Bharatpedia:Twinkle

Twinkle

Description	Tools for page maintenance, editing, discussions, user messages, reversion and other routine administrative and editorial tasks
Author	User:WikiDwarf
Maintainer	User:WikiDwarf
Source	MediaWiki:Gadget-Twinkle.js

Twinkle is a JavaScript-based maintenance tool for Bharatpedia. It provides editors with a collection of semi-automated tools for common editorial and administrative tasks.

Twinkle can assist with page tagging, reverting edits, starting maintenance discussions, leaving user messages, reporting problematic activity, welcoming contributors, and performing other repetitive maintenance actions. Depending on the user's permissions and the functions implemented in the Bharatpedia version, it can also provide additional tools for users with administrative privileges.

Twinkle is intended to make routine maintenance easier while leaving editorial decisions with the individual editor. The use of Twinkle does not give an account any additional permissions.

Quick information

Getting started

To enable Twinkle on your Bharatpedia account, open the Gadgets section of your Preferences page and enable Twinkle. Click Save at the bottom of the page. Once enabled, Twinkle will load automatically when you use Bharatpedia.

Customizing Twinkle

To modify aspects of Twinkle's operation, use the available Twinkle configuration or preferences options. Configuration options may vary depending on the version and Bharatpedia-specific implementation of the tool.

Getting help

Comprehensive information about Twinkle is available in the documentation at Bharatpedia:Twinkle/doc. If the documentation does not answer your question, consider raising the matter on the associated talk page.

Reporting bugs or requesting features

Bugs affecting the Bharatpedia implementation of Twinkle should be reported through the appropriate discussion or technical-support page. When reporting a problem, include the browser being used, the affected Twinkle function, any error message shown in the browser console, and the relevant page or action where the problem occurred.

Contributing code

Twinkle is written in JavaScript. Contributions and changes to the Bharatpedia implementation should be tested before deployment and should follow the applicable development procedures.

Notes

• Access to particular Twinkle functions may depend on the user's Bharatpedia account permissions.
• Twinkle does not grant users additional permissions.
• Some browser add-ons may interfere with Twinkle.
• If Twinkle does not load after being enabled, try refreshing the page or performing a hard refresh of the browser.
• Users should avoid loading additional copies of Twinkle through their personal JavaScript pages unless specifically instructed by the Bharatpedia documentation.

Features

Twinkle provides a number of tools intended to simplify routine editorial and maintenance work. The exact functions available on Bharatpedia depend on the current version of the script, its configuration, and the user's account permissions.

Reverting edits

Twinkle provides tools for reverting edits. Depending on the implementation, these may include different types of rollback or revert functions. Editors should understand the difference between ordinary undoing of an edit and rollback-style actions before using them. A fast reversion tool should not be used merely because an edit is imperfect or because an editor disagrees with its content.

Reversion is generally appropriate when an edit is clearly inappropriate, harmful, disruptive, vandalistic, or otherwise requires removal under applicable Bharatpedia policies. If an edit appears to have been made in good faith, editors should normally provide an informative edit summary explaining the reason for the reversion.

Page tagging

Twinkle provides an interface for applying maintenance templates to pages. The templates available through Twinkle depend on the Bharatpedia configuration. Editors should select the template that accurately describes the issue and should avoid applying maintenance tags simply because a page could be improved. A maintenance tag should identify a genuine issue that other editors can understand and, where applicable, address.

User warnings and messages

Twinkle can assist editors in leaving standardized messages on user talk pages. These messages may be used for purposes such as:

• welcoming new contributors;
• explaining problems with edits;
• warning about inappropriate or disruptive editing;
• notifying users about maintenance actions;
• providing information about an issue requiring attention; and
• communicating other routine editorial matters.

Editors should select messages appropriate to the circumstances. Standardized messages should not be used as a substitute for understanding the underlying issue.

Reporting problematic activity

Depending on the Bharatpedia configuration, Twinkle may provide tools for reporting vandalism, disruptive editing, problematic accounts, or other activity requiring attention from administrators or other authorized users. Reports should contain enough information for the reviewing user to understand the issue. Editors should not use reporting functions simply because another editor has a different opinion.

Welcoming users

Twinkle may provide tools for welcoming new contributors. A welcome message should be appropriate for the recipient and should not be used automatically where doing so would be confusing or inappropriate.

Administrative tools

Some Twinkle functions may be available only to users with administrative or other elevated permissions. These functions can provide convenient interfaces for actions such as page protection, user blocks, or other administrative maintenance where supported by the Bharatpedia implementation.

Twinkle does not itself grant administrative permissions. The underlying MediaWiki permission system determines whether a user may perform an action.

Documentation and configuration

Main page: Bharatpedia:Twinkle/doc

Before using Twinkle extensively, editors should familiarize themselves with its available functions and their effects. The documentation should explain the specific tools implemented on Bharatpedia, including:

• available revert functions;
• page-maintenance tags;
• user-warning and user-message options;
• reporting functions;
• administrative functions;
• configuration options;
• account requirements;
• keyboard or interface controls; and
• known limitations.

Experienced Twinkle users are welcome to expand or improve the documentation based on their use of the tool.

Responsible use

Users remain responsible for every action performed using Twinkle.

Twinkle automates or simplifies actions, but it does not determine whether an action is appropriate. Editors must understand the action they are performing and ensure that it complies with Bharatpedia's policies and guidelines. Particular care should be taken with the rollback links provided by Twinkle. Only appropriate edits should be reverted using rollback or other rapid-reversion functions.

