Technical Training on MediaWiki at Wiki Club SATI

“Technical Training on MediaWiki” workshop was a collaborative effort between Wiki Club SATI and the Indic MediaWiki Developers User Group (IMDUG). This hands-on workshop aimed to introduce students to the MediaWiki ecosystem and equip them with practical skills in open-source development.

Collaborative Training Initiatives

A notable collaboration was with Wiki Club SATI, resulting in the "Technical Training on MediaWiki" workshop. This hands-on session is aimed to introduce students to the MediaWiki ecosystem and equip them with practical skills in open-source development. The workshop covered topics ranging from installing MediaWiki extensions to debugging and querying the MediaWiki database. The workshop was held on 8 November 2024 at the V V Natu Computer Center Lab, SATI Campus, the event featured mentors like Gopa Vasanth, and Nivas who are among the core members of IMDUG and Suyash who is part of AffCom and Commons Photographers User Group.

Event Details

Date: 8 November 2024
Time: 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM, IST
Location: V V Natu Computer Center Lab, SATI Campus

Program Schedule

Time	Program
10:30 am to 11:00 am	Introductions
11:00 am to 11:30 am	Introduction and Installing MediaWiki Extensions
11:30 am to 12:30 pm	The MediaWiki Action API
12:30 pm to 1:30 pm	Tools and Tasks in the MediaWiki Ecosystem
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm	Break
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm	Debugging - How to Contribute to the Movement
4:00 pm to 4:30 pm	Short Introduction to MediaWiki Database and Query Service

Mentors

Gopa Vasanth - Core Member: Indic MediaWiki Developers User Group
Nivas - Core member: Indic MediaWiki Developers User Group
Suyash - Indic MediaWiki Developers User Group, Affcom

Event Facilitators

Akshat Shrivastava
Dev Jadiya
Sarthak Khare
Shreya

Training Modules and Content

The training sessions are designed to cover some of the essential aspects of using and contributing to MediaWiki:

MediaWiki Extensions: Participants learnt the process of installing and configuring various extensions, enhancing the functionality of MediaWiki platforms.
Tools and Tasks in the MediaWiki Ecosystem: The mentors introduced Phabricator and other tools in the ecosystem, guiding participants on how they can contribute to the improvement of the tool
Debugging Techniques: Emphasising the importance of debugging, the training gave skills necessary for identifying and resolving issues within MediaWiki installations and extensions.

The event facilitators, including Shreya, Dev Jadiya, Sarthak Khare, and Akshat Shrivastava, ensured the smooth execution of the workshop, installing the MediaWiki local instance in the students' laptops before the training, providing logistical support and assisting participants throughout the sessions.

Impact on the Community

The collaborative efforts between IMDUG and Wiki Club SATI have yielded significant benefits

Hands-on Learning: Participants gain practical experience by working directly with MediaWiki tools, fostering a deeper understanding of the platform during this workshop
Skill Development: The training programs enhance technical competencies, including debugging, and utilising open-source tools which helps in skill enhancement of the participants
Open Source Contribution: By equipping participants with the necessary skills, IMDUG empowers them to contribute actively to the Wikimedia movement, enriching the global open-source community

Looking Ahead

IMDUG plans to support and collaborate further with Wiki Club SATI with some future initiatives include

Advanced Training Programs: Developing specialised workshops to delve deeper into complex aspects of MediaWiki development and customisation.
Community Engagement: Organising hackathons and collaborative projects to encourage innovation and problem-solving within the community.
Resource Development: Creating comprehensive documentation and tutorials to assist new contributors in navigating the MediaWiki ecosystem.