Help:Contributing/entities: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
docs: migrate contribution guide §2-7 (entities) from docs/contribution-guide.md (via create-page on MediaWiki MCP Server) |
Rewrite in code-guide style: strip translation markup, <code> for plain tokens (via update-page on MediaWiki MCP Server) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
This page explains the data model and how to create and edit items and properties. Start at the [[Help:Contributing]] hub if you are new here. | |||
== The data model in five minutes == | |||
Wikibase is the software behind Wikidata. Two entity types exist on this instance: | Wikibase is the software behind Wikidata. Two entity types exist on this instance: | ||
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%" | {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%" | ||
! Entity !! ID !! URL form !! Example | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Item || <code>Q1</code>, <code>Q2</code>, … || <code>/wiki/Item:Q1</code> || a book, a person, a place | |||
|- | |- | ||
| | | Property || <code>P1</code>, <code>P2</code>, … || <code>/wiki/Property:P1</code> || "instance of", "date" | ||
|} | |} | ||
Each entity has: | Each entity has: | ||
* '''Terms''': a multilingual '''label''' (unique per language per type), a '''description''', and optional '''aliases'''. | |||
* '''Statements''': a '''property → value''' pair, optionally with '''qualifiers''' (details) and '''references''' (provenance), and a '''rank''' (preferred, normal, deprecated). | |||
* | |||
* | |||
Order of work: define '''properties first''' (the schema), then create '''items''' (the data). | |||
Order of work: define | |||
== | == Before you create anything == | ||
<ol> | <ol> | ||
<li> | <li>'''Search first''' — use the search box or [[Special:Search]]; do not create a duplicate item or property.</li> | ||
<li> | <li>'''Reuse existing properties''' — browse [[Special:ListProperties]] (sidebar → '''Semantic tools''' → '''Browse properties''') before proposing a new one. A property is expensive: its datatype is permanent.</li> | ||
<li> | <li>'''Labels are unique per language''' — an item cannot have two labels in the same language. Use the description to disambiguate.</li> | ||
</ol> | </ol> | ||
== | == Creating a property == | ||
<ol> | <ol> | ||
<li>Go to | <li>Go to [[Special:NewProperty]] (also in the sidebar → '''Semantic tools''' → '''Create new property''').</li> | ||
<li>Fill in at least a | <li>Fill in at least a '''label''' (for example <code>instance of</code>) and a '''description''' (for example <code>that class of which this subject is a particular example and member</code>). Add aliases (for example <code>is-a</code>, <code>isa</code>).</li> | ||
<li>Choose the | <li>Choose the '''datatype''' — the most important decision, and it '''cannot be changed after creation''':</li> | ||
</ol> | </ol> | ||
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%" | {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%" | ||
! Datatype !! Use for !! Example value | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Item || link to another entity || <code>Q5</code> (a person) | |||
| | |||
|- | |- | ||
| | | Property || link to another property || <code>P1</code> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | String || free text || <code>"ISBN-13"</code> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | External identifier || identifier in another system || <code>Q1234</code> → <code>https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1234</code> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | URL || web address || <code>https://example.org</code> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | Monolingual text || text with a language tag || <code>"hello"@en</code> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | Quantity || numbers with units || <code>3</code> (unit <code>Q11573</code>, kg) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | Time || dates || <code>2026-08-15T00:00:00Z</code> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | Globe coordinate || latitude and longitude || <code>48.85N 2.35E</code> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | Commons media || a file name || <code>File:Foo.jpg</code> | ||
|} | |} | ||
The dropdown in [[Special:NewProperty]] shows the full set of datatypes available here. | |||
The dropdown in | |||
For '''External identifier''', also set the '''formatter URL''' (formatter-url field), for example <code>https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/$1</code> — it makes values dereferenceable URIs in RDF. | |||
For | |||
Save: the property gets its permanent ID (<code>P1</code>, <code>P2</code>, …). Other editors can now use it in statements. | |||
Save: the property gets its permanent ID (< | |||
== | == Creating an item == | ||
<ol> | <ol> | ||
<li>Go to | <li>Go to [[Special:NewItem]] (also in the sidebar → '''Semantic tools''' → '''Create new item''').</li> | ||
<li>Fill in a | <li>Fill in a '''label''' (English at minimum — <code>en</code>; other languages welcome), a '''description''', and optional aliases.</li> | ||
<li>Save: the item gets its permanent ID (< | <li>Save: the item gets its permanent ID (<code>Q1</code>, <code>Q2</code>, …).</li> | ||
<li>Add statements (next section). An item with no statements is just a stub.</li> | <li>Add statements (next section). An item with no statements is just a stub.</li> | ||
</ol> | </ol> | ||
== | == Adding and editing statements == | ||
On an item page ([[Special:EntityPage/Q1]]): | |||
On an item page ( | |||
<ol> | <ol> | ||
<li>Click | <li>Click '''+ add statement''' (or '''+ add value''' for more values of one property).</li> | ||
<li> | <li>'''Property''': start typing <code>P1</code> or its label — autocomplete.</li> | ||
<li> | <li>'''Value''': depends on the datatype (item → start typing another entity's label).</li> | ||
<li> | <li>'''Qualifiers''' (optional): refine the statement, for example the <code>date</code> property (<code>P8</code>) on <code>population → 2.1 million</code>.</li> | ||
<li> | <li>'''References''' (recommended for facts — this is the provenance layer): '''Add reference''', for example the <code>source URL</code> property (<code>P7</code>) for a web source, <code>source</code> (<code>P28</code>) for a book or article, or <code>date</code> (<code>P8</code>) if the fact itself has a date. Every fact should say where it comes from.</li> | ||
