Editing SpongeBob Wiki:Categories

{{rewrite|too much writing, needs to be broken down into simpler terms}}
There are a lot of pages on the SpongeBob Wiki, and the most fundamental way of organizing them all is with '''categories'''. These appear as links in a box at the bottom of a page and can be created by typing <code><nowiki>[[Category:Name]]</nowiki></code>, which should go at the bottom of a page, after all the text, tables and any [[SpongeBob Wiki:Navigation templates|navigation templates]] that are used on the article. Most pages have multiple categories, which are entered one after another, with line breaks between them to make it easy to tell them all apart.

This policy page was adapted from the [[mariowiki:Project:Categories|Super Mario Wiki]].

==Overview==
What sets categories apart from the aforementioned navigation templates is how they are used.

For example, while a game has one template that is put on every in-game subject's page, with the characters, items, places, enemies, etc. being separated into different sections within the template, different categories for each subject can be used for the different pages. All these categories are grouped together in a category for the overall game, which also houses any pages that don't fit into a more specific category, such as the episode or game's gallery, and its staff, media, glitch, beta or quotes pages. Subjects with very few entries should also go into the overall game category in order to streamline navigation, as game-specific categories with ''three or less'' pages are of limited usage. Which subjects do not qualify for categories differs from game to game - i.e. if one game only has three minigames, they would simply go in the game's category, whereas a different game with many minigames would have a Minigames category.

Both the template and the categories ensure that the different subjects are separated and easily navigable, but the categories can be placed on articles that don't fit into the navigation template (in most cases, these pages are ones that only get the overall game category). Categories also lead to more general categories beyond the overall game category, since they themselves can be categorized, unlike templates. Basically, the game category would be in a series category, while the subject category for the game would be in a subject category for the series, which would, in turn be in a category for the subject in general (i.e. a game's Characters -> a series' Characters -> all Characters).

Navigation goes both ways with categories. Just as a specific subject in a specific game can be followed back to the basic subject category, so too can readers go from the basic subject to a specific game by going down through the increasingly focused categories. This stratified organization separates the categories from the large list pages that can be found on the sidebar (i.e. [[List of characters|Characters]], [[List of species|Species]], etc.). While the lists have everything in one place, they only show the games (or other media) the entries originated from, whereas the categories break the subject up into smaller chunks, which are easier to sift through, but require more movement around the wiki.

===Placement on articles===
The following points may be used as a summary as to which categories an article should use. Please refer to the subsequent sections of the policy for further reading.

*All episode articles should receive [[:Category:Episodes]].
**Similarly, all game articles should receive [[:Category:Games]], as well as any applicable subcategories under the asterisk (*) within that category, such as a game's [[:Category:Games by system|system]] and [[:Category:Games by genre|genre]]. There are two distinct categories, [[:Category:SpongeBob games]] and [[:Category:Nicktoons games]], which are for games that are part of the ''SpongeBob'' franchise and ''Nicktoons'' games featuring SpongeBob (usually as the primary representative due to being Nickelodeon's flagship show) respectively. In the case of ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom]]'', both categories apply. If SpongeBob has a notable role in a video game that is neither a ''SpongeBob'' nor a ''Nicktoons'' title, neither of the series categories should be applied.
*When placing a a season or game category (such as [[:Category:Season 2]] or [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom]]) on their actual article, use an [[SpongeBob Wiki:Categories#Asterisks|asterisk]].
*Video game and movie articles can have subject-specific categories (such as [[:Category:The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie characters]]). In such cases, relevant articles should receive this specific category instead of [[:Category:The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie|the movie category]]. Episodes cannot have subject-specific categories because of how many redundant categories this would create.
**If an article describing a subject (usually from an episode or video game) does not fit into a more specific subject category, then it should use the overall category.
**If a subject-specific category can be split further (for example: "[[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom characters|SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom characters]]" extends to the [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom bosses|SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom bosses]] subcategory), use only the most specific category.

