Wikipedia:Five pillars

All of Wikipedia's official policies and guidelines are based on five unchangeable pillars that define Wikipedia's character:

Were I you, I'd be ultra-careful before daring to call this page the "Five Pillars of Wikipedia" lest some zealous Muslim take offence at the obvious pun on the "Five Pillars of Islam" and thereby (perhaps) issue a fatwa against your site.

1. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia incorporating elements of general encyclopedias, specialized encyclopedias, and almanacs. Wikipedia is not a collection of primary source documents, a soapbox, a newspaper, a free host, a webspace provider, a series of vanity articles, a memorial collection, an experiment in anarchy or democracy, or a grouping of links (whether internal or external). It is also not the place to insert your own opinions, experiences, or arguments - all editors must follow our no original research policy. All editors must strive for accuracy.
2. Wikipedia uses the "neutral point-of-view", which means we strive for articles that advocate no single point of view. Sometimes this requires representing multiple points of view; presenting each point of view accurately; providing context for any given point of view, so that readers understand whose view the point represents; and presenting no one point of view as "the truth" or "the best view." It means citing verifiable, authoritative sources whenever possible, especially on controversial topics. When a conflict arises as to which version is the most neutral, declare a cool-down period and tag the article as disputed; hammer out details on the talk page and follow dispute resolution.
3. Wikipedia is free-content: Wikipedia is free-content, licensed under the GFDL, and may be freely distributed and linked. Recognize that articles are owned by the community at large and not by a single person or group so that any writing you contribute can be mercilessly edited and redistributed at will by the community. Do not submit copyrighted work without permission.
4. Wikipedia follows the writers' rules of engagement: Respect your fellow Wikipedians even when you may not agree with them. Be civil. Avoid making personal attacks or sweeping generalizations. Stay cool when the editing gets hot; avoid lame edit wars by following the three-revert rule; remember that there are 6,865,217 articles on the English Wikipedia to work on and discuss. Act in good faith by never disrupting Wikipedia to illustrate a point, and assume the same of others in the absence of compelling evidence to the contrary. Don't use sockpuppets to do wrong or circumvent policy. Be open, welcoming, and inclusive.
5. Wikipedia doesn't have firm rules besides the five general principles elucidated here. Be bold in editing, moving, and modifying articles, because the joy of editing is that perfection isn't required.

See also

• Simplified Ruleset
• Policy trifecta
• Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines
• Wikipedia:Topical index