Help:Notifications/Glossary

Elements in italics in the following definitions are entries of this glossary.

Structure and types
Notification

A notification is a short message warning you about an event. There are types>Special:MyLanguage/Help:Notifications/Notifications_types|different types of notifications.

Badge

Badges are the colored icons with a number, which inform you about new or unread notifications. There is the red badge for Alerts and the blue badge for Notices.

Badges are grey when you have zero unread notifications, or you have unread but not new notifications.

Alert

Alert notifications are the most important notifications you need to know about, more important than notices. They are concerning you directly and most of them will need an action from you. There are types>Special:MyLanguage/Help:Notifications/Notifications_types|different types of alerts.

Notice

Notices notifications are less important notifications than alerts. They concern you, but probably don't require an immediate action. There are types>Special:MyLanguage/Help:Notifications/Notifications_types|different types of notices. In some languages, "Notice" is translated by "Notification".

Panel  Flyout Dropdown

The panel is displayed when you click on a badge. That panel contains alerts or notices depending on which badge you have clicked.

Notification header

The bold title that tells you the main information about the notification. E.g.,Your post in "Topicname" was edited. (types>Special:MyLanguage/Help:Notifications/Notifications_types|more information)

Notification body

The gray text beneath the Notification header providing details that help users better understand the message. Frequently an excerpt—e.g., from a post or topic summary. This element is optional. (types>Special:MyLanguage/Help:Notifications/Notifications_types|more information)

Collapsed notifications  Bundled notifications Expandable bundle

In some cases, similar notifications may be grouped to preserve space in the panel. An arrow allows you to open that group to see all details, or close it when you are done.

Cross-wiki notifications

Cross-wiki notifications are displayed on both panels, and regroup the notifications from other Wikimedia Foundation hosted wikis. This enables you to receive notifications about Commons when you are on Wikisource, for example. (xwn>Special:MyLanguage/Help:Notifications/Cross-wiki|Learn more)

Three-dots menu

The three dots menu hides more information, and other items that can be useful to take action.

The three dots menu is optional and is sometimes not displayed.

Notifications status
Unread Read

Unread notifications are highlighted by a different background and a blue dot.

Read notifications have a lighter grey background and a grey circle.

Blue dot Grey circle

A blue dot allows you to mark notifications as read by clicking on it.

When a notification is marked as read, the blue dot change to be a grey circle. You can click on the blue dot to mark that notification as unread.

Other
Highlight

When a notification is not read, it is highlighted by a pale blue background. The blue dot is also highlighting that notification.

Mention

Mentions are a type of notifications. It is possible to mention people and to be mentioned. (details>Special:MyLanguage/Help:Notifications/Notifications_types#Mentions|details)

Primary link

Link to the most important information about that notification. That link has a label.

Secondary links

Link to the some additional information about that notification. That link has a label.

Special:Notifications

This personal special page groups all your retained local notifications (up to a limit of 2,000 are kept), and provides access to any unread cross-wiki notifications. (knowmore>Special:MyLanguage/Help:Notifications/Special:Notifications|know more)

Trigger

A trigger is one or many conditions which will ask the system to deliver the notification