Kannada Language Workshop/Resources-Infobox

What is an Infobox?

An infobox is a template or table used on Wikipedia articles to summarize key details about the subject. Infoboxes typically appear at the top of the article to present critical information in a structured, easily accessible way.

How to Use Existing Infobox Templates

Wikipedia provides pre-built templates that help you add infoboxes to articles. These templates have predefined parameters (e.g., `name`, `birth_date`, `image`) that automatically format the information in a uniform way.

Example of an Infobox for a Person

{{Infobox person
| name        = Albert Einstein
| image       = Einstein_1921_by_F_Schmutzer.jpg
| caption     = Albert Einstein in 1921
| birth_date  = March 1879
| birth_place = Ulm, Germany
| death_date  = April 1955
| death_place = Princeton, New Jersey, USA
}}

This code will create a standard infobox with the provided data.

Best Practices and Style Guidelines

When creating or editing infoboxes, follow these guidelines:

Use Standard Parameters: Stick to common fields appropriate for the subject.
Avoid Overloading: Include only the most essential facts.
Consistent Formatting: Ensure the layout looks clean and standardized.

For more guidance, refer to Wikipedia's Manual of Style for Infoboxes.

Wikidata and Infoboxes

Infoboxes can link to Wikidata to ensure consistency across languages and articles. Wikidata entries allow the infobox to pull up-to-date information automatically.

Example of Using Wikidata

{{Infobox person
| name       = {{Wikidata|Q937}}  <!-- Wikidata entry for Albert Einstein -->
| image      = Einstein_1921_by_F_Schmutzer.jpg
| birth_date = March 1879
| death_date = April 1955
}}

This will automatically retrieve data from Wikidata and display it in the infobox.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here are some common pitfalls when working with infoboxes:

Incorrect Parameters: Double-check parameter names and values.
Overloading the Infobox: Only include key details; don’t try to fit everything in.
Not Verifying Sources: Ensure any data, such as dates or locations, is reliable and properly cited.

Examples of Infoboxes

The table below provides examples of infoboxes, with their corresponding Wikitext code and visual representations.

Examples of Infoboxes

Code

Visual Representation

{{Infobox person
| name        = Marie Curie
| image       = Marie_Curie_c1920.jpg
| caption     = Marie Curie in 1920
| birth_date  = 7 November 1867
| birth_place = Warsaw, Congress Poland, Russian Empire
| death_date  = 4 July 1934
| death_place = Passy, Haute-Savoie, France
}}

How to Create an Infobox traditional way

Creating Infobox Without Templates (Using class=vcards)

To create an infobox without using a template, you can manually construct one using the `class=vcards` method.

Example Code

{| class="vcard"
|-
! Name
| John Doe
|-
! Image
| [[File:John_Doe.jpg|200px]]
|-
! Occupation
| Software Engineer
|-
! Birth Date
| 1 January 1980
|-
! Birth Place
| New York, USA
|}

Name	John Doe
Image
Occupation	Software Engineer
Birth Date	1 January 1980
Birth Place	New York, USA

This creates a basic infobox without a pre-defined template.

Understand the Structure of a Template

Templates like `Infobox person` or `Infobox book` standardize formatting. To replicate this structure, list the fields you want to include (e.g., `name`, `image`, `birth_date`).

Build the Template Code

Here’s another example of a manually created infobox:

{| class="vcard" style="border: 1px solid #ccc; width: 250px; padding: 10px;"
|-
! Name
| Jane Smith
|-
! Image
| [[File:John Doe.jpg|150px]]
|-
! Date of Birth
| December 1990
|-
! Occupation
| Architect
|-
! Nationality
| American
|}

Name	Jane Smith
Image
Date of Birth	December 1990
Occupation	Architect
Nationality	American

Test the Infobox

Test the infobox in your sandbox or draft article to ensure it displays correctly.