Convert MediaWiki to BBCode

Why Convert MediaWiki to BBCode?

Converting MediaWiki markup to BBCode is invaluable when you want to share wiki-based content on internet forums, bulletin boards, and community platforms. Wiki content from Wikipedia, knowledge bases, or documentation wikis often needs to be reposted or referenced in forum discussions. BBCode is the standard formatting language supported by phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, SMF, and countless other forum platforms where MediaWiki markup is not recognized.

MediaWiki uses distinctive syntax like == headings ==, '''bold''' markers, ''italic'' delimiters, [[wiki links]], and complex table structures with {| and |}. These markup elements are specific to the MediaWiki rendering engine and produce no formatting on forums. BBCode translates these into universally understood tags like [b]bold[/b], [i]italic[/i], [url]links[/url], and [list] elements that render correctly across forum platforms worldwide.

BBCode was specifically designed as a safe alternative to HTML for user-generated content. It prevents cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks while still allowing users to format their posts with bold, italic, colors, images, links, and lists. By converting MediaWiki content to BBCode, you ensure that your formatted content displays properly while maintaining the security model that forum administrators rely on.

This conversion is particularly useful for community managers who maintain both a wiki and a forum, game communities that want to post wiki guides on discussion boards, and anyone who needs to share structured wiki content in forum discussions. The conversion maps headings to sized bold text, preserves text formatting, converts links, and transforms lists into BBCode's [list] format.

Key Benefits of Converting MediaWiki to BBCode:

• Forum Compatibility: Post wiki content on phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, and other forums
• Preserved Formatting: Bold, italic, links, and lists render correctly on forums
• Security Safe: BBCode prevents XSS while allowing rich formatting
• Community Sharing: Share wiki knowledge in forum discussions and threads
• Cross-Platform: BBCode works on virtually all forum platforms worldwide
• Easy to Edit: Simple tag-based syntax is easy to modify in forum editors
• Instant Posting: Convert and paste directly into any forum post editor

Practical Examples

Example 1: Wiki Guide to Forum Post

Input MediaWiki file (guide.mediawiki):

== Beginner's Guide ==

Welcome to the '''Game Wiki'''!

=== Getting Started ===
Follow these steps:
# Create your character
# Complete the [[Tutorial|tutorial quest]]
# Join a [[Guild|guild]]

''Tip: Save often!''

[[File:screenshot.png|thumb|Game screenshot]]

Output BBCode file (guide.bbcode):

[size=5][b]Beginner's Guide[/b][/size]

Welcome to the [b]Game Wiki[/b]!

[size=4][b]Getting Started[/b][/size]
Follow these steps:
[list=1]
[*]Create your character
[*]Complete the [url=tutorial]tutorial quest[/url]
[*]Join a [url=guild]guild[/url]
[/list]

[i]Tip: Save often![/i]

[img]screenshot.png[/img]

Example 2: Wiki Documentation to Support Forum

Input MediaWiki file (faq.mediawiki):

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

=== How do I reset my password? ===
# Go to [[Settings]]
# Click '''Account Security'''
# Select ''Reset Password''
# Follow the email instructions

{{Warning|Never share your password}}

=== Contact Support ===
Email: [mailto:[email protected] support]

Output BBCode file (faq.bbcode):

[size=5][b]Frequently Asked Questions[/b][/size]

[size=4][b]How do I reset my password?[/b][/size]
[list=1]
[*]Go to Settings
[*]Click [b]Account Security[/b]
[*]Select [i]Reset Password[/i]
[*]Follow the email instructions
[/list]

[color=red][b]Warning:[/b] Never share your password[/color]

[size=4][b]Contact Support[/b][/size]
Email: [url=mailto:[email protected]]support[/url]

Example 3: Wiki Comparison Table to Forum Table

Input MediaWiki file (comparison.mediawiki):

== Product Comparison ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Feature !! Basic !! Premium
|-
| Storage || 10 GB || '''Unlimited'''
|-
| Support || Community || ''Priority''
|-
| Price || Free || $9.99/mo
|}

For details, see [[Pricing|pricing page]].

Output BBCode file (comparison.bbcode):

[size=5][b]Product Comparison[/b][/size]

[table]
[tr][th]Feature[/th][th]Basic[/th][th]Premium[/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Storage[/td][td]10 GB[/td][td][b]Unlimited[/b][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Support[/td][td]Community[/td][td][i]Priority[/i][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Price[/td][td]Free[/td][td]$9.99/mo[/td][/tr]
[/table]

For details, see [url=pricing]pricing page[/url].

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is BBCode?

A: BBCode (Bulletin Board Code) is a lightweight markup language used on internet forums since the late 1990s. It uses square bracket tags like [b]bold[/b], [i]italic[/i], [url]link[/url], and [img]image[/img] to format text. BBCode was created as a safe alternative to HTML, preventing malicious code injection while allowing users to format their forum posts.

Q: Which forums support BBCode?

A: BBCode is supported by virtually all major forum platforms including phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, Simple Machines Forum (SMF), Invision Power Board (IPBoard), MyBB, Discourse (with plugins