Help:User manual

''This is an introductory page about Semantic MediaWiki. Some of its links have been directed to the SMW Wiki. If you feel that a red link on this page might contain useful information, please go to the original SMW Wiki page or suggest that we create a copy on Familypedia.''

Semantic MediaWiki (or SMW for short) is an extension to the well-known MediaWiki software. The purpose of SMW is to allow users to improve the structure and organization of the knowledge in a wiki by adding simple, machine-processable information to wiki articles. With this additional information, you can greatly improve searching, browsing, and sharing the wiki's knowledge - both within the wiki's pages and from external computer programs.

This is the user manual of SMW that focusses on information for users of an SMW-enabled wiki. If you are new to SMW, then the introduction to Semantic MediaWiki is a good starting point. Information for site administrators and for SMW developers (including information on the spinoff extensions of SMW) can be found on the main page.

The main sections of this handbook explain the most important aspects of using SMW:


 * Browsing and searching
 * Editing
 * Semantic MediaWiki in the context of the Semantic Web

These sections are relevant to different user groups, and need not be read in sequence. Detailed navigation is provided by the table of contents on the right. Other relevant parts of this handbook include:


 * Getting support – who can help out with questions?
 * Reporting bugs – making your requests for improvements heard
 * SMW Project – the makers of Semantic MediaWiki

There are other resources that you might find useful:


 * The SMW Quick Reference Guide, available in both PNG and PDF form - a two-page "cheat sheet", suitable for printing, that includes information on the syntax and settings of SMW, plus those of many of the spinoff extensions, including Semantic Result Formats and Semantic Forms.
 * There is a PDF version of the Semantic MediaWiki manual for SMW 1.4.3, compiled from the contents of this website by ontoprise GmbH.
 * The SMW Community Wiki, an SMW-based site that lists people, organizations, sites etc. that are related to Semantic MediaWiki. Includes a filterable list of all known SMW-based wikis.
 * The public sandbox site - lets you try out SMW online
 * Referata, a wiki hosting site that includes support for SMW and most of its extensions. It also includes the scratchpad wiki, which is very similar to the sandbox but also offers support for the other extensions.
 * SMWforum - is a free community wiki offering easy-to-browse user manuals, a library of best practices and wikitext code snippets, video tutorials and weekly free webinars about SMW, the halo Extensions and SMW+. SMWforum is hosted by Vulcan Inc, Monitor and Ontoprise.