Managing Categories

Best Practices for Managing Categories in Semantic MediaWiki

This page outlines the best practices for creating and managing categories in Semantic MediaWiki (SMW). Categories in SMW are crucial for structuring data, allowing for more efficient data retrieval and display. These guidelines aim to improve your semantic wiki's organization and usability.

Naming Conventions

• Consistency: Keep category names consistent in style and structure to facilitate easier management and querying.
• Descriptive Names: Use clear and descriptive names that reflect the content and purpose of the category.
• Avoid Ambiguity: Ensure that category names are unambiguous and specific to avoid overlap and confusion.

Category Hierarchy

• Hierarchical Structure: Organize categories in a hierarchical manner where broader categories encompass more specific subcategories.
• Depth of Hierarchy: Avoid overly deep category hierarchies; a maximum of three levels is generally recommended to keep the structure manageable and navigable.

Semantic Properties

• Assign Properties: Assign relevant semantic properties to categories to enrich the metadata and improve the semantic queries.
• Use of Special Properties: Utilize special properties like `Allows value` and `Subcategory of` to enforce data type constraints and hierarchical relationships.

Documentation

• Category Description: Provide a detailed description at the top of each category page explaining its scope and how it should be used.
• Examples: Include examples of typical pages that belong in the category, and demonstrate how to add a page to the category correctly.

Utilizing Semantic Queries

• Query Examples: Provide examples of inline queries and ask queries that can be used to retrieve data from categories effectively.
• Optimize Queries: Use query optimization techniques to improve performance, such as selecting specific properties and using limit and offset.

Maintenance and Monitoring

• Regular Reviews: Regularly review category usage and structure to ensure it continues to meet the wiki's needs.
• Update and Refactor: Periodically update and refactor categories to reflect changes in the domain knowledge or organizational needs.
• Monitor Category Size: Keep an eye on the size of categories; overly large categories may need to be split into more specific subcategories.

Training and Support

• User Training: Provide training for new contributors on how to use categories effectively.
• Support Documentation: Maintain detailed support documentation and guidelines accessible to all users.