howto:wiki

The Danbooru Wiki exists to provide information about topics relevant to the site. Primarily, wiki entries are used to explain the usage of the various tags given to posts. In addition, the wiki allows us to construct useful informational resources such as tag lists, tag groups, and "How To" pages such as the one you are currently viewing.

This page will give you an idea of how to properly construct or edit an entry in the Danbooru Wiki, as well as some warnings regarding what conduct is unacceptable. As with all things, if you have further questions about the material presented here, you may ask a staff member or contributor for help. Most of us are glad to help you.

If you accidentally create a non-relevant wiki page, you may delete it by clicking "Edit" and then clicking "Delete".

Other names

The other names field is used when a tag on Danbooru is called something else on other websites like Pixiv, Twitter, etc. For example Naruto (Series) has the other names "ナルト" and "NARUTO" since these are alternate ways of referring to the series. These other names should have the same meaning on the sites where they're used as the tag on Danbooru. If possible, try to add other names for character and copyright wikis if you can when creating them. However, it is not required, and you can also create a wiki with just other names and no content.

For further help, see help:translated tags.

Formatting

All wiki pages are formatted using a code called DText. The examples on this page are in DText as well.

Content guidelines

What not to do
  • No spoilers. The wiki is not the place to give away plot information. If spoilers are absolutely necessary in order to describe the basis of a meme or other tag, it MUST be marked properly [spoiler] like this [/spoiler] to make it like this. If the spoilers start to become overly long to describe and take up the majority of the page, you may unmark them. However, you MUST add a bolded warning about said spoilers.
  • Do not make entries for nonexistent tags, except to mark a tag as ambiguous or subjective. Do not make entries for characters or copyrights that don't have any posts. Do not make vanity entries for yourself or for other users. There are some exceptions for rules articles such as this one, or explanatory categories such as tag_groups.
  • Do not be subjective or biased. Wikis should be purely objective. Your personal feelings on the issue do not belong. Do not use words like "stupid", "sexy", "annoying", or "awesome".
  • Do not create wiki entries without a proper understanding of the tag and its correct usage. A misleading wiki giving incorrect information to users does not help the site in any way.
  • Do not change the meaning of a tag. Be careful editing the first paragraph of a general tag or adding clauses that change when it's meant to be used. If you believe a tag's definition needs to be fixed, ask in the forum first. It's usually fine to add images and related links without asking in the forum. If a character tag or copyright tag was created in the wrong tag category, you can fix it yourself. See help:tags for how.
What to do
  • Be concise. Provide only the basic information that someone unfamiliar with the subject needs to know. As a rule of thumb, avoid going beyond one to two short paragraphs and avoid excessive use of headings and subheadings. Most wikis only have one or two standard headings. If possible, especially regarding characters and copyrights, provide a link to an outside website with further information for the benefit of those interested.
  • Be relevant. Only include information that is relevant to Danbooru. The main purpose of a wiki entry is to explain how a tag is used, not to list everything you know about the topic.
  • Link to other wiki entries. When you mention another tag, don't forget to link to that tag's wiki entry.
  • List other relevant links. Put links to any other relevant tags or outside websites in a "See also" section at the bottom of the entry.

Writing style

  • A character's first name, last name order should be written in the same order as their corresponding tag.
  • Avoid using bold and italic on wikis. Some external wikis like Wikipedia always make the word being explained bold. We don't.
  • Leave one empty line of space between paragraphs and headers, and between individual paragraphs.
Phrasing

Phrase wikis as if writing a dictionary definition, and don't begin the wiki with redundant information. Instead of:

  • Use this tag when two or more characters are holding hands.
  • A blush is a rosy color in the cheeks.
  • This tag refers to posts depicting traditional media made using watercolor paints.

