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| Okay, here is a comprehensive wiki article about `{{Short description}}` formatted using MediaWiki syntax.
| | {{#ifeq:{{lc:{{{1|}}}}}|none|{{SHORTDESC:}}<nowiki/><!--Prevents whitespace issues when used with adjacent newlines-->|<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">{{{1|}}}{{SHORTDESC:{{{1|}}}|{{{2|}}}}}</div>}}<includeonly>{{#ifeq:{{{pagetype}}}|Disambiguation pages||{{#ifeq:{{pagetype |defaultns = all |user=exclude}}|exclude||{{#ifeq:{{#switch: {{NAMESPACENUMBER}} | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 100 | 101 | 118 | 119 | 828 | 829 | = exclude|#default=}}|exclude||[[Category:{{{pagetype|{{pagetype |defaultns = extended |plural=y}}}}} with short description]]}}}}}}</includeonly><!-- Start tracking |
| | | -->{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown={{Main other|[[Category:Pages using short description with unknown parameters|_VALUE_{{PAGENAME}}]]}}|preview=Page using [[Template:Short description]] with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | 2 | pagetype | bot |plural }}<!-- |
| ```mediawiki
| | -->{{#ifexpr: {{#invoke:String|len|{{{1|}}}}}>100 | [[Category:{{{pagetype|{{pagetype |defaultns = extended |plural=y}}}}} with long short description]]}}<!-- |
| {{Template doc page transcluded}} | | --><includeonly>{{#if:{{{1|}}}||[[Category:Pages with empty short description]]}}</includeonly><!-- |
| | | -->{{Short description/lowercasecheck|{{{1|}}}}}<!-- |
| == Template:Short description ==
| | -->{{Main other |{{SDcat |sd={{{1|}}} }} }}<noinclude> |
| | | {{Documentation}} |
| {{high-use}}
| | </noinclude> |
| {{pp-template|small=yes}} | |
| {{template short description|Template used to add a concise, one-line description to a page}}
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| The '''{{tl|Short description}}''' template is used on Wikipedia pages to provide a concise, one-line description of the page's subject. This description is primarily intended for consumption by search engines, internal Wikipedia search, page previews (hovercards), and other automated systems and tools, rather than being displayed prominently on the page itself.
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| == Purpose and Benefits ==
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| Adding a short description serves several important functions:
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| * '''Improved Search Results:''' External search engines like Google often use the short description as the text snippet displayed below the page title in search results, helping users understand the page's content before clicking. Wikipedia's internal search also utilizes these descriptions.
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| * '''Enhanced Page Previews:''' When users hover their mouse over a link to a page (depending on their preferences and interface), the short description is often displayed in the preview pop-up, providing context.
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| * '''Mobile Readability:''' Short descriptions are frequently used in mobile interfaces to quickly orient the reader to the page's subject.
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| * '''Accessibility and Tools:''' Scripts, gadgets, and third-party tools can utilize short descriptions to provide better navigation, summaries, or data exports.
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| * '''Override Wikidata:''' Although descriptions are also stored on [[Wikidata]], the local `{{tl|Short description}}` template on a Wikipedia page takes precedence. This allows editors to provide a description tailored specifically for the English Wikipedia context, which might be more specific or clearer than the generic description on Wikidata.
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| == Usage ==
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| To add a short description to a page, simply place the `{{tl|Short description}}` template at the top of the page, usually after any hatnotes and before the infobox or lead section.
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| The template takes one unnamed parameter: the description itself.
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| '''Basic Syntax:'''
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| <syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext">{{Short description|Your concise description here}}</syntaxhighlight> | |
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| '''Examples:'''
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| * For an article about a person:
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| <syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext">{{Short description|American actor and filmmaker}}</syntaxhighlight>
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| * For an article about a place:
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| <syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext">{{Short description|City in France}}</syntaxhighlight>
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| * For an article about a species:
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| <syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext">{{Short description|A species of flowering plant}}</syntaxhighlight>
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| * For an article about an event:
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| <syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext">{{Short description|Military conflict fought from 1939 to 1945}}</syntaxhighlight>
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| == Placement ==
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| The `{{tl|Short description}}` template should typically be placed near the very top of the page's wikitext. The standard placement is:
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| # Any [[Help:Hatnote|hatnotes]] (e.g., `{{For}}`, `{{About}}`) | |
| # The `{{tl|Short description}}` template | |
| # Any [[Help:Infobox|infobox]] | |
| # The lead section of the article | |
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| Placing it consistently near the top makes it easy for editors to find, add, or modify the description. Avoid placing it inside infoboxes, reference sections, or other templates unless specifically instructed by the documentation for those templates.
