View source for Template:Dead link/doc

{{redirect|Template:DL|the equivalent of the HTML {{tag|dl|o}} tag|Template:Glossary|"described" links|Template:Annotated link}}
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{{Template shortcut|404|dl|deadlink|dead|Broken link|broken}}

This template is used to mark [[WP:Link rot|dead link]]s, either within a paragraph or within a [[WP:Citing sources |reference citation]]. Marking dead links signals to editors and to [[WP:Link rot]] bots that this link needs to be replaced with an archive link.

== Usage ==

Before considering whether to use the {{tl|dead link}} template it is often useful to make a search for an [[Wikipedia:LR#Internet archives|archive copy]] of the dead link and thereby avoid using the tag altogether. All {{cite xxx}} templates have the facility for adding {{para|archive-date}} and {{para|archive-url}} parameters for linking to an archive copy. Non-{{cite xxx}} citations can use {{tl|webarchive}}.

Using {{Tl|Dead link}} will place a note by the URL and add the article to one of the [[:Category:Articles with dead external links]] categories.

Append this template '''directly after''' the link (after the link code's terminating <code>]</code> if you are using [[wikitext]]), or, if you are using a {{cite xxx}} template, '''directly after''' the {{cite xxx}} transclusion (not inside it), but inside the reference, if any, i.e. before the <code></ref></code>, in all cases leaving the original link intact:

: <code><nowiki><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.example.org|title=The Example Website|access-date=22 September 2012}}</nowiki><b style="color:green"><nowiki>{{Dead link|date=</nowiki>{{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}<nowiki>}}</nowiki></b><nowiki></ref></nowiki></code>

For bare links, leave a space after the end of the URL and the template:
:<code>* http://www.example.org <nowiki>{{Dead link|date=</nowiki>{{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code>

Otherwise automated tools can have trouble determining where the URL ends, because it will ambiguously contain [[percent encoding|url-encoding]] and wiki-encoding mixed together.

Not following these syntax rules might hinder detection by automated tools. If the citation contains multiple URLs (e.g. chapter-url and url) in a template, and only one is broken, you can use wiki comments like <code><nowiki><!-- <your hidden explanation here> --></nowiki></code> to explain which one is broken.

If the article uses [[WP:Footnotes|clickable footnotes]], then this template should be placed just before the <code>&lt;/ref&gt;</code> that contains the dead link. The notice will then correctly appear in the reference section instead of in the body of the text, and so [[WP:Link rot]] bots can properly find and fix the link. 

If you are placing this template inside a <code><nowiki><ref> </ref></nowiki></code> reference, do not leave any [[Special:Permalink/1105953472|substitution template]] such as <code><nowiki>{{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}}</nowiki></code> or <code><nowiki>{{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}</nowiki></code>, because substitutions fail inside ref tags.

Avoid using this template when the reference is fully adequate without the link. In this case, simply remove the link. For example, if a <code>{{tl|cite journal}}</code> template is used with a [[Digital object identifier|DOI]], remove the {{para|url}} parameter.

;Common form (with current date)
{{Tlx|Dead link|date{{=}}{{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}}}

=== Optional parameters ===
; <code>url</code>: Provides a history of the linked page via the [[Wayback Machine]]. Set '''only''' if history actually exists, as otherwise it is misleading to users and editors.
; <code>date</code>: The date parameter consists of the full English name of the current month with initial capital, a space, and the year, not full dates; e.g., "January 2013", but not "jan13". ''Any deviation from these two rules will result in an "invalid date parameter" error''.
; <code>bot</code>: [[WP:Bots|Bot accounts]] specify the <code>|bot=</code> parameter as a sign that the tag was added by an automated process. Set as <code>bot=<bot name></code>.
; <code>fix-attempted</code>: Set this to "yes" if you have tried unsuccessfully to find an archived copy, or a copy with a different URL. This will put the page in [[:Category:Articles with permanently dead external links]], and the annotation will be rendered as "{{dead link |date=July 2022 |fix-attempted=yes}}" instead of just "{{dead link |date=July 2022}}". Note that this currently will occur for any value supplied, including "no", so if a fix was not attempted, simply leave this parameter off, or set it to be blank. Also note that if a page cannot be found in the [[Internet Archive]] (Wayback Machine), [[WP:DEADREF |often a live copy can be found]] via a web search for the full title, in quotes, on the original website, or on the Internet at large. Alternatively, you can use {{Tl|Permanent dead link}} as a shortcut to using this parameter.

