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MediaWiki serveron-wiki JavaScripton-wiki templatesexternal clients (community and 3rd party)
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Extension PHPGadgetUser scriptLua moduleWikitext template
Toolforge (web/bot/jupyter)
External app/bot
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PurposeExtending capabilities of MediaWiki to provide optional components that can be enabled per-wiki.Adding or changing interface and output for users, available to othersAdding or changing interface and output for oneselfStructured modeling and automated formatting of content (scripted)Structured modeling and automated formatting of content (markup)Automated editing, content extraction and analysis, especially based directly on a database replica.Automated editing, content extraction and analysis, etc
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Read application state and invoke servicesFull access, via DAO and PHP service objectsvia public Web APIvia public Web APIlimited, via Lua libraryminimal, via parser functionsSQL queries on sanitized replica,
public Web API		via public Web API
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Change application state (page edits, user accounts)Full access, via DAO and PHP service objectsvia public Web APIvia public Web API--via public Web APIvia public Web API
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CapabilityCustom data storageSQL, strict requriements, update framework supportJSON wiki pagesJSON wiki pages--few restrictions, manual updatesno restrictions, manual updates
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Receive eventsAPI call from internal service (changeprop)----via public Web API streamvia public Web API stream
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Modify user interactionsJS API and DOMJS API and DOMJS API and DOMinfoboxes, etcinfoboxes, etconly through Gadget-
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Generate or modify visible contentParser hooksmodify DOMmodify DOMgenerate wikitextgenerate wikitextonly through Gadget-
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Process wikitext dumps-----toolforge hostingdownload
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LanguagePHP + SQLCSS / JavaScriptCSS / JavaScriptLuawikitextanything (Python, PHP, Node, etc.)anything (Python, PHP, Node, etc.)
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Framework supportStrong (MediaWiki)Limited but flexible (JS API)Limited but flexible (JS API)Strong but restrictive (Lua libraries)Limited and restrictive (parser functions)Weak (except for pywikibot)Weak (except for pywikibot)
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ExecutionServer (PHP)Web BrowserWeb Browser
(limited audience)		Server (LuaSandbox)Server (Parser)Toolforgeanywhere
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TriggerServer-side callbacks (hooks and handlers)JavaScript events (UI actions)JavaScript events (UI actions)Page rendering (on edit)Page rendering (on edit)Manual/periodicManual/periodic
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Version controlpublic gitpublic wiki pagepublic wiki pagepublic wiki pagepublic wiki pagepublic git (usually)anywhere
(may be private)
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Deploymentautomatic weekly & self-service backportsautomatic instantlyautomatic instantlyautomatic instantlyautomatic instantlyself-serviceself-service
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Code ReviewGerrit +2Peer adminsnonePeer editorsPeer editorsnonenone
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Audience impacteveryone by defaultopt-in userspersonal or shared peer-to-peereveryone by defaulteveryone by defaultopt-in userspersonal
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Risk summaryVery High
(database integrity)		High
(readers' browsers)		Medium
(limited audience)		Low
(community oversight)		Low
(community oversight)		Low
(edits-only, community oversight)		Low
(edits-only, community oversight)
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Difficulty summaryHighMedium (JS)Low (simple JS)Medium (Lua)Low (wikitext)Medium (complex environment)Low (e.g. pywikibot)
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very high or very strong or very hard
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high or strong or hard
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intermediate
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low or weak or easy
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only indirectly
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none or not applicable
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