<li> | <li>'''Rank''': mark conflicting or outdated values as '''deprecated''', the best value as '''preferred'''.</li> | ||
</ol> | </ol> | ||
Editing tips: | Editing tips: | ||
* Statement values are editable by clicking them; remove a statement with the ✕ control. | * Statement values are editable by clicking them; remove a statement with the ✕ control. | ||
* Terms (label, description, aliases) are edited directly in the entity header — click the pencil icon and choose the language tab. | * Terms (label, description, aliases) are edited directly in the entity header — click the pencil icon and choose the language tab. | ||
* Undo or roll back via the page | * Undo or roll back via the page '''history''' tab — every change is a wiki revision. | ||
== | == Deleting and merging == | ||
'''Merge''' two duplicate items: use '''merge''' on the item page (right: <code>item-merge</code>, granted to registered users). | |||
'''Delete''' an entity page: [[Special:DeletePage]] (<code>Item:Q12</code>) — admins only. Deleting a property is rare and breaks the statements that use it — prefer deprecating it instead. | |||
== | == See also == | ||
* [[Help:Contributing]] — the hub | |||
* [[Help:Contributing/access]] — who can do what | |||
* | * [[Help:Contributing/query]] — querying with SPARQL | ||
* | * [[Help:Contributing/house-rules]] — house rules for this instance | ||
* | * [[Help:Contributing/import]] — importing from external authorities | ||
* | * [[Help:Contributing/api]] — API and bulk editing | ||
* | |||
* | |||
Revision as of 17:26, 19 August 2026
This page explains the data model and how to create and edit items and properties. Start at the Help:Contributing hub if you are new here.
The data model in five minutes
Wikibase is the software behind Wikidata. Two entity types exist on this instance:
| Entity | ID | URL form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Q1, Q2, … |
/wiki/Item:Q1 |
a book, a person, a place |
| Property | P1, P2, … |
/wiki/Property:P1 |
"instance of", "date" |
Each entity has:
- Terms: a multilingual label (unique per language per type), a description, and optional aliases.
- Statements: a property → value pair, optionally with qualifiers (details) and references (provenance), and a rank (preferred, normal, deprecated).
Order of work: define properties first (the schema), then create items (the data).
Before you create anything
- Search first — use the search box or Special:Search; do not create a duplicate item or property.
- Reuse existing properties — browse Special:ListProperties (sidebar → Semantic tools → Browse properties) before proposing a new one. A property is expensive: its datatype is permanent.
- Labels are unique per language — an item cannot have two labels in the same language. Use the description to disambiguate.
Creating a property
- Go to Special:NewProperty (also in the sidebar → Semantic tools → Create new property).
- Fill in at least a label (for example
instance of) and a description (for examplethat class of which this subject is a particular example and member). Add aliases (for exampleis-a,isa). - Choose the datatype — the most important decision, and it cannot be changed after creation:
| Datatype | Use for | Example value |
|---|---|---|
| Item | link to another entity | Q5 (a person)
|
| Property | link to another property | P1
|
| String | free text | "ISBN-13"
|
| External identifier | identifier in another system | Q1234 → https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1234
|
| URL | web address | https://example.org
|
| Monolingual text | text with a language tag | "hello"@en
|
| Quantity | numbers with units | 3 (unit Q11573, kg)
|
| Time | dates | 2026-08-15T00:00:00Z
|
| Globe coordinate | latitude and longitude | 48.85N 2.35E
|
| Commons media | a file name | File:Foo.jpg
|
The dropdown in Special:NewProperty shows the full set of datatypes available here.
For External identifier, also set the formatter URL (formatter-url field), for example https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/$1 — it makes values dereferenceable URIs in RDF.
Save: the property gets its permanent ID (P1, P2, …). Other editors can now use it in statements.
Creating an item
- Go to Special:NewItem (also in the sidebar → Semantic tools → Create new item).
- Fill in a label (English at minimum —
en; other languages welcome), a description, and optional aliases. - Save: the item gets its permanent ID (
Q1,Q2, …). - Add statements (next section). An item with no statements is just a stub.
Adding and editing statements
On an item page (Special:EntityPage/Q1):
- Click + add statement (or + add value for more values of one property).
- Property: start typing
P1or its label — autocomplete. - Value: depends on the datatype (item → start typing another entity's label).
- Qualifiers (optional): refine the statement, for example the
dateproperty (P8) onpopulation → 2.1 million. - References (recommended for facts — this is the provenance layer): Add reference, for example the
source URLproperty (P7) for a web source,source(P28) for a book or article, ordate(P8) if the fact itself has a date. Every fact should say where it comes from. - Rank: mark conflicting or outdated values as deprecated, the best value as preferred.
Editing tips:
- Statement values are editable by clicking them; remove a statement with the ✕ control.
- Terms (label, description, aliases) are edited directly in the entity header — click the pencil icon and choose the language tab.
- Undo or roll back via the page history tab — every change is a wiki revision.
Deleting and merging
Merge two duplicate items: use merge on the item page (right: item-merge, granted to registered users).
Delete an entity page: Special:DeletePage (Item:Q12) — admins only. Deleting a property is rare and breaks the statements that use it — prefer deprecating it instead.
See also
- Help:Contributing — the hub
- Help:Contributing/access — who can do what
- Help:Contributing/query — querying with SPARQL
- Help:Contributing/house-rules — house rules for this instance
- Help:Contributing/import — importing from external authorities
- Help:Contributing/api — API and bulk editing