'''Notes''':
* The date-substitution template may be used to automatically generate the date, e.g., <code><nowiki>{{Dead link|{{subst:DATE}}}}</nowiki></code>. See [[Help:Substitution]] for more information.
* The <code>date=</code> parameter need not be added by the editor: if not entered, a [[Wikipedia:Bots|bot]] will soon add it.

== Examples ==
* <code><nowiki><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org |title=Web page title |website=Example.com |access-date=22 September 2012}} {{Dead link |date=September 2012}}</ref></nowiki></code> <br />→ <span style="background:white"><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org |title=Web page title |website=Example.com |access-date=22 September 2012}} {{Dead link |date=September 2012}}</ref></span>
* <code><nowiki><ref>{{cite news |title=Sorrell accuses Murdoch of panic buying |author=Plunkett, John |url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,14173,1601858,00.html |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=27 October 2005 |access-date=22 September 2012}} {{Dead link}}</ref></nowiki></code> <br />→ <span style="background:white"><ref>{{cite news |title=Sorrell accuses Murdoch of panic buying |author=Plunkett, John |url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,14173,1601858,00.html |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=27 October 2005 |access-date=22 September 2012}} {{Dead link}}</ref></span>

{{Reflist}}

=== Caveats ===
* Avoid using free/bare links without a separator (e.g. <code><nowiki>http://www.example.org/{{Permanent dead link}}</nowiki></code>). Frequently software is unable to differentiate the URL from the template, and will interpret the template as a literal part of the URL. Add square brackets or a space separating the template from the URL. Correct: <code><nowiki>http://www.example.org/ {{Permanent dead link}}</nowiki></code> and Correct: <code><nowiki>[http://www.example.org/]{{Permanent dead link}}</nowiki></code>
* Avoid complicated formatting. Nesting inside another template is not generally supported.  
* Avoid using <kbd>[ ] { | } < ></kbd> characters between the end of the external link and <nowiki>{{Permanent dead link}}</nowiki>, as they are often used to format text.

== TemplateData ==
{{TemplateData header}}
<templatedata>
{
	"description": "A template to indicate that the preceding URL is dead",
	"params": {
		"date": {
			"label": "Month and year",
			"description": "The month and year the URL was found to be dead, like \"June 2013\"",
			"type": "string",
			"autovalue": "{{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}",
			"suggested": true
		},
		"bot": {
			"label": "Bot name",
			"description": "The name of the bot used to identify the dead link (not used by regular editors)",
			"type": "wiki-user-name"
		},
		"url": {
			"label": "Wayback URL",
			"description": "The dead URL, used only if there is a Wayback Machine archive",
			"type": "url"
		},
		"fix-attempted": {
			"label": "Fix attempted",
			"description": "Setting to 'yes' (or any non-blank value) indicates that no archive copy is available",
			"type": "boolean",
			"example": "yes"
		}
	},
	"format": "inline"
}
</templatedata>

== See also ==
* {{Tl|Permanent dead link}}
* {{Tl|Full citation needed}} (inline) to be used when a reference suffers from a more severe problem than a mere [[HTTP 404|broken link]]
* {{Tl|Citations broken}}
* {{Tl|Cleanup bare URLs}} header
* {{Tl|Closed access}} and {{Tl|Open access}} citation flags
* {{Tl|Dead YouTube link}}
* {{Tl|Registration required}} citation flag
* {{Tl|Subscription or libraries}} citation flag for when a subscription or library access may be required
* {{Tl|Subscription required}} citation flag
* {{Tl|Webarchive}}
* {{Tl|Website defunct}} to be used in place of the {{tl|URL}} parameter in infoboxes for defunct websites
* [[WP:DEADREF|What to do when a reference link goes dead]]
* [[Wikipedia:Link rot|Link rot]]

=== Dead link tools ===
* Probably of historical interest only:
** [[User:Dispenser/Checklinks|Checklinks]]
** [[User:DeadLinkBOT|DeadLinkBOT]]
** [[User:WebCiteBOT|WebCiteBOT]]

{{Inline cleanup tags}}

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[[Category:External link maintenance templates]]
[[Category:Inline citation cleanup templates]]

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