Wikilink
An inline navigable reference. Written as [[...]] in rich text.
A wikilink is how you mention something inside text. Clicking a wikilink navigates to the referenced entity. When the map is open, the map pans and zooms to that entity instead of opening a new page.
Key characteristics
- Written in rich text — wikilinks appear in the body of an element or relation’s page view, in database cells with rich text, and wherever rich text is supported
- Can reference multiple entities — a single wikilink expression can resolve to a set of entities, not just one
- No own page — a wikilink is not an entity. It is a reference. It does not appear as a row in the database or a node on the map
- Creates backlinks — all referenced entities automatically get a backlink from the entity containing the wikilink
- Works across all views — map, page view, and database
Navigation behaviour
- When the page view is open → clicking navigates to the referenced entity’s page view
- When the map is open → the map pans and zooms to the referenced entity without leaving the map
What wikilinks are not
A wikilink is not a relation. A relation is a structural entity with its own page and user-defined properties. A wikilink is an inline reference — it navigates and creates backlinks, but has no data of its own.
Wikilinks can exist without a corresponding relation. The two are independent.
Open questions
Two aspects of wikilinks are still in discussion — not confirmed:
- Map visual layer — can wikilinks optionally appear as a lightweight connection layer on certain map views? Raised as a future possibility.