These categories may '''only''' be used when a more specific one cannot be applied instead:

*[[:Category:Bosses|Bosses]]
*[[:Category:Characters|Characters]]
*[[:Category:Enemies|Enemies]]
*[[:Category:Items|Items]]
*[[:Category:Levels|Levels]]
*[[:Category:Minigames|Minigames]]
*[[:Category:Objects|Objects]]
*[[:Category:Places|Places]]
*[[:Category:Species|Species]]
*[[:Category:Vehicles|Vehicles]]

These types of pages should include the indicated category:
*Image gallery pages should use [[:Category:Galleries]].
*[[SpongeBob Wiki:Glitches|Video game glitch]] pages should use [[:Category:Glitches]].
*Pages showing a list of [[Help:Media|media files]] should use [[:Category:Media]].
*Pages which list all [[SpongeBob Wiki:Pre-release and unused content|pre-release and unused content]] of a video game should use [[:Category:Pre-release and unused content]].
*Quotes pages should use [[:Category:Quotes]].
*Pages listing staff development and production teams should use [[:Category:Cast and crew]].
*Any [[:Category:Profiles and statistics|profile and statistics pages]] should use a pipelink for the name of that character. For example, the "[[List of Patrick Star profiles and statistics]]" page should use <code><nowiki>[[Category:Profiles and statistics|Patrick Star]]</nowiki></code> so the page isn't listed as beginning with "L", instead showing up under "B".<br>'''Note:''' The same pipelink format is used for other pages where the title begins with "List of", such as the [[:Category:References|references]].

Finally, when pages use two or more categories, they must be placed in the correct order. They should be arranged depending on importance and notability. For example, being a [[:Category:Crabs|crab]] is part of Mr. Krabs's core identity, and is more notable than him being a [[:Category:Parents|parent]], and should therefore appear first. Game/series-specific categories are always placed last (arranged alphabetically, or numerically in cases such as [[:Category:Games by date|games by date]]). See [[#Order on pages|the section]] for further information on ordering categories.

==Size and scope==
Different kinds of categories have different size restrictions:
*Specific subject categories (e.g. [[:Category:The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie characters]], [[:Category:Season 3 episodes]], etc.) should have at least '''four entries'''. If there are three or less entries, they should just go into the overall category.
*Series must have '''three entries''' in order to have series-specific categories. Pairs of related games (such as ''[[Nickelodeon Kart Racers]]'' and ''[[Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix]]'') simply link to each other in the category summaries. For example, [[:Category:Nickelodeon Kart Racers]] would include <code><nowiki>{{seealso|:Category:Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix}}</nowiki></code> under its summary, before its overall [[:Category:Nickelodeon games]] category.
**TV shows, comics and other media follow the same three-entry rule as game series, and so their categories should also have three entries, minimum. Consoles also need three games in order to have a category.

Even if categories have only four subjects ''should'' have many more than that, since small lists can simply be placed on an article that's central to the subject at hand. It should also be noted that '''overly broad categories''' can be even more unhelpful than overly small categories (such as ones listing all males or females), and should not be created. Also, just because there's a good number of possible entries doesn't necessarily mean a category should be made, as they are often tenuous or of little functional use to wiki navigation.

==Category trees==
All the categories that branch off of a single specific subject category form a '''category tree'''. Each branch of the tree can then be followed through increasingly specific '''Levels''' of categories to zero in on a specific group of articles. Non-game category trees simply have increasingly specialized subcategories (such as going from [[:Category:Real world]] to [[:Category:Cast and crew]] to [[:Category:Voice actors]]), but trees relating to games and their in-universe content follow a strict hierarchy of levels centered around the series-based organization of the games themselves. Basically, ''Subject -> Series -> Sub-series -> Game''. However, while some subjects are extensive and require many levels to organize them into manageable lists, others don't need all the intermediate steps. Therefore, category trees are divided into three major types: the '''primary''' tree is purely for games and series, with [[:Category:Games]] as its root; '''secondary''' trees are for the major subjects that need all the steps; and '''tertiary''' trees are for everything else (including all non-game-based subjects).

===Primary tree===
The primary games tree is the most extensive of all the trees, using all the possible levels and providing a basis for the stratified organization of all categories. The levels and their explanations are as follows:

#'''Wiki''' - all categories pertaining to mainspace articles are simply part of [[:Category:Content]].
#'''Subject''' - the real root of the category trees. In this case, the subject is [[:Category:Episodes]] and [[:Category:Games]].
#'''Major series''' - dividing into separate franchises and series: ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants (franchise)|SpongeBob SquarePants]]'', ''[[Astrology with Squidward]]'', ''[[Kamp Koral]]'', and ''[[The Patrick Star Show]]''. For example, ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom]]'' would fall under [[:Category:SpongeBob games]], and the like.
#'''Games''' - the specific game-wide categories, like [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom]]. This level is only for the primary tree, since the subject-specific game categories go in the lower levels such as [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom characters]].
#'''Categories''' - except for specifiable things (as discussed earlier), these are the subject-specific games categories that will be put on the articles. Therefore, while they are part of the primary game tree, they are also part of the subject trees. For example, [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom characters]] leads back to both its root video game category, and [[:Category:Characters]].

