Editing Help:Translations

The Geometry Dash Expanded Wiki is currently implementing multilingual support. While the wiki primarily operates in English, a Spanish-language edition is in development. Other languages may be added if there is sufficient interest and enough editors to maintain them.

==Shared resources and interface==
This wiki shares accounts, uploads, templates and Recent Changes across languages. Switching the active language changes supported MediaWiki interface text and localized wiki elements, including the sidebar, theme names, content classification labels and language-specific logos where available. It does not automatically translate article content.

The selected site language is separate from the language of the article being viewed. Reading an English article does not change your selected site language.

==Translated page syntax==
Public article URLs use lowercase language codes. English uses '''/eng/'''; the Spanish-language edition uses '''/spa/'''. For example, '''/eng/List_of_creators_with_the_most_rated_levels''' corresponds to '''/spa/Lista_de_creadores_con_más_niveles_calificados'''.

English articles retain their existing stored titles. Translated articles use a language prefix in their stored titles. For the Spanish-language edition, this is '''Spa/''', as in '''Spa/Lista de creadores con más niveles calificados'''. This capitalization is separate from the lowercase language code in the public URL.

Once the translation setup is enabled, publishing a page created through '''Create translation''' automatically registers its relationship with the English article in [[MediaWiki:Expanded-language-pages.json]], including when the translated title differs. Keep the hidden source marker included in the preloaded text so this relationship can be identified. If you create a translation without using this option, ask an administrator to register the correspondence.

==How to switch languages==
Use the language menu beside the header logo to select the language in which you view the site. Links open the corresponding article version when one is available. Otherwise, they open the English version and display a notice in your selected language. The rest of the interface remains in your selected language.

Articles with published translations display language tabs on the right side of the title area. These tabs switch between article versions without changing your selected site language.

==How to create a translation==
Use '''Create translation''' to open the editor for a separate page in the chosen language.

Once the translation setup is enabled, the editor preloads the English source. Translate the prose and visible link labels while retaining filenames, template names, parameter names and formatting as needed. You may keep the English article open in another tab for comparison. Nothing is published until you save your changes.

Reuse existing uploads rather than uploading duplicate files.

==Links and categories==
You may omit the stored language prefix from a link when its title unambiguously identifies a registered article. For example:
:<nowiki>[[Lista de creadores con más niveles calificados]]</nowiki>

The language system selects the available version in the reader's selected language, with an English fallback where necessary.

If a title is ambiguous, use the full stored page title and an appropriate visible label. For example:
:<nowiki>[[Spa/Lista de creadores con más niveles calificados|Lista de creadores con más niveles calificados]]</nowiki>

Links to shared files, templates and user pages retain their existing targets.

Do not translate category names arbitrarily, as this may create disconnected categories. Use the categories agreed upon for the language edition.

==Items that remain untranslated==
Some names and text must remain in their original form. This includes:
*Names of [[Geometry Dash]] games, levels and players.
*Official names of external tools or programs, unless an established localized name exists.
**For example, retain the official name ''Click Between Frames''. An explanatory translation may be provided in the article's language, but it does not replace the tool's official name.
*Original quotations, including wording that contains proper names, acronyms, slang or wordplay.
**Editors may provide a translation alongside the quotation or in an explanatory note.
**For example, a Spanish-language article may retain the English quotation while providing a translated tooltip: '<abbr title="¡CEF detectado, perdedor!">CBF detected, loser!</abbr>'.
**Hover over the quotation to see its translation. Adapt the tooltip and any translated acronym to the article's language.
**Since hover text may be difficult to access on mobile devices, important explanations should also be provided in a visible note or footnote.
*Filenames, template names and parameter names, unless a documented localized alias is available.

==Attribution and maintenance==
When creating a translation, identify the source article in the edit summary and, where possible, include a link to the revision used. Retain any source attribution required by the original material.

Translations are written and maintained manually. Editors should check for changes to the English source and update translated articles when relevant information changes. If information remains outdated or uncertain, clearly indicate this rather than presenting it as current.