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A Wikipedia gadget is a JavaScript program and/or a CSS snippet that can be enabled simply by checking an option in your preferences. The gadget's function is provided by the MediaWiki extension Gadgets.

Many gadgets started out as user scripts. Once a user script is approved as a gadget, it is removed from Wikipedia:User scripts/List.

In order to be deployed on the English language Wikipedia, gadgets should generally pass the following conditions:

1. Gadgets must work if just included with no further configuration. They can be configurable via personal common.js, but must work unconfigured.
2. Gadgets must be compatible with all major browsers, i.e., they must not terminate with errors.
3. Gadgets should be functional in most major browsers (cross-browser compatibility). Exceptions must be clearly stated.
4. Duplication of gadgets should only be made if it is reasonable.
5. Collections of scripts should be split if they have disparate functions.
6. Gadgets requiring permissions must be marked and must fail gracefully if the permissions aren't present.
7. Gadgets only working in some skins must be marked as such if that data is available.

New gadgets should be proposed at the technical Village Pump.

Historically, new gadgets were proposed at a subpage of this page, but that page was marked historical due to low participation. Also, existing WikiProject User scripts used to be evaluated for conversion to gadgets, but that process has also been marked historical.

Gadgets can be installed after discussion at the technical section of the village pump by interface administrators in the following way:

1. Add the header below and the script code to MediaWiki:Gadget-scriptname.js
2. Optionally, add the header below and CSS code to MediaWiki:Gadget-scriptname.css
3. Add a script description to MediaWiki:Gadget-scriptname. Please link to the script home and/or help page and state browser requirements if needed.
4. Add to MediaWiki:Gadgets-definition under the appropriate heading

    * scriptname|scriptname.js[|scriptname.css|otherscript.js|...]
   

The gadget should now appear on Special:Gadgets.

Comments

Comments or warnings can be added to the gadget description templates in two ways:

• noinclude tag (visible on description page with links): <noinclude> comment </noinclude>
• HTML comments (visible in source text only): <!-- comment -->

Comments added in this way will be automatically discarded during the page creation process.

Header

The following header is to be added to the gadget files:

/*  _____________________________________________________________________________
 * |                                                                             |
 * |                    === WARNING: GLOBAL GADGET FILE ===                      |
 * |                  Changes to this page affect many users.                    |
 * | Please discuss changes on the talk page or on [[WT:Gadget]] before editing. |
 * |_____________________________________________________________________________|
 * 
 * Imported from version XXXX as of DATE from [[SCRIPT_SOURCE]]
 * SHORT_DESCRIPTION, see [[SCRIPT_HOME_PAGE]]
 */

Default gadgets

A gadget with default keyword is enabled for all Wikipedia visitors and only registered users can disable it.

A gadget with [default|rights=minoredit] description would be automatically enabled only for registered users.

Users can browse a list of all available gadgets in the gadgets section of their preferences page:

Preferences → Gadgets

See Special:Gadgets for a list of all active gadgets and links to their script files.

• MediaWiki talk:Gadgets-definition, discussing technical details of making and maintaining gadgets
• Special:GadgetUsage, provides statistics on gadget usage
• mw:Extension:Gadgets, the Mediawiki gadget extension page
• Template:Bug report, template message asking for detailed bug-related information
• mw:Gadget kitchen, tutorial on writing gadgets
• Wikipedia:Gadget/Repositories, a list of version control repositories for gadgets and user scripts