WikipediaFS is a
virtual filesystem
A virtual file system (VFS) or virtual filesystem switch is an abstract layer on top of a more concrete file system. The purpose of a VFS is to allow client applications to access different types of concrete file systems in a uniform way. A VFS ...
which allows users to view and edit the articles of any
MediaWiki
MediaWiki is free and open-source wiki software originally developed by Magnus Manske for use on Wikipedia on January 25, 2002, and further improved by Lee Daniel Crocker,mailarchive:wikipedia-l/2001-August/000382.html, Magnus Manske's announc ...
-based site as if they were real
files
File or filing may refer to:
Mechanical tools and processes
* File (tool), a tool used to remove fine amounts of material from a workpiece.
**Filing (metalworking), a material removal process in manufacturing
** Nail file, a tool used to gentl ...
on a local
disk drive
Disc or disk may refer to:
* Disk (mathematics), a two dimensional shape, the interior of a circle
* Disk storage
* Optical disc
* Floppy disk
Music
* Disc (band), an American experimental music band
* ''Disk'' (album), a 1995 EP by Moby
Other ...
. This enables a user to edit articles directly with any
text editor
A text editor is a type of computer program that edits plain text. An example of such program is "notepad" software (e.g. Windows Notepad). Text editors are provided with operating systems and software development packages, and can be used to c ...
.
WikipediaFS is developed primarily by Mathieu Blondel on
SourceForge.net.
WikipediaFS is implemented in
Python
Python may refer to:
Snakes
* Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia
** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia
* Python (mythology), a mythical serpent
Computing
* Python (prog ...
and uses the
FUSE
Fuse or FUSE may refer to:
Devices
* Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current
** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles
* Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protec ...
kernel module
A loadable kernel module (LKM) is an executable library that extends the capabilities of a running kernel, or so-called ''base kernel'', of an operating system. LKMs are typically used to add support for new hardware (as device drivers) and/or ...
. The file system works by
lazily downloading and uploading article sourcetexts — only sending
HTTP
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is an application layer protocol in the Internet protocol suite model for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web, wher ...
requests to the selected site when a file is accessed. (Reading a file corresponds to a GET
HTTP
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is an application layer protocol in the Internet protocol suite model for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web, wher ...
request, writing to a POST
HTTP
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is an application layer protocol in the Internet protocol suite model for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web, wher ...
request.)
Advantages
* Editing a long Wikipedia article can sometimes turn out to be painful and time-consuming due to web-forms limitations. Instead, when WikipediaFS is mounted on a directory, articles become like real files in that directory: it is thus possible to use a text-editor to edit files. Text-editors are generally more stable and less sluggish than browsers and have useful features such as spell checking and wiki
syntax highlighting
Syntax highlighting is a feature of text editors that is used for programming language, programming, scripting language, scripting, or markup language, markup languages, such as HTML. The feature displays text, especially source code, in differe ...
.
* It is possible to write programs or bots transparently as if they dealt with simple files because WikipediaFS takes care of the HTTP layer. For example, WikipediaFS could be used to perform a massive
content migration from one MediaWiki site to another.
Disadvantages
* The project is no longer maintained as of 2007; the software has since been deprecated.
* It is difficult to go from-page-to-page; users must know the exact name of a page in order to edit it, as WikipediaFS has no local knowledge of what pages exist and which don't.
See also
*
Wikifs
References
External links
*
MediaWiki Manual:External editorsproposals for improvementCollection of all available patches
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129175749/https://git.sr.ht/~mcepl/wikipediafs , date=2023-11-29
Wikipedia