If a contribution appears to have been made in good faith, editors should consider improving the contribution, discussing the issue with the contributor, or providing a clear edit summary when reverting it. If a change is merely unsatisfactory in some way, undoing or reverting it should not necessarily be the first response. Editors should make a reasonable attempt to improve the change or leave it for future editors to improve.

Reversion may be appropriate where a contribution is arguably wrong, unreasonably difficult to fix, actually harmful to the article, or constitutes vandalism or other disruptive activity. A plain-language edit summary should be used when reverting changes that appear to have been made in good faith. This helps contributors understand what the problem was and reduces the likelihood of repeated misunderstandings.

Do not rely blindly on automation

Twinkle is intended to make maintenance easier, not to replace editorial judgment. Before confirming an action, users should:

• review the page or edit involved;
• confirm that the selected action is appropriate;
• check that the correct page or user is being targeted;
• review any generated message or edit summary;
• verify that the selected template or report accurately describes the situation; and
• cancel the action if the circumstances do not match the selected function.

Users should also avoid performing large numbers of automated or semi-automated actions without reviewing the results.

Abuse and misuse

Twinkle should not be used to perform actions that violate Bharatpedia's policies. Examples of inappropriate use include:

• reverting good-faith edits simply because the editor disagrees with them;
• repeatedly reverting another editor without attempting to resolve the underlying dispute;
• applying maintenance templates without checking whether they are appropriate;
• sending warnings that do not correspond to the user's actual conduct;
• filing reports without sufficient evidence;
• performing administrative actions without understanding their consequences; and
• using automated functions to carry out large numbers of actions without appropriate review.

Misuse of Twinkle may result in the underlying action being reversed and may lead to administrative action where warranted under Bharatpedia's policies.

Edit summaries

Twinkle may generate edit summaries automatically. Users should review automatically generated summaries where practical and ensure that they accurately describe the action being performed. When reverting an edit that appears to have been made in good faith, a clear plain-language edit summary is preferable to relying solely on a short technical label. This helps the affected editor understand what happened and reduces the likelihood of repeated misunderstandings.

Is Twinkle loading unreliably?

If Twinkle does not load consistently after being enabled through the Gadgets section, first try refreshing the page or performing a hard refresh of the browser. Browser extensions that modify JavaScript, page content, or the MediaWiki interface may interfere with Twinkle. If Twinkle still does not load, check the browser's developer tools for JavaScript errors.

Users should not install multiple copies of Twinkle simultaneously, as additional copies or obsolete configurations may interfere with the gadget.

Browser compatibility

Twinkle is JavaScript-based and requires a browser capable of running the JavaScript functionality used by the current version of the script. Modern versions of commonly used browsers should generally support the required functionality. Some browser add-ons may interfere with Twinkle. If Twinkle does not load correctly, temporarily disabling extensions that modify pages or JavaScript can help identify the problem. If Twinkle works in one browser but not another, the problem may be specific to the browser or one of its extensions.

Mobile devices

Twinkle's compatibility with mobile devices depends on the Bharatpedia skin, browser, and version of the gadget. Some functions may be less convenient on touchscreen devices, and interface controls may be positioned differently from their desktop equivalents. If a Twinkle menu or control is not immediately visible, tapping or holding the relevant interface element may reveal additional options, depending on the skin.

History

Twinkle has its origins as a JavaScript-based reversion tool and subsequently developed into a broader collection of maintenance functions. It has grown from its original reversion functionality into a toolset that can assist with page maintenance, user communication, reporting, and administrative tasks. Bharatpedia's implementation uses the Twinkle JavaScript tool within its own MediaWiki environment and is adapted to the site's configuration and workflows.

The implementation may differ from versions used on other MediaWiki projects. Features, templates, permissions, configuration options, and workflows should therefore be documented according to their actual implementation on Bharatpedia.

Bharatpedia implementation

The Bharatpedia version of Twinkle is distributed as a gadget and can be enabled from the Gadgets section of a user's Preferences page. The underlying JavaScript source is maintained at MediaWiki:Gadget-Twinkle.js. The Bharatpedia implementation can be adapted to Bharatpedia's own:

• page-maintenance templates;
• user-warning templates;
• administrative workflows;
• permissions;
• page naming conventions;
• discussion processes;
• interface;
• policies and guidelines; and
• other MediaWiki configuration.

Bharatpedia should document only functions that are actually implemented and available on the site. Functions described in documentation for other projects should not be assumed to be available on Bharatpedia.

Development

Twinkle is written primarily in JavaScript. Development of the Bharatpedia implementation should take into account the MediaWiki version and JavaScript environment used by Bharatpedia. Before deploying changes, developers should test:

• loading and initialization;
• page navigation;
• edit and revert operations;
• generated edit summaries;
• template insertion;
• user-message functions;
• API requests;
• permission checks;
• administrative functions; and
• compatibility with supported Bharatpedia skins.

Changes that affect automated or semi-automated editing should receive particular testing because errors can affect multiple pages or users.

Security considerations

Twinkle operates within a user's logged-in Bharatpedia session and can perform actions using the permissions available to that account. Users should therefore treat Twinkle as a privileged interface to their account. Users should not execute modified JavaScript obtained from an unknown source without understanding what it does.

Twinkle should be enabled through Bharatpedia's Gadgets system rather than by importing unofficial copies of the script. Changes to the Twinkle gadget should be reviewed and tested before being deployed to users.

See also

• Bharatpedia:Twinkle/doc
• Bharatpedia:Policies and guidelines
• Bharatpedia:Vandalism
• Bharatpedia:Administrators
• Bharatpedia:Maintenance
• Gadgets