Tachyony: Imported page

2021-12-06T11:59:40Z

Imported page

New page

__NOTOC__
{{Information page|WP:SKIN|WP:MONOBOOK}}
{{for|a generic definition|Skin (computing)}}

[[Wikipedia]], as a website powered by [[MediaWiki]] (a [[wiki software]]), is a [[Skin (computing)|skinnable]] website, which means the presentation ([[look and feel]]) of the pages can be changed. {{as of|2021|08}} there are four available skins: [[mw:Skin:Vector|Vector]] (default on desktop), [[mw:Skin:Minerva Neue|Minerva Neue]] (mobile), [[mw:Skin:MonoBook|MonoBook]], and [[mw:Skin:Timeless|Timeless]]. The following screenshots show the current skins along with preview links that allow anyone to load this page using them:

{{multiple image
| align = left

| image1 = English_Wikipedia_screenshot.png
| caption1 = Vector ([//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Skin&useskin=vector preview])

| image2 = Monobook.css.png
| caption2 = MonoBook ([//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Skin&useskin=monobook preview])

| image3 = English Wikipedia Timeless full screenshot.png
| caption3 = Timeless ([//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Skin&useskin=timeless preview])

| image4 = English Wikipedia Minerva Neue screenshot.png
| caption4 = Minerva Neue ([//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Skin&useskin=minerva preview])
}}
{{clear}}

==How to change the skin==
{{see also|Wikipedia:Why create an account?}}

Once you have an [[WP:WCAA|account]] and logged in, go to [[Special:Preferences]] and the "Skin" section of its [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-rendering|Appearance tab]]. With the default skin, the Preferences page can be accessed at any time from the links placed in the top right corner. Choose your skin and then click Publish changes. Then, all pages will be loaded with the new selected skin.

If you are not logged in, you can only use the default skin (Vector), however, any user may change the skin of a page for them only, but only one each time, by typing <code>?useskin=skinname</code> to the end of the URL (e.g., <code>?useskin=vector</code>). The new Wikipedia redesign can also be tested with <code>?useskinversion=2</code> (Vector only).

== Customisation ==
{{main|Wikipedia:Customisation}}

Default Wikipedia skins are defined in several [[CSS]] and [[JavaScript]] files. Some of them are only editable by people having write access to the Wikimedia Foundation servers, and some are simple wiki pages belonging to the [[WP:MWN|MediaWiki namespace]]. These wiki pages can be seen directly on Wikipedia, but to prevent [[Wikipedia:VAN|vandals]] from breaking the whole website appearance, they are [[WP:PP#full|fully protected]], hence making them only editable by [[Wikipedia:ADM|administrators]] (however, any changes can be suggested on their [[Wikipedia:Talk page|talk page]]). See [[Wikipedia:Catalogue of CSS classes]].

Users can customise the way default skins appear using specific subpages of their [[Wikipedia:User page|user page]]. These subpages are viewable by anybody but can only be edited by the user that the subpage belongs to and by administrators. Modifying these wiki pages only affects their owner.

Customisation may involve one or both of
# [[Cascading Style Sheets]] or "CSS" (found in the user's ".css" files)
# [[JavaScript]] (found in the user's ".js" files)

There are two ways to apply customisation:
# Using [[Special:MyPage/common.css]] and [[Special:MyPage/common.js]] links, which point to a location which applies to ''all'' of a user's skins.
# Using [[Special:MyPage/skin.css]] and [[Special:MyPage/skin.js]] links which point to a location which applies only to a user's current skin. For example, if you're using the default Vector skin, [[Special:MyPage/skin.css]] takes you to [[Special:MyPage/vector.css]], and if you switch skins to MonoBook, its contents will no longer apply.
You can use both the common and the skin-specific files; if you do this, the common file is loaded before the skin-specific one.

Note: these links are redirects to ''your own'' customisation subpages; [[Special:MyPage]] is an alias for your [[Wikipedia:User pages|userpage]] (try it and see). For example, when your username is ''[[User:Example|Example]]'', [[Special:MyPage/common.css]] will direct you to [[User:Example/common.css]].

After you have edited your personal skin files, if the changes do not appear right away, you may need to wait 30 seconds or more for the servers to update, then [[Wikipedia:Bypass your cache|bypass]] your browser cache to see the change.

See also [[meta:Vector#How do I import my monobook.css subpage?|How to import MonoBook settings into Vector]]. For the list of all CSS and JavaScript files involved in the rendering process, see [[Wikipedia:Catalogue of CSS classes]].

=== CSS ===
{{main|Wikipedia:Customisation#Personal CSS}}
{{see also|Help:Cascading Style Sheets}}

The CSS files can be used for all manner of customisation for those fluent in [[Cascading Style Sheets]] (CSS). A common use which is relatively straightforward is hiding a system message or template you don't wish to see; see [[Wikipedia:Customisation#Hiding specific messages]].

=== JavaScript ===
{{main|Wikipedia:JavaScript}}

On Wikipedia, JavaScript can be used to add new features such as add find/replace textboxes or give advanced rollback options. There are scripts to customise everything, from default font style to custom buttons.

Many script pages can be [[Template:js|imported and used]]. Different scripts can also be used in conjunction with each other to accomplish several tasks at once. Some scripts are available as "Gadgets", which means they can be installed by simply ticking a box in the "Gadgets" tab of [[Special:Preferences]].

In order to add pre-existing scripts to your JavaScript page, add <code><nowiki>{{subst:js|name of script}}</nowiki></code> to the file. More detailed instructions can be found at the [[Wikipedia:WikiProject User scripts/Tutorial]].

=== "Global" CSS and JavaScript ===
Additionally to the above, you can also create files at [[meta:Special:MyPage/global.css]] and [[meta:Special:MyPage/global.js]]. These will then be loaded on all Wikimedia wikis.

==External links==
*[[meta:Customization:Explaining skins]]
*[[mw:Manual:Skins/From Meta]]
*[[mw:Manual:Gallery of user styles]]

{{Wikipedia technical help|collapsed}}
[[Category:Wikipedia how-to|{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Wikipedia interface help]]

Wikipedia:Skin - Revision history

Tachyony: Imported page