Now that you have installed MediaWiki and logged in to the admin panel, and you also learned how to add modules, it is time to make your wiki a bit more engaging and user-friendly. There are numerous ways to customize your Wiki project and one handy approach is to add the User Glow effect to highlight users or groups dynamically within the platform’s interface.
In the following paragraphs, we explain User Glow in MediaWiki and how to implement It on your website.
What is User Glow in MediaWiki
User Glow refers to the visual highlight of usernames within MediaWiki. The effect can include glowing text, colourful outlines, or any other eye-catching effect to make certain users stand out. In most cases, such an effect is used to outline the admins, moderators, VIP contributors, and others within a MediaWiki website.
How to Implement User Glow in MediaWiki
In the following paragraphs, we share how to set up a user glow effect in your MediaWiki. The process is comprised of a few easy-to-follow steps and requires a few minutes of your time.
Step 1: Identify Your User Groups
Before implementing technicality, it is first important to segment your user groups – decide which segments’ names would be highlighted and in what design, so you know how to approach the technical aspect of the User Glow implementation.
Step 2: Edit the Common.css File
In order to apply the glow effect for your user groups, you need to add a custom CSS sting to your Wiki. To do so, navigate to MediaWiki: Common.css within your root folder and add the following code (keep in mind that this is a sample code that adds a glowing green effect for admins and an orange glow for moderators. You can adjust the glowing effects and colours just the way it is most suitable for you):
/* Glow effect for admins */
.mw-userlink[data-user-group=”sysop”] {
text-shadow: 0 0 5px #00FF00, 0 0 10px #00FF00, 0 0 15px #00FF00;
font-weight: bold;
color: #00FF00;
}
/* Glow effect for moderators */
.mw-userlink[data-user-group=”moderator”] {
text-shadow: 0 0 5px #FF4500, 0 0 10px #FF4500, 0 0 15px #FF4500;
color: #FF4500;
}
Step 3: Assign Users to Different Groups
After you have added the CSS code to your global stylesheet, it is time to assign the users to the groups you just customized. This can be done with Special: UserRights on your MediaWiki website.
User groups are a built-in MediaWiki feature that allows you to distribute and categorize users and grant specific permissions to each group. By assigning users to different groups, you can control who gets the user glow effects on their username.
Here’s how to assign users to groups in MediaWiki:
-
Access the User Rights Management Page
Navigate to your wiki’s Special: UserRights page. You can do so by typing the following into your web browser’s address bar:
https://your-wiki-domain/Special:UserRights
-
Search for Users
In the search bar on the Special: UserRights page, type the username of the individual you want to assign to a group. Then, click the Edit User Groups button to access the user’s group management settings.
Once you access the settings, you will see a list of various groups. Most commonly these default groups are:
- * (everyone, including anonymous users)
- user (all registered users)
- sysop (administrators)
- bureaucrat (users with rights to assign other user groups)
If you’ve created custom groups (e.g., moderator, VIP, etc.), they will appear here as well.
- To assign a user to a group:
- Select the checkbox next to the group(s) you want the user to belong to.
- For example, check the box next to sysop to make the user an administrator.
- To remove a user from a group:
- Uncheck the corresponding checkbox.
- Once you’ve made your selections, click the Save User Groups button to apply the changes. After saving, the changes will take effect immediately. Refresh the page or visit a page where the user’s username is displayed to confirm that the “user glow” effect is now active.
Conclusion
Adding a User Glow effect in MediaWiki is an effective way of making your website more engaging. By following the steps in our guide, you can add unique aesthetics to your platform and enhance usability.
Read also:
- How to Install MediaWiki
- How to Log In to MediaWiki
- How to Install MediaWiki Extensions
- How to Create a Page in MediaWiki
- How to Install a MediaWiki Skin
- How to Add Infobox Module in MediaWiki
- How to Fix MediaWiki Internal Error: A Step-By-Step Guide
- How to Find Modules in MediaWiki
- How to View and Manage Recent Images in MediaWiki