Write:

  • Two or more characters holding hands.
  • A rosy color in the cheeks.
  • Traditional art created using watercolor paints.
Headings
  • Use h4. for main headings, h5. for subheadings, and h6. for sub-subheadings. Don't use h1., h2., or h3. (for historical reasons, headings start at h4.).
  • Headings should be written in sentence case, i.e. write h4. See also instead of h4. See Also.
  • Don't put a colon after the heading, i.e. write h4. See also instead of h4. See also:.
  • Always put a space after the period, i.e. write h4. See also instead of h4.See also.
  • Leave a line of empty space before and after each heading.
  • Put headings in the right order. Headings generally go in the order of Examples/Appearance, Related tags, See also, and External links.
Linking

To link to a tag like sword, wrap the tag's name in double brackets:

[[sword]]

You can mask a link using custom text by placing a pipe symbol (|) and the custom text after it:

[[sword|long blade]]

This should only be used when it's obvious where the link goes by looking at the text.

Any text adjacent to a wiki link gets joined into the link, enabling pluralization:

[[sword]]s

If a tag ends in a (qualifier) like kemomimi-chan (naga u), you can remove it by typing the "|" at the end without writing any custom text:

[[kemomimi-chan (naga_u)|]]

For further formatting advice, see help:dtext.

Avoid writing large lists of links in a single tag's wiki. Use tag groups when it's general tags and "list of..." wikis such as list of pokemon when it's character tags.

Wiki structure & standards

All wikis should start with at least one paragraph of text describing the tag before the first heading.

For general tags
  • One or more paragraphs describing the tag.
  • An "Examples" section containing nothing but an image that shows what the tag is about.
    • For most wikis, one image will suffice, though tags with complex or double meanings may require a handful of example images.
    • Sometimes, a plain image that would be off-topic for Danbooru may be necessary for an adequate example, such as pentagram or shima (pattern). These should be uploaded as media assets. See the Images section for how.
    • Examples for extreme content (such as guro) should be linked, rather than embedded.
  • A "Non-examples" section showing posts that shouldn't be tagged with this tag, like long dress having a medium dress as non-example.
    • This is only necessary for tags that are at high risk of being confused with something else. Don't add a zebra as a counter-example for a horse.
For character tags
  • One or more paragraphs describing the character.
    • Mention the copyright that the character is from. If you do then later you'll be able to use the "What Links Here" link from the copyright wiki page to find characters that link to it.
    • If the copyright is a franchise, it should mention the first work they star in. For example, Eugeo first starred in Sword Art Online: Alicization.
    • If the character is an original character of an artist and the artist has a tag on Danbooru, link to the artist.
    • You may describe the character's typical appearance linking to related tags.
    • If the character's gender is canonically ambiguous or misleading, it's important to write this on the wiki since it may be checked by uploaders later.
    • Mention characters that they're often drawn with or related to. Like "brother of X" or "has a pet called Y", etc.
  • An "Appearance" section containing an image that shows the appearance of the character.
    • Do not write about the character's appearance in this section. Write it before this section. This section is just for the images.
    • Prefer official art if it has been posted. If you want one for an anime character's wiki, the official website of the anime usually will have a tachi-e of each character that you can post to Danbooru. See Blend S for example.
    • If the character has multiple costumes, changes appearance in the sequel, has an official alternate hair color, dark persona design, etc., you may list them. See Hatsune Miku for examples.
For copyright tags
  • A brief introduction to the copyright.
    • First give basic context: explain what it's called (if it has different Japanese and English names), what type of media it is (a manga, a game, an anime, a light novel, etc), who made it (the mangaka, developer, studio, author, etc), and what year was it released.
    • If the author has an artist tag on Danbooru, link to it.
    • Give a brief, one paragraph synopsis of what it's about (the basic premise, the setting, the main character, etc). Avoid spoilers.
  • An optional "Media" section listing all entries in the series, if it's a series or franchise with multiple entries.
    • List entries in release date order.
    • Subdivide the list by media type (anime, manga, games, movies, spin-offs, etc).
    • Avoid listing entries that don't have tags or content on Danbooru.
    • If the list is extremely long, it may be placed in a separate list of X titles wiki. In most cases this is unnecessary.
  • A "Characters" section listing its characters.
    • If there are only a few characters, a simple list will be enough.
    • If the copyright has a small main cast and many side characters, split it into subsections. (e.g., Main, Minor, Other)
    • If the number of characters is massive, remove this section and create a "list of X characters" wiki, then link to that wiki in the a "See also" section at the bottom of the copyright wiki.
    • When it doesn't make sense to place characters in a specific order, like putting the protagonist first, use alphabetical order.
    • You may embed an image for each character.
  • A "Related tags" section listing general tags and artists related to the copyright.
  • An optional "See also" section.
    • Only necessary if there is a related "List of X characters" page, or to mention other indirectly-related copyrights.
  • An "External links" section with links to other relevant sites.
    • Include links to the official website, the main fan wiki dedicated to the copyright, and the Wikipedia page.
    • If it's a visual novel, link to its VNDB page.
    • If it's an anime, you may link to its MyAnimeList page.
    • Never link to piracy sites, such as sites that offer pirated manga.
For artist tags
  • A paragraph describing the artist. In general artists do not need wikis but if you do create one you should at least write "Artist." in the first paragraph before the first heading.
    • Not all artist tags belong to artists. Some artist tags are commissioners, voice actors, etc. Be sure to enter correct information.
    • You may link to ai-generated if the tag belongs to an account known for posting ai-generated images. Avoid making accusations on wikis without being sure, some people use the Danbooru wiki as a source of truth with regards to AI use, and a false accusation can harm an artist's reputation. Ask in topic #22285 if you think an artist uses AI.
    • Don't put personal information on artist wikis. This isn't what the wiki is for.
    • Avoid mentioning the artist's personal opinions and current endeavors, e.g. "ArtistName frequently draws Hakurei Reimu and is currently working on a doujin." This information can quickly become outdated and isn't relevant for our purposes. However, feel free to list published works that an artist has contributed to.
  • A "Works" section listing copyrights they have worked on.
  • An "Original characters" section, if they have any.
For deprecated tags
  • A paragraph saying the tag is ambiguous or that has been deprecated and should not be used. Generally "Ambiguous tag." will suffice.
  • A "See also" section listing tags that should be used instead.
Footer
  • A "See also" section that links to related tags.
    • Should be in alphabetical order. Namespaced wikis like help:* or tag group:* belong at the bottom.
    • If a copyright wiki has a related "list of X characters" wiki, you may link it here.
    • If the wiki is linked in a tag group, link back to the tag group at the end of list.
  • An "External links" section that links to other websites, such as Wikipedia, KnowYourMeme, the official websites of a copyright, etc.

