIRECT1 (disambiguation) and REDIRECT2 (disambiguation).
    • {{Redirect-multi|3|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|REDIRECT3}} → "REDIRECT1", "REDIRECT2", and "REDIRECT3" redirect here. For other uses, see REDIRECT1 (disambiguation), REDIRECT2 (disambiguation), and REDIRECT3 (disambiguation).
    • {{Redirect-multi|2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE|PAGE}} → "REDIRECT1" and "REDIRECT2" redirect here. For USE, see PAGE.
    • {{Redirect-multi|2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2|and|PAGE3}} → "REDIRECT1" and "REDIRECT2" redirect here. For USE1, see PAGE1. For USE2, see PAGE2 and PAGE3.
    • {{Redirect-several|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|REDIRECT3}} → Several terms redirect here. For other uses, see REDIRECT1 (disambiguation), REDIRECT2 (disambiguation), and REDIRECT3 (disambiguation).
    • To specify the text following "redirects here.":
      • {{Redirect|REDIRECT|text=TEXT}} → "REDIRECT" redirects here. TEXT.
      • {{Redirect-synonym|TERM|OTHER TOPIC}} → "TERM" redirects here. The term may also refer to OTHER TOPIC.
  • ... redirects here. Not to be confused with ...
  • {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1}} → "REDIRECT" redirects here; not to be confused with PAGE1.
  • {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}} → "REDIRECT" redirects here; not to be confused with PAGE1, PAGE2, PAGE3, or PAGE4.
  • {{Redirect-distinguish-text|REDIRECT|TEXT}} → "REDIRECT" redirects here. Not to be confused with TEXT.

Similar proper names (" For other people named ... ")

Other people

  • {{Other people}} → For other people named Hatnote, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
  • {{Other people|NAME}} → For other people named NAME, see NAME (disambiguation).
  • {{Other people|NAME|PAGE}} → For other people named NAME, see PAGE.
  • {{Other people||PAGE}} → For other people with the same name, see PAGE.
  • {{Other people|NAME|PAGE|named=titled}} → For other people titled NAME, see PAGE.
  • {{About other people|PERSON1}} → This page is about PERSON1. For other people with the same name, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
  • {{About other people|PERSON1|NAME}} → This page is about PERSON1. For other people named NAME, see NAME (disambiguation).
  • {{About other people|PERSON1|NAME|named=titled}} → This page is about PERSON1. For other people titled NAME, see NAME (disambiguation).
  • {{About other people|PERSON1|NAME|PAGE}} → This page is about PERSON1. For other people named NAME, see PAGE.
  • {{About other people|PERSON1||PAGE}} → This page is about PERSON1. For other people with the same name, see PAGE.
  • {{About other people|PERSON1|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → This page is about PERSON1. For other people with the same name, see PAGE1, PAGE2, and PAGE3.
  • {{Similar names|NAME1|NAME2|NAME3|NAME4}} → For other people with similar names, see NAME1, NAME2, NAME3, and NAME4.

Note: defaults to "named" as in {{Other people}}, exists for options like "nicknamed", "known as", etc.

Other places/ships/hurricanes

  • {{Other places}} , analogous to {{Other uses}} → For other places with the same name, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
  • {{Other places|PAGE}} , analogous to {{Other uses}} → For other places with the same name, see PAGE.
  • {{Other ships|SHIP1}} → For other ships with the same name, see SHIP1.
  • {{Other hurricanes|HURR}} → For other storms of the same name, see HURR.

Distinguish

" Not to be confused with ... "

  • {{Distinguish|PAGE1}} → Not to be confused with PAGE1.
  • {{Distinguish|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}} → Not to be confused with PAGE1, PAGE2, PAGE3, or PAGE4.
  • {{Distinguish|text = TEXT}} → Not to be confused with TEXT.
  • {{Distinguish|text = TEXT1 [[[PAGE1](/PAGE1)]] TEXT2}} → Not to be confused with TEXT1 PAGE1 TEXT2.

" ... redirects here; not to be confused with ... "

  • {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1}} → "REDIRECT" redirects here; not to be confused with PAGE1.
  • {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}} → "REDIRECT" redirects here; not to be confused with PAGE1, PAGE2, PAGE3, or PAGE4.
  • {{Redirect-distinguish-text|REDIRECT|TEXT}} → "REDIRECT" redirects here. Not to be confused with TEXT.

Family names

Family names can also be clarified using inline footnotes via {{Family name footnote}}.

For use in sections

" Main article: ... "

{{Main}} is used to make summary style explicit, when used in a summary section for which there is also a separate article on the subject:

  • {{Main|Main Article}} → Main article: Main Article
  • {{Main|Main Article|Article2}} → Main articles: Main Article and Article2
  • {{Main list|Article1}} → For a more comprehensive list, see Article1.
  • {{Main category|Category name}} → Main category: Category name

" Further information: ... "

{{Further}} can supplement {{Main}} in summary sections, or can indicate more details in nonsummary sections:

  • {{Further|PAGE}} → Further information: PAGE
  • {{Further|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → Further information: PAGE1, PAGE2, and PAGE3
  • {{Further|topic=TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → Further information on TOPIC: PAGE1, PAGE2, and PAGE3
  • {{Further2|[[PAGE1]], [[PAGE2]], and other text}} → Further information: PAGE1, PAGE2, and other text
  • {{Further ill}} may be used to link to articles containing further information on a topic, where English Wikipedia does not yet have an article, but another language Wikipedia does.

