| Classification | |
|---|---|
| Type | Pattern |
| Focus | Adoption |
Some wikis support CamelCase. This means that words start with a capital letter and have another capital letter withing the word (like the two Cs in “CamelCase”) will automatically be converted into links.
According to Meatball Wiki, CamelCase originated from the fact that Ward Cunningham's original WikiWiki, the PortlandPatternRepository was a place for developers to discuss software design patterns, and object-oriented programming languages use CamelCase for class names: “For people from this background, their brains automatically read CamelCase as a type loaded with the connotations that we build into that type, which seems rather appropriate for a Patterns-esque wiki.
CamelCase may be confusing to some users, especially when typing web 2.0-style words, e.g. “LinkedIn” which unintentionally become links. The remedy is to have an easy-to-find icon to toggle the link behind such words. Some users might consider it hurts the readability of pages, while others see it as a great way to build links between pages and provide information about the linked terms.
While allowing CamelCase to become WikiWords (and as such, links) is generally useful, it is best to have multiple options to create a link. Free linking is also valuable, as is the case in MediaWiki and the more traditional WYSIWIG of selecting word(s) then clicking on an icon or button to create a link.
Several patterns on this site, including WikiGnome, WikiTroll, WikiZenMaster and IdentityMatters have CamelCase names.
However automatic CamelCase linking is not enabled on this site, so the word still have to be explicitly linked.