Template:Var/doc

Usage

This template is to help facilitate the displaying of variable names (in mathematics, computer source code, etc.) with the semantically correct <var>...</var>, which also renders the variable in italics, as is customary. This method is preferred to simply italicizing, for accessibility, content/presentation separation, semantic Web, and metadata reasons; [X]HTML's <var> element has semantic meaning, while simple italicization does not.

Example:

{{var|username}}

outputs

<var>username</var>

which renders as:

username

compare to simple ''username'' italicization:

username

When used alone as variables, the letters "I" (upper-case "i") and "l" (lower-case "L") should be rendered with {{varserif}} instead of {{var}}, to make them more distinguishable: I, l.

See also

• {{strong}} – for semantically indicating strong emphasis instead of simple typographical boldfacing
• {{strongbad}} – same as {{strong}} but red like this: Never use {{strongbad}} in articles.
• {{stronggood}} – same as {{strongbad}} but green like this: Only use {{stronggood}} on non-article pages.
• {{em}} – similar template for semantically indicating mild emphasis instead of simple typographical italicization
• {{var}} – same as {{varserif}} use for all variables (e.g. strIllustratePrefix), except for 'I' (upper-case i) and 'l' (lower-case L), for which use {{varserif}}
• {{varserif}} – same as {{var}} but uses serif font (e.g. strIllustratePrefix), especially for distinguishing between 'I' (upper-case i) and 'l' (lower-case L) as variables
• {{wikivar}} – for displaying wikicode variables and magicwords as they would appear in source code, e.g. {{PAGENAME}}, {{DEFAULTSORT:Lastname, Firstname}}
• {{para}} – for displaying wiki template parameters (|title=) or parameters and values (|year=2008)
• {{tlx}} and related – for displaying entire templates (with or without parameters and values) as code
• {{tag}} – for using HTML elements ("tags") in prose (e.g. "When coding HTML <img></img> tags, always include ...")
• {{code}} – for computer source code (e.g. "... always include the alt= parameter.") (Note: to nest other templates like {{var}} inside, use <code></code> instead of {{code}})
• {{syntaxhighlight}} or {{sxhl}} – wrapper for <syntaxhighlight></syntaxhighlight>, but will wrap overflowing text
• {{deprecated code}} or {{dc}} – for deprecated source code in template documentation, articles on HTML specs, etc.
• {{pre}} – for larger blocks of source code and other pre-formatted text
• {{bq}} – for indented blocks of content, such as block quotations, examples, poems, etc.
• {{kbd}} – for indicating user input
• {{key press}} – for indicating the input of specific keystrokes, e.g. CtrlX
• {{PlayStation key press}} – for indicating PS-style gamepad key presses, e.g. ×
• {{samp}} – for example output