Template:Dead link/doc

Usage

This template is used to mark dead links, either within a paragraph or within a reference citation. Marking dead links signals to editors that this link needs to be replaced with an archive link.

Before considering whether to use the {{dead link}} template it is often useful to make a search for an archive copy of the dead link and thereby avoid using the tag altogether. Using {{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 ].

Common form (with current date)

{{Dead link|date=May 2024}}

Optional parameters

url

Provides a history of the linked page via the WebArchive. Set only if history actually exists, as otherwise it is misleading to users and editors.

date

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.

fix-attempted

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 "" instead of just "". 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.

Notes:

• The date-substitution template may be used to automatically generate the date, e.g., {{Dead link|{{subst:DATE}}}}. See Help:Substitution for more information.

Caveats

• Avoid using free links (e.g. http://www.example.org/{{Dead link}}), as software that is unable to handle templates may read an incorrect link. Add brackets if necessary.
• Avoid complicated formatting. Nesting inside a template is generally not supported well.
• Avoid using [ ] { | } < > characters between the end of the external link and {{Dead link}}, as they are often used to format text.

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools.

TemplateData for Dead link

A template to indicate that the preceding URL is dead

Template parameters

This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Month and year	date	The month and year the URL was found to be dead, like "June 2013" Auto value {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}	String	suggested
Bot name	bot	The name of the bot used to identify the dead link (not used by regular editors)	User	optional
Wayback URL	url	The dead URL, used only if there is a Wayback Machine archive	URL	optional
Fix attempted	fix-attempted	Setting to 'yes' (or any non-blank value) indicates that no archive copy is available Example yes	Boolean	optional