Help:Namespaces

Wikimedia Commons' namespaces provide a basic structure for organising Commons content. This page, Help:Namespaces, is in the Help: namespace. Another example: the page Category:Commons help is a page in the Category: namespace, which lists all pages categorised as "Commons help" pages. Below is a complete list of the namespaces used at Wikimedia Commons and their functions.

Namespaces in numerical order

Name & synonyms	Lists of pages	Nr. of pages Special pages	Description
Standard Namespaces: Common to all MediaWiki Projects
Media {{ns:-2}} {{ns:media}}	n/a	104,873,362 MyUploads	Namespace for uploaded media files themselves, as opposed to description pages in the File namespace (6); for example [[Media:Krazy Kat Bugolist 1916 silent.ogv]] as compared to [[:File:Krazy Kat Bugolist 1916 silent.ogv]].
Special {{ns:-1}} {{ns:special}}	n/a	SpecialPages	The Special prefix is for pages that are automatically generated and cannot be edited. There is also no corresponding talk page, however, the parts that can be edited (i.e. system messages in the MediaWiki namespace) can be discussed on the appropriate talk page.
(Gallery) {{ns:0}}	PrefixIndex	102,094,191 Uncategorized Unwatched Most Linked	Namespace 0 here known as (Gallery) is used to display galleries of images and other media on Wikimedia Commons. It is referred to as (Gallery) or Article namespace on other projects like Wikipedia. Unlike all other namespaces, this namespace has no prefix before the page name. See also: Commons:Galleries.
Talk {{ns:1}} {{ns:talk}}	PrefixIndex		The Talk namespace is the discussion page for the (Gallery) namespace. This page is used to confer with other users about specific galleries in the main namespace. Similar to other odd-numbered namespaces. See also: Commons:Talk page guidelines.
User {{ns:2}} {{ns:user}}	PrefixIndex List Users ActiveUsers Administrators	MyPage 12,612,329 36,671 185	Registered users have a homepage User:Username linked to by the system in lists of edits, e.g. on page histories, and from signatures on talk pages. Users can edit their page and its subpages to present themselves or for project-related bookmarks, drafts, tests, and other working material. For users who do not log in, the same applies, with the IP as username. See project scope for what content is allowed at user pages.
User talk {{ns:3}} {{ns:user_talk}}	PrefixIndex	MyTalk	The User talk namespace is used for sending and receiving personal messages. You may send a message to another user by editing their user talk page just like you would edit any other page. If some one leaves you a message on your talk page, you will be notified when you log in.
Commons {{ns:4}} {{ns:project}} (Alias: Project)	PrefixIndex		The Commons namespace is an all-purpose namespace. It contains Wikimedia Commons' policies and guidelines, voting pages for the deletion of images and media, voting pages to grant users more power or inclusion into exclusive groups, complaints pages where users can request help in dealing with troublesome users, users essays concerning topics of interest pertaining to Commons, along with many project-related pages. Use the name project instead of Commons on portable pages (especially templates), because project works on all MediaWiki installations.
Commons talk {{ns:5}} {{ns:project_talk}} (Alias: Project talk)	PrefixIndex
File {{ns:6}} {{ns:file}} (Alias: Image)	PrefixIndex List Files New Files	104,873,362 Uncategorized Wanted Most Linked	The File namespace is where all the images and media (such as audio and movie clips) are stored. This is the "real" main namespace of Commons. On image pages, you will usually find the image as well as its copyright information, author, description, and much more. See: project scope for allowed file content. Commons:File types for what types of files are allowed. Commons:First steps/Upload form
File talk {{ns:7}} {{ns:file_talk}} (Alias: Image Talk)	PrefixIndex
MediaWiki {{ns:8}} {{ns:mediawiki}}	PrefixIndex AllMessages		System messages, editable by administrators. Put {{edit request}} on the MediaWiki talk page for finished proposals.
MediaWiki talk {{ns:9}} {{ns:mediawiki_talk}}	PrefixIndex
Template {{ns:10}} {{ns:template}}	PrefixIndex	Uncategorized Unused Wanted Most Linked	The Template namespace stores commonly used code for other namespaces. It is the default namespace for templates: the wikitext code {{name }} refers to and includes the page Template:name. See also: Commons:Templates.
Template talk {{ns:11}} {{ns:template_talk}}	PrefixIndex
Help {{ns:12}} {{ns:help}}	PrefixIndex		The Help namespace contains help pages for Wikimedia Commons. For an overview see Help:Contents
Help talk {{ns:13}} {{ns:help_talk}}	PrefixIndex
Category {{ns:14}} {{ns:category}}	PrefixIndex Categories	Uncategorized Unused Wanted Most Linked	The Help talk namespace is used to organize pages in other namespaces based on common themes, for example, in the Category:Flags page you will find a list of all the pages (images, galleries, and subcategories) that contain the code [[Category:Flags]]. Hopefully all the pages in this category will have something to do with flags. Category:CommonsRoot is the top-most category. See also: Commons:Categories.
Category talk {{ns:15}} {{ns:category_talk}}	PrefixIndex
Custom Namespaces: Unique to Wikimedia Commons
Creator {{ns:100}}	PrefixIndex Category	61,207	The Creator namespace is similar to the Template namespace in that it only contains templates, yet this namespace is reserved for {{Creator}} infoboxes. These infobox templates contain general information about notable artists to be used on their works' File namespace pages. Creator pages are especially useful for verifying dates for files using {{PD-old}} license.
Creator talk {{ns:101}}	PrefixIndex
TimedText {{ns:102}}	PrefixIndex		The TimedText namespace is used for storing .srt file that contained closed captioning text in the SubRip format. See Commons:Timed Text for how to use this; and see the example TimedText:Krazy Kat Bugolist 1916 silent.ogv.en.srt.
TimedText talk {{ns:103}}	PrefixIndex Category	15
Sequence {{ns:104}}	PrefixIndex		The Sequence namespace is used for storing video sequences. See Commons:Sequencer for an overview of the Kaltura JavaScript video sequencer.
Sequence talk {{ns:105}}	PrefixIndex
Institution {{ns:106}} (Alias: Museum)	PrefixIndex Category	6,920	The Institution namespace is similar to the Template and Creator namespaces in that it only contains templates, yet this namespace is reserved for {{Institution}} infoboxes. These infobox templates contain general information about museums, galleries, collections and other institutions to be used on their works' File namespace pages, like in gallery field of {{Artwork}}.
Institution talk {{ns:107}} (Alias: Museum Talk)	PrefixIndex
Custom pseudo-namespaces of Wikimedia Commons
Info	PrefixIndex Category	0	The Info prefix is an unfinalized namespace, similar to the Template or Creator namespaces in that it only contains pages to be transcluded on other pages. It is used for sharing information to be displayed on multiple pages: A basic case is Info:Edgar Degas, holding multilingual leads and interwikis to be shared as {{:Info:Edgar Degas}} between the gallery Edgar Degas and the Category:Edgar Degas. A more complex case is Info:Benito Mussolini, using an info template. More information at: Commons:Village_pump/Archive/2008Jan#Info_prefix.3F (debate on this space) (There is no "Info talk" space but regular "Talk:Info:" pages.)
CAT	PrefixIndex		The pseudo-namespace in the (Gallery) namespace (0) contains redirections to important categories (used as shortcuts on talk and project pages).
COM	PrefixIndex		Another pseudo-namespace — COM: shortcuts in the (Gallery) namespace (0) are redirections to important commons: pages in the project namespace (4).

Actually namespaces 100 and 101 exist on all newer MediaWiki installations, but the name has to be customized.

See also

• Variables related to namespaces