interwikiviitteitä

Interwikiviitteitä, often shortened to interwiki links, are a specialized type of hyperlink used within wiki software. Their primary purpose is to facilitate easy navigation between different wikis, even if they are hosted on separate servers or operate under different domain names. Instead of a standard external link pointing to a full URL, an interwiki link uses a specific syntax to refer to a page within another wiki.

The general format typically involves a prefix representing the target wiki, followed by a colon and the name of the page within that wiki. For example, a link to the "Main Page" on the English Wikipedia might be represented as [[Wikipedia:Main Page]]. The interwiki prefixes are pre-configured within the wiki's software, allowing administrators to define which wikis are linked and what their corresponding prefixes are. This system streamlines the process of cross-wiki referencing, making it more efficient for users to access information located on related wiki projects.

Interwiki links are particularly common in large wiki farms, such as those operated by the Wikimedia Foundation, where hundreds of sister projects exist. They are crucial for maintaining a connected ecosystem of knowledge and for enabling users to discover and contribute to a broader range of resources. The use of interwiki links enhances the discoverability of related content and fosters collaboration across different wiki communities.