Guideline to Using Bots On Fandom

Generally speaking, a bot is an automated process, program, or script designed to assist users with performing repetitive or tedious tasks in a wiki.

Bots' speed — A bot can do **hundreds of edits in few minutes**!

Guidelines[]

There are some good practices to follow when creating a bot account:

it must be clearly indicated that the account is a bot
- indicating so in its user profile
- inserting the word "bot" in its username - a typical good example is naming your bot "<insert name here>-bot"
it must be clearly indicated who manages the bot account so that others know who to contact in case of problems
- only one person should have access to the account; requests for bot accounts to be shared among multiple users will not be accepted
always remember that using a bot is not meant to make edits "in secret", and it's a good idea to ascertain the good faith and intentions of the user who will manage it before approving their request
- hence the need of an active admin or moderator in the target wiki who approved the bot as mentioned in the next section

Bot flag[]

When a bot makes a lot of changes in a short amount of time, the recent changes log can get clogged with the bot's own edits and make it difficult to spot edits made by other users. To address this, bot accounts can be flagged as bots. By doing so, edits made by bot accounts are automatically hidden from the recent changes list, although users can still choose to view them by adjusting the filters on the special page.

How can an account be flagged as a bot? You can either submit a request via the local Project:Flag Bot Requests page (only available if an WR or IWR is assigned) or contact Fandom staff. Before this, you need approval from other wiki editors and a good reason to use it (and there should be at least one admin or moderator active on the wiki.) Once your request is accepted and the account is flagged as bot, there will be the tag "Bot" at the right of its name in its profile page.

Bot tags - bot flag — A bot with its **bot tag**.

Consider granting your bot the same rights as your own. For example, an admin's bot could have admin rights, and a moderator's bot could have moderator rights. However, ensure that this promotion is discussed among active users of the wiki. Remember that a bot's rights should never exceed those of its owner.

Bot tags - additional tags — A bot with an **additional rights tag**.

Software[]

Using external softwares (AutoWikiBrowser, Pywikibot) enables bots to make a large number of edits quickly and efficiently. These tools allow bots to search for specific words or codes across multiple pages within a short period of time. It's important to note that the speed of the process depends on your internet connection, but it will still be faster than manual editing. These software options also provide an autosave feature, eliminating the need for continuous manual saving. However, it is essential to exercise caution with autosave and ensure there is no risk of false positives. It is advisable to review and verify the bot's actions either before or after saving, especially until you feel confident using the software.

AutoWikiBrowser[]

The easiest bot software to install, set, and use is AutoWikiBrowser (AWB). Find more information in the Guide to Get and Use AutoWikiBrowser.

Pywikibot[]

Pywikibot is a little harder to get and use, especially if you still don't have much experience with bot programs. To view a guide on how to install and set it, visit the Pywikibot help page.