Wikipedia:Build the web

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This page documents an English Wikipedia editing guideline.

Editors should generally follow it, though exceptions may apply. Substantive edits to this page should reflect consensus. When in doubt, discuss first on the talk page.

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A current guideline on a related subject can be found at Wikipedia:Manual of Style (links).

This page in a nutshell: Link articles sideways to neighbours, upwards to categories and contexts, and downwards to sub-articles to create a useful web of information.

Build the Web is an expression of the concept that Wikipedia is and should be a part of the World Wide Web, a system of hypertext pages connected by hyperlinks to enable readers to find relevant information on other pages with just a click of the mouse. Do not just write the article, but also consider its place in the web. Make upward links to categories and contexts (Charles Darwin was a biologist; Sahara is a desert in Africa, the Glorious Revolution happened in 1689, etc. Make sideways links to neighboring articles (for proton see also electron, Oregon borders on California). Introduce links from related articles to avoid orphaning the article. Do not build category trees too deep and narrow, or too flat. Writing category directories first (top-down) will help ensure that subcategory articles get useful names.

Think carefully before you remove a link altogether (apart from the case of a duplicate link). Remember that what may seem like an irrelevant link to you may actually be useful to other readers.

Don't be afraid to create links to articles which don't exist yet. If you think there should be an article with that title, then be bold and make the link. Of course, the best way to build the web is to then go ahead and write that article.

Remember that a link can also be useful when applying the "What links here" feature from the target page. If you feel that a certain link does not belong in the body of the text, consider moving it to a "See also" section at the bottom of the article. This keeps the web intact while removing overlinking.