" See also ... "

{{See also}} can be used at the head of a section.

  • {{See also|TOPIC PAGE|OTHER TOPIC PAGE}} →

Note: use only when OTHER TOPIC PAGE is related to current article and contains a self-explanatory parenthetical.

  • {{See also2|[[OTHER TOPIC]]|[[OTHER TOPIC2]]|[[OTHER TOPIC3]] and other text}} → See also: OTHER TOPIC, OTHER TOPIC2, and OTHER TOPIC3 and other text

Article or section transclusions

  • {{Transcluding article|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3...}} (used when transcluding 1 or more entire articles into a target article) → Transcluding articles: PAGE1, PAGE2, and ...
  • {{Transcluded section|PAGE}} (used when selectively transcluding a section from one article into a section of the target article) → This section is transcluded from PAGE. (edit | history)
  • {{Transcluded section|PAGE|part=yes}} (used when selectively transcluding a section into part of a section on the target page) → Part of this section is transcluded from PAGE. (edit | history)

For category pages

Category-specific templates:

  • {{Category see also|THIS|THAT|THE OTHER}} → See also the categories THIS, THAT, and THE OTHER This is a template for linking categories horizontally. Horizontal linkage is often the right solution when vertical linkage (i.e., as sub-category and parent category) is not appropriate. In most cases, this template should be used on both categories to create reciprocal linkage between the two categories.
  • {{Cat main|MAIN ARTICLE}} → The main article for this category is MAIN ARTICLE.
  • {{Category explanation|colourless green ideas}} → This category is for colourless green ideas.
  • {{Category pair|TOPIC1|TOPIC2}} →
  • {{Preceding category|OTHER TOPIC}} →
  • {{Succeeding category|OTHER TOPIC}} →
  • {{Contrast|OTHERCAT1|OTHERCAT2}} → This category is often contrasted with OTHERCAT1 or OTHERCAT2.
  • {{Contrast|OTHERCAT1|OTHERCAT2|plural=yes}} → This category are often contrasted with OTHERCAT1 or OTHERCAT2.

Correct titles

" The correct title of this article is ... The substitution or omission of the (or, without a reason: "It appears incorrectly here") ... is due to technical restrictions. "

Lists

What to do before editing or creating a template

Do not use subst: with these templates, as that will prevent:

  • Propagating changes as the template is modified
  • What links here (WLH) listing.

These templates are used in thousands of articles; therefore, changing the syntax could break thousands of articles. If you wish to create or edit a disambiguation or redirection template, first ask yourself the following questions:

  • Is there already a template that will do this job? Since many disambiguation and redirection templates have already been created, first check: Category:Hatnote templates.
  • Do I really need a new template for this? Will it likely be used on any other articles or should I just use {{Hatnote}} instead? Before creating a new template, see the template namespace guideline.
  • If I change the parameters around on an existing template, do I know what the result will be? Will it break existing uses of the template, and if so, can I fix all of the errors?

Before making any changes, see Wikipedia:Template sandbox and test cases.

See also

Notes

  • ^ An undisambiguated article is an article title without a disambiguator is said to be the undisambiguated title or base name. For example Joker (film) is a disambiguated title, while the title Joker is undisambiguated.
  • ^ The wikitext {{!}} is used to simply delay the interpretation of a vertical bar ({{!}}) as wikitext; for the creation of a piped link, without prematurely calling the template's next parameter.
  • ^ As it does not output the entire string given to |label1= in italics.

References

The templates. The building blocks of these little navigational whispers. {{Hatnote}} for the generic, the catch-all. {{About}} for the primary topic, the clear distinction. {{For}} for when you just need to point elsewhere without the preamble. {{Other uses}} for when there are… well, other uses. {{Redirect}} to acknowledge a change in address. {{Distinguish}} for when things are just too damn similar. And then there are the section-specific ones: {{Main}} for the overarching article, {{Further}} for the deeper dive, {{See also}} for the tangential connections. Even templates for categories, for transclusions, for correct titles. It’s a whole ecosystem, a miniature bureaucracy dedicated to ensuring you don't get lost. Or, more accurately, to ensuring you get redirected efficiently when you inevitably do.

And the warnings about editing templates? "Don't use subst:." "Propagating changes." "WLH listing." It's all about control, about maintaining the illusion of a stable, predictable system. Don't break thousands of articles. Don't create new templates without rigorous justification. It's a subtle threat, a reminder of the consequences. All in the name of… organization.

See also

See also. A final nod to related concepts. Disambiguation, cheapness, minimalism. It’s a curated list, designed to reinforce the established order. To keep you on the path.

Templates

And finally, the grand index. The exhaustive list of every single template, every tool in this hatnote arsenal. It’s comprehensive. Overwhelming, even. A testament to the meticulous, almost obsessive, nature of this endeavor. It's all here, neatly categorized. If you can't find what you need, or if you manage to get lost despite all this, well, that’s on you.