Template:Extension

<languages/> Template:ExtensionTypes

<translate> Extensions let you customize how MediaWiki looks and works. </translate>

• <translate> Wiki users can [[<tvar name=cat>Special:MyLanguage/Category:Extensions by category</tvar>|browse through extensions]].</translate>
• <translate> System administrators can [[<tvar name=1>#Installing an extension</tvar>|install]] (or remove) extensions on the MediaWiki installations that they manage.</translate>
• <translate> Developers can [[<tvar name=man>Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Developing extensions</tvar>|write new extensions]] or [[<tvar name=cat>Special:MyLanguage/Category:Unmaintained extensions</tvar>|improve or maintain extensions]]. </translate>

<translate> While some extensions are maintained by MediaWiki developers, others were written by third-party developers.</translate> <translate> As a result, many have bugs, and they are not all guaranteed to be compatible with each other.</translate> <translate> Some are unmaintained; not all extensions work on all versions of MediaWiki.</translate> <translate> Use any extension, especially those tagged as insecure, at your own risk.</translate> <translate> If you are using an extension that requires patches to the core software, be sure to backup your database.</translate> <translate> This helps avoid the risk of breaking your wiki.</translate>

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Types of extensions

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Template:InfoCard Template:InfoCard

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Browsing extensions

</translate> <translate> You can browse <tvar name=cat></tvar> to see the full range of extensions that have already been written.</translate> <translate> For information on installing these extensions or writing your own, see below.</translate>

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Checking installed extensions

</translate> <translate> Only someone with administration access to the filesystem (and often the database too) on a server can install extensions for MediaWiki, but anyone can check which extensions are active on an instance of MediaWiki by accessing the <tvar name=special>Special:Version</tvar> page.</translate> <translate> For example, these extensions are active in the English Wikipedia.</translate>

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Installing an extension

</translate> <translate> MediaWiki is ready to accept extensions just after [[<tvar name=man>Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Installation</tvar>|installation]] is finished.</translate> <translate> To add an extension follow these steps:</translate>

1. <translate> Before you start</translate>

   <translate> Many extensions provide instructions designed for installation using unix commands.</translate> <translate> You require shell access (SSH) to enter these commands listed on the extension help pages.</translate>

2. <translate> Download your extension.</translate>

   <translate> [[<tvar name=special>Special:ExtensionDistributor</tvar>|Extension Distributor]] helps you to select and download most of the popular extensions.</translate>

   <translate> Extensions are usually distributed as modular packages.</translate> <translate> They generally go in their own subdirectory of <tvar name=IP>/extensions/</tvar>.</translate> <translate> A list of extensions stored in the Wikimedia [[<tvar name=gerrit>Special:MyLanguage/Gerrit</tvar>|Git repository]] is located at <tvar name=extensions>git:mediawiki/extensions</tvar>.</translate> <translate> Some extensions [[<tvar name=cat>Special:MyLanguage/Category:Extensions which host their code in-wiki</tvar>|don't use version control]] and are not recommended.</translate>

   <translate> Some extensions are also available in [[<tvar name=1>Special:MyLanguage/Software bundles</tvar>|bundles]], <tvar name=composer></tvar> or [[<tvar name=2>Special:MyLanguage/Comparison of extensions in distributions</tvar>|package repositories]].</translate>

3. <translate> Install your extension.</translate>.

   <translate> At the end of the <tvar name=LocalSettings></tvar> file, add:</translate>

   wfLoadExtension( 'ExtensionName' );
   

   <translate> This line forces the PHP interpreter to read the extension file, and thereby make it accessible to MediaWiki.</translate>

   <translate> Some extensions can conflict with maintenance scripts, for example if they directly access $_SERVER (not recommended).</translate>

   <translate> In this case they can be wrapped in the conditional so maintenance scripts can still run.</translate>

if ( !$wgCommandLineMode ) {
   wfLoadExtension ( 'ExtensionName' );
}

<translate> : The maintenance script <tvar name=ImportDump></tvar> will fail for any extension which requires customized namespaces which is included inside the conditional above such as <tvar name=1></tvar>, <tvar name=2></tvar>.</translate>

<span class="citation wikicite" id="endnote_<translate> Ensure that required permissions are set for extensions!</translate>">^

<span class="citation wikicite" id="endnote_<translate> While this installation procedure is sufficient for most extensions, some require a different installation procedure.</translate> <translate> Check your extension's documentation for details.</translate>">^

<span class="citation wikicite" id="endnote_<translate> If you want to alter configuration variables in LocalSettings.php, you have to do this typically after including the extension.</translate> <translate> Otherwise defaults defined in the extension will overwrite your settings.</translate>">^

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Upgrading an extension

</translate> <translate> Some extensions require to be updated whenever you update MediaWiki, while others work with multiple versions.</translate> <translate> To upgrade to a new version of an extension:</translate>

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1. Download the new version of the extension</translate>

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1. Replace all the extension files in the extension/ExtensionName directory with the new files.</translate> <translate> Do not remove the extension configuration present in LocalSettings.php</translate>

<translate>

1. If the extension requires changes to the MediaWiki database, you will need to run the Update.php maintenance script.</translate> <translate> Most extensions will mention if this script needs to be run or not.</translate> <translate> (Perform backup of your data before executing the script).</translate> <translate> If you don't have command line access, you can also use the [[<tvar name=man>Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Upgrading#Web_updater</tvar>|web updater]].</translate>

<span class="citation wikicite" id="endnote_<translate> These instructions cover 99% of extensions.</translate> <translate> If the specific extension you are upgrading has instructions that differ from these, you should probably follow the specific extension's instructions</translate>">^

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Uninstalling an extension

Remove the line from LocalSettings.php with the extension name to uninstall it: </translate>

wfLoadExtension( 'ExtensionName' );

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• You must remove any lines pertaining to the configuration of the extension.

See also

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• - <translate> Information about translating extensions.</translate>

[[Category:Customization techniques{{#translation:}}|Extension]] [[Category:Extension creation{{#translation:}}]]