Extension:SandboxLink - MediaWiki

MediaWiki extensions manual

SandboxLink Release status: stable
Implementation	User interface, MyWiki
Description	Adds a link to user's personal sandbox to personal tools menu
Author(s)	Bartosz Dziewoński (Matma Rextalk)
Latest version	Continuous updates
Compatibility policy	Snapshots releases along with MediaWiki. Master is not backward compatible.
MediaWiki	1.25+
Database changes	No
Parameters $wgSandboxLinkDisableAnon
Hooks used SkinPreloadExistence SkinTemplateNavigation::Universal
Licence	MIT License
Download	Download extension Git [?]: Browse repository (GitHub) Gerrit code review Git commit log Download source tarball
Help	Help:Extension:SandboxLink
Translate the SandboxLink extension if it is available at translatewiki.net
Issues	Open tasks · Report a bug

The SandboxLink extension adds a link to user's personal sandbox to personal tools menu. The sandbox is assumed to exist, or will be created, at a "/sandbox" subpage of user's userpage. The extension accurately reflects the existence of the page (redlink, vs always-a-bluelink in the gadget) which will be useful for bringing it to the attention of newcomers. The extension also keeps the link available on restricted special pages (special:preferences and special:userlogin).

More limited version of this functionality can be achieved with a JavaScript snippet: Snippets/MySandbox . This snippet was previously used as a gadget on many Wikimedia wikis, most of which had it set to default=on. The main disadvantages of the gadget are performance and mis-clicks: Because the snippet only loads after everything else is rendered, it causes a distracting "movement" in the personal bar. This also leads to many mis-clicks, when an editor tries to visit their userpage or usertalkpage, and those links moved just before the click. On the other hand, the disadvantage of the extension is that when installed on a wiki, there is no way for a user to opt out of the sandbox link appearing on the personal toolbar.