Help:Custom namespaces

A namespace is a group of pages in the wiki that is separate from other pages. Namespaces can make it easier to search or export one part of the wiki.

By default, every Wikia has 18 namespaces, and 2 special namespaces. Custom namespaces can also be created. There is currently no way of creating new namespaces via the wiki interface, so this needs to be done by someone with server access. Because of the maintenance time involved in doing this, each wiki is only allowed three custom namespaces (plus the three associated talk namespaces), and they must follow the rules below.

What restrictions are there on namespace creation?

 * 1) There must be consensus on your wiki for the addition of the namespace.
 * 2) The namespace must not be the same as any of the names in the interwiki map.
 * 3) There must not be any pages in the custom namespace before it is created -- this means you can't have any pages (including redirects) with a title of the form "Namespace:Pagetitle". Any such pages will be inaccessible after the namespace addition.
 * 4) Every namespace will have a talk namespace associated with it. This will usually be at "namespace name_talk:" unless you request otherwise.

How do I request a custom namespace?

 * 1) If you want to request more than one custom namespace (you can ask for a maximum of three), please request them all at once rather than on three separate occasions.
 * 2) Decide if you want the new namespace(s) to be considered "content" or not.
 * 3) * Content namespaces are included in article counts and maintenance lists
 * 4) * Content namespaces are included in results for Special:Random
 * 5) * A good example of a content namespace would be the Comics: namespace on the DC and Marvel wikis, those are content.
 * 6) * A namespace for news/updates would NOT be content.
 * 7) Decide if you want the new namespace(s) to be searched by default for new and logged out users
 * 8) * Generally, this answer would be "yes" for a content namespace.
 * 9) Make your request using the Special:Contact form. For speedy results, be sure to include the choices above in your request.

Why don't I have a forum namespace?
The Forum: namespace has been automatically installed on every new Wikia since July 2006. If your wiki was created before then, just contact us if you'd like us to add it.

If you have the forum namespace, but there is nothing in it, see Help:Wiki-style forum set up.