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| == Visibility ==
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| It is important to understand that the short description added via `{{tl|Short description}}` is '''not''' typically displayed as part of the visible page content when a user reads the article in a standard web browser. Its primary visibility is in:
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| * Search engine results snippets (e.g., Google)
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| * Wikipedia's internal search results
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| * Page previews (hovering over links)
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| * Mobile interfaces
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| * Data accessed by bots, tools, and scripts
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| Some user scripts or interface gadgets may exist that make the short description visible on the page for editors or specific users, but this is not the default behavior for general readers.
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| == Guidelines for Writing Short Descriptions == | |
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| To be most effective, short descriptions should follow these guidelines:
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| * '''Concise:''' Keep it short and to the point, ideally under 40 words. One sentence is usually sufficient.
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| * '''Accurate:''' It must accurately reflect the subject of the page.
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| * '''Neutral:''' Maintain a neutral point of view, consistent with Wikipedia's core principles.
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| * '''Specific:''' Clearly identify what the subject is (e.g., "American actor", not just "actor").
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| * '''Start Lowercase:''' Begin with a lowercase letter, unless the first word is a proper noun (e.g., "City in France", but "French film").
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| * '''No Period:''' Do not end the description with a period.
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| * '''Avoid Jargon:''' Use language that is easily understood by a general audience.
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| * '''Don't Repeat Title:''' Avoid unnecessarily repeating the page title at the start of the description (e.g., for "London", use "Capital city of the United Kingdom", not "London is the capital city...").
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| '''Good Examples:'''
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| * `{{Short description|American actor and filmmaker}}`
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| * `{{Short description|Capital city of the United Kingdom}}`
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| * `{{Short description|Species of bird native to Australia}}`
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| * `{{Short description|1985 American science fiction film}}`
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| '''Less Ideal Examples:'''
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| * `{{Short description|He was a very famous American actor and also directed some movies that were popular.}}` (Too long, conversational)
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| * `{{Short description|City}}` (Not specific enough)
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| * `{{Short description|City in France.}}` (Ends with a period)
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| * `{{Short description|London is the capital city of the United Kingdom}}` (Repeats title unnecessarily)
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| == Interaction with Wikidata == | |
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| Wikipedia pages are often linked to items on [[Wikidata]], which also have descriptions.
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| * If a page '''has''' a `{{tl|Short description}}` template, the description provided in the template will be used, and the Wikidata description will be ignored for purposes of display on English Wikipedia interfaces and by tools prioritizing local descriptions.
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| * If a page '''does not have''' a `{{tl|Short description}}` template, Wikipedia interfaces and tools will typically fetch and use the description from the linked Wikidata item as a fallback.
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| Adding a local short description is useful when the Wikidata description is generic, unclear, or needs to be more specific for the English Wikipedia context (e.g., to help distinguish between similar topics).
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| == Special Cases ==
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| * '''Disambiguation Pages:''' Use `{{tl|Short description|Disambiguation page}}`.
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| * '''Redirects:''' Usually do not need a short description. If one is added for specific reasons (e.g., a prominent redirect), `{{tl|Short description|Redirect page}}` or a specific description of the redirect target may be used, but this is less common.
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| * '''Categories:''' Often use `{{tl|Short description|Wikipedia category}}` or a specific description like `{{tl|Short description|Category of American actors}}`.
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| * '''Templates:''' Describe the template's purpose, e.g., `{{tl|Short description|Template for citing sources}}`.
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| * '''User Pages:''' Generally do not need short descriptions. If desired, `{{tl|Short description|User page}}` or a brief self-description could be used, but this is uncommon.
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| == Technical Details ==
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| Adding `{{tl|Short description}}` places the page into [[Category:Pages with short description]]. Pages using the Wikidata description fall into [[Category:Pages using Wikidata descriptions]]. These categories help track coverage and identify pages needing local descriptions.
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| == See Also ==
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| * [[Wikidata]] - The linked knowledge base where descriptions are also stored.
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| * [[Help:Page information]] - Includes the short description among other metadata.
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| * [[Wikipedia:Page previews]] - Explains the hovercard feature that uses short descriptions.
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| * [[Wikipedia:Wikidata#Descriptions]] - More details on Wikidata descriptions.
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| == Conclusion == | |
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| The `{{tl|Short description}}` template is a valuable tool for improving the discoverability and usability of Wikipedia content across various platforms and tools. Editors are encouraged to add accurate and concise short descriptions to pages, prioritizing articles lacking any description or those where the Wikidata description is insufficient.
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| [[Category:Wikipedia metadata templates]]
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| [[Category:High-use templates]]
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| [[Category:Maintenance templates]]
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| [[Category:Templates that add tracking categories]]
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| ```
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