Editing Help:Table (section)

== Table basics ==

Tables can be added to articles and other pages using either standard [[HTML element#Tables|HTML table elements]], or with special [[wikicode]] markup developed just to facilitate creating tables without a knowledge of HTML. 

=== Markup ===
{{See also|Help:Basic table markup}}
{{mw-datatable}}
{| class="wikitable mw-datatable"
|+Overview of basic table markup
|-
! scope="col" | Table element
! scope="col" | Wikitext
! scope="col" | Required
! scope="col" | Usage notes
|-
! scope="row" | Table start
| {{kbd|<nowiki>{|</nowiki>}}
| '''Required'''
| Note: {{kbd|<nowiki>{|</nowiki>}} Entire table goes here {{kbd|<nowiki>|}</nowiki>}}
|-
! scope="row" | Caption
| {{kbd|<nowiki>|+</nowiki>}}
| Optional
| Only between table start and first table row.
|-
! scope="row" | Row
| {{kbd|<nowiki>|-</nowiki>}}
| Optional
| Can be omitted before the first row.
|-
! scope="row" | Header cell
| {{kbd|<nowiki>!</nowiki>}} or {{kbd|<nowiki>!!</nowiki>}}
| Optional
| Consecutive table header cells may be added on the same line separated by double marks (<code>!!</code>); or start on new lines, each with its own single mark (<code>!</code>).
|-
! scope="row" | Data cell
| {{nowrap|{{kbd|<nowiki>|</nowiki>}} or {{kbd|<nowiki>||</nowiki>}}}}
| Optional
| Consecutive table data cells may be added on the same line separated by double marks (<code><nowiki>||</nowiki></code>) or start on new lines, each with its own single mark (<code><nowiki>|</nowiki></code>). This mark is also used to separate [[HTML attribute]]s from cell and caption contents.
|-
! scope="row" | Table end
| {{kbd|<nowiki>|}</nowiki>}}
| '''Required'''
|
|}

*The above marks must ''start on a new line'', except the double marks (<code>||</code> and <code>!!</code>) for optionally adding consecutive cells to a single line.
*''Blank spaces'' at the beginning of a line are ignored.
*''Content'' may either follow its cell mark on the same line (after any optional HTML attributes); or on lines below the cell mark (beware of undesired paragraphs though). Content that uses wiki markup that itself needs to start on a new line, such as with lists, headings, or nested tables, must be on its own new line.
*To insert a ''pipe character'' (<code>|</code>) into a table caption or cell, use the <code>&lt;nowiki&gt;|&lt;/nowiki&gt;</code> escaping markup.

===HTML attributes===
Each mark, except table end (<code><nowiki>|}</nowiki></code>), optionally accepts one or more ''[[HTML attribute|attributes]]''. Attributes must be on the same line as the mark.

*''Cells'' and ''captions'' (<code>|</code> or <code>||</code>, <code>!</code> or <code>!!</code>, and <code>|+</code>) hold ''content''—separate any attribute from its content with a single pipe (<code>|</code>), with attributes preceding content.
*''Table'' and ''row'' marks (<code><nowiki>{|</nowiki></code> and <code>|-</code>) do not directly hold content. Do ''not'' add a pipe (<code><nowiki>|</nowiki></code>) after any attributes.

Commonly included attributes with table scope include: <code>class</code>, for example <code>class="wikitable"</code>; or <code>style</code> for [[CSS]] styling. Other attributes have row- or column scope, e.g., <code>scope</code>, to indicate row or column header cells; <code>rowspan</code>, to extend cells by more than one row; and <code>colspan</code>, to extend cells by more than one column.