Images

Images can be added to wiki pages. For more information on images, see topic #26714.

To add a group of thumbnail images, write this:

* !post #1
* !post #2
* !post #3

You can add a caption beneath an image like this:

* !post #1: This is a caption.
* !post #2: Here's another caption.
* !post #3: Captions can contain links, like this: [[Touhou]].

You don't need to caption the example image of a general tag of appearance image of a character tag if it's the only image or if it's the normal appearance.

To add a single large image to a wiki (do this only for things like screenshots in help wikis, not tag wikis), write this:

!post #1

To add an arbitrary image that isn't from a post, click the "Insert image" icon in the toolbar the top right corner of the text edit box, then paste the URL to the image. You can also copy and paste or drag and drop images into the edit box. Alternatively, you can upload the image as you would upload a post, but on the page where you would normally tag it, you can click on the three dots and then on "Copy ID" to copy the asset ID that you can use to link or embed in wikis.

* !asset #19734342: [[Ford Mustang II]] (1973-1978)
Guidelines

Use images that are as safe-for-work as possible, even for NSFW tags. Try searching with the lowest rating possible first and only go up a rating if there are no suitable examples. Try to pick examples that are tasteful, avoiding fetishistic posts wherever possible.

Remember that examples are not mandatory, so if you can't find a good example image, simply leave it be.

See also