Template:Load user script/doc

This is a documentation subpage for Template:Load user script. It may contain usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page.

This template should always be substituted – use {{subst:Load user script}}.

This template is used to install user scripts that reside on the English Wikipedia. It is to be used primarily on Special:MyPage/common.js or Special:MyPage/skin.js. It adds the necessary mw.loader.load line along with a backlink.

In order to install a user script for your Wikipedia account, add the following line to Special:MyPage/common.js or Special:MyPage/skin.js:

{{subst:lusc|script_path}}

• Replace script_path with the full .js page name of the user script to be installed.
• The template must be substituted (subst:), or else it won't work.
• Bypass your cache after saving the page.

{{subst:lusc|User:Example/script.js}}

• Produces: mw.loader.load( '/w/index.php?title=User:Example/script.js&action=raw&ctype=text/javascript' ); // Backlink: [[User:Example/script.js]]

{{subst:lusc|User:Example/script.js|User:Example/script}}

• Produces: mw.loader.load( '/w/index.php?title=User:Example/script.js&action=raw&ctype=text/javascript' ); // Backlink: [[User:Example/script]]

{{Install user script}} uses importScript(), and {{Load user script}} uses mw.loader.load().

importScript():

• Is less verbose, only needing the string of the page you're loading.
• Is more restrictive, only allowing the loading of Wikipedia pages in the user or MediaWiki namespaces.
• Can load from other Wikimedia wikis, using a prefix such as "c" for "commons". For example, importScript('c:User:YourName/test.js');
  • However, this usage is not recommended as it involves an extra round trip. mw.loader.load is faster for cross-wiki loads.
• Makes your common.js file more readable, since it is less verbose.

mw.loader.load():

• Is more verbose, needing a long URL string. Note that the URL string has to be correctly escaped.
• Is less restrictive, allowing you to load any URL from anywhere. For example: it is good for loading from a local dev environment such as localhost.
• Can load from other Wikimedia wikis by adjusting the URL.
• Makes your common.js file less readable, since it is more verbose.

• {{Install user script}} ({{iusc}}) – Version of this script that uses the importScript() method.
• {{Load user stylesheet}}