#'''Subcategories''' - if a subject can be further specified, subcategories can be used. For example, some characters are helpful [[List of allies|allies]] while others are antagonistic [[List of enemies|enemies]] that need to be defeated, and in games with lots of characters, separating out the Allies and Enemies makes navigation easier. Articles either receive a subcategory or the basic category - never both. However, if the subject is major enough, the subcategory can be directly categorized by the Game category, rather than just going through the intermediate category. For video game articles, this is done for [[Level]]s and [[World]]s, as they are fundamental to the game's makeup, even more so than their parent Places category tree. Like the basic subject-specific game categories, as well as being part of their parent tree, subcategories like [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom bosses]] directs back to both the root game category as well as the root of their own specific subject-specific tree; in this case, [[:Category:Bosses]].

Because of the many ways that games and episodes can be organized (alphabetically, by sub-series, by date, etc.), games in the primary tree are unique in that they are placed into multiple categories, rather than just the most specific category, as is the case for anything dealing with subjects, including all secondary and tertiary trees. For example, ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants: Legend of the Lost Spatula]]'' goes into [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Legend of the Lost Spatula]], [[:Category:SpongeBob games]], ''and'' [[:Category:Games]]. The first is the most specialized and links to all ''SpongeBob SquarePants: Legend of the Lost Spatula'' subjects and leads back to the "SpongeBob games" category. However, since the games are the raw makeup of any series, the game-specific category (e.g. SpongeBob games) is placed directly on the article. This also lets readers jump straight to the overall sub-series level from a specific game (although this should be possible via navigation templates as well). While linking directly to articles creates a giant list within the "Games" category, it still has the subcategories if readers want to browse by series, as well as providing a purely alphabetical list of games, which, unlike the in-game subjects, is not a feature of either List Page ([[List of games|Games]] is by console and release date, and the latter is used for [[List of games by date]] as well). If users want to browse by date for episodes, they can use the [[:Category:Episodes by date]] (which are only added according to American or international premiere dates). For games, branched-off tertiary trees providing alternate navigation criteria include [[:Category:Games by genre|Games by genre]] and [[:Category:Games by system|Games by system]]. The four-entries minimum rule still applies: for example, since ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants: Legend of the Lost Spatula]]'' is the only {{wp|Game Boy Color}} title, the system cannot have its own category.

===Secondary trees===
There are six secondary trees, covering the most basic and fundamental subjects covered on the wiki. Their root categories are [[:Category:Objects]], [[:Category:Species]], [[:Category:Characters]], [[:Category:Enemies]], [[:Category:Places]] and [[:Category:Images]]. Although this final one leads to images, rather than articles, it is still part of the mainspace and so, like the others, is part of Category:Content at lv. 1. The secondary trees have all the same category levels as the primary tree except for the lv. 2 Games step, since they always have a subject as well as a game or series. Therefore, their lv. 3 subject-specific categories are directly part of their lv. 1 subject-specific categories, which then leads back to the overall subject category.

===Tertiary trees===
Everything that's not a primary or secondary tree is a tertiary tree, including all non-game categories. Tertiary trees can be complex and multi-stepped, or they can be a simple line going from game-specific categories back to their root category. Unlike the primary and secondary trees, these roots can be at Level 2 or Level 3, depending on whether or not the tree can fit into another tree. Subcategories' subject trees' roots are always at lv. 3, and are then subcategories of the same parent trees that led to the game-specific categories that spawned the subcategories. For example, [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom enemies]] is a sub-category of [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom characters]], and its root, the tertiary [[:Category:Enemies]], is a subcategory of the secondary [[:Category:Characters]], but is also part of [[:Category:Content]]. Trees can also have lv. 3 subcategories that are still part of the overall tree, like the [[:Category:Microgames]] branch of [[:Category:Minigames]] from ''[[SpongeBob SquigglePants]]''.

The other example is the non-game [[:Category:Real world]]. While all its categories are subcategories of the next level up, it skips from the root to the next step at lv. 4, rather than lv. 2, because of how the various levels are actually applied. Levels 1-3 are ''only'' used for categorizing other levels, and should never appear on actual articles. The only exception are "trees" that only go down to lv. 2, including [[:Category:Cast and crew]] and [[:Category:Galleries]], but these are not meant for regular articles anyway. By contrast, Levels 5 and 6 are supposed to go on articles, while Levels 3 and 4 are primarily for categorizing categories, but can be used for articles if a more specific category is unavailable (or if a non-game tree requires more steps to accommodate networks of subcategories that are more extensive than the straightforward cat:Real World example). As mentioned before, stopping short of the game-specific subjects occasionally happens with secondary trees, but tertiary trees often do this or even skip the sub-series step.

