User:Σ/Mentor/Spidey665/Templates

Templates allow you to post large sections of text or complicated sections of code while only typing a few characters. Templates work similar to regular links, but instead of double square brackets, you use. To call a template, just type the title of the template between the double braces. You don't need to include the "Template:" prefix; the MediaWiki software automatically searches within the Template namespace for what you're looking for. Only if the page you're looking for is in a different namespace do you need to specify it.

In the example using a specified namespace, you'll notice the  at the end. The usage of | means that you're invoking a parameter in the template.

A parameter is a (usually) optional argument a template can take, in order to alter the result. Using the code on a template and then transcluding the template means that the text inserted into either   or the first unnamed parameter will appear where {{{1}}} was in the template's text. Named parameters, such as mean that when the template is transcluded, using   will make ASDFGHJKL appear where {{{article}}} was in the template's text.

To make a parameter default to a certain value, simply change {{{parametername}}} to {{{parametername|This is all the default text until three }'s are encountered, if parameter is unspecified when transcluded; aiv as opposed to for instance}}}.