==Category webs==
While category trees branch out from the most basic categories to the most specific categories, '''category webs''' are formed when following every specific category applicable to an episode or game back through every level to the basic categories. Webs are basically single branches of many different trees that connect to each other at various levels. This includes tertiary branches extending back from subcategories reconnecting with the parent category's branch, the convergence of the primary tree with the secondary trees at the subject-specific game categories (and subcategories), and subcategorization between categories in the same level.

The purpose of extensive category webs is to give readers as much freedom as possible when looking up series, subjects or games. While trees just let them go up and down through the levels of a certain subject, webs let them cross between different branches and investigate different subjects.

Unlike the complete web and the primary tree example in [[#Category trees|the above category trees section]], the partial tree shows the overlap of the primary and secondary trees at lv. 5. It also shows the same-level subcategorization at lv. 3 more clearly than the complete tree, and shows that even subcategories can have subcategories, in the case of [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom objects]] and [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom items]]. However, this is not a usual occurrence and having a seventh level would bury the categories too much, which is why the more specialized subcategory is part of lv. 4 and linked to by the lv. 3 parent subcategory as well as [[:Category:Items]], which is the root of a single tertiary tree containing both the Items and Objects categories (their names can simply be used to tell the two groups of pages apart within the category). This is similar to why the subcategory tertiary trees still link to lv. 1 even though their roots are in lv. 3: that way, users can easily find the trees without having to go through the related secondary tree first, although that is also an option. Both the complete and partial webs show this aspect on tertiary trees, but only the complete web shows their flexibility regarding skipping steps and stopping short, which was discussed in [[#Tertiary trees|the previous section]].

The complete web also contains three categories that do not have trees. [[:Category:Quotes]] is used for all "List of quotes in..." pages and [[:Category:Cast and crew]] and [[:Category:Glitches]] are both used for the pages of the same name, making them more like "topic" categories than regular subject categories, and as such, they are handled differently as well. Namely, no other levels need to be made to divide the categories into series-based chunks. As mentioned in [[#Overview|the Overview]], any pages attached to a game (i.e. "List of [game] quotes") are given the lv. 3 Game categories as well as their topic categories.

==Asterisks==
To set important or central subjects or subcategories apart from the rest of the entries, asterisks can be used using <code><nowiki>[[Category:Name|*]]</nowiki></code>. This is generally only used under three different circumstances:

#To elevate the Game category from the subject-specific game categories at lv. 3 of the primary tree. For example, [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab]] is categorized with <nowiki>[[Category:SpongeBob games|*]]</nowiki>, which should also be done on the game's article itself (in this case, ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab]]''.) Specific categories such as [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab enemies]] get no asterisks.
#Asterisks within an overall game category are also given to pages which aren't strictly writing on a specific in-game subject, but rather used as a point of reference for a subject of that game. This covers any game-focused pages within [[:Category:Lists]] (including its subcategory), as well as all game [[:Category:Galleries|galleries]].

==Templates==
Templates have their own set of categories. The basic groupings can be found [[:Category:Templates|here]], although a couple are further divided into subcategories of their own. The templates found on articles are either [[SpongeBob Wiki:Navigation templates|navigation templates]] or [[SpongeBob Wiki:Notice templates|notice templates]]. Template categories are applied to templates using <code><nowiki><noinclude>[[Category:Name]]</noinclude></nowiki></code>, which ensures that only the template, and not the pages it is placed on, are categorized.

:''Navigation templates should '''not''' contain categories meant for the pages they are placed on.''

So, for example, [[Template:SBSPLOTLS]] should not contain [[:Category:SpongeBob SquarePants: Legend of the Lost Spatula]]. This defeats the purpose of having subject-specific categories for a game. Even templates for which a single category is applicable to all their articles (i.e. [[:Category:Sponges]] for [[Template:Sponges]]) should not have that category, as this is inconsistent with the game templates, can interfere with category order on the articles, and can result in redundancy if users add the categories directly to the pages as well, since you can't tell that the templates provide the categories when you're editing until you Preview or Save.

Notice templates, on the other hand, ''can'' contain categories, as these do not pertain to the article's subject matter, but to the quality of the page itself and are only applicable when the template is applicable. Other types of templates used outside of the mainspace can also have categories. These categories are added using <code><nowiki><includeonly>[[Category:Name]]</includeonly></nowiki></code>, which means the pages the template is put on are categorized, but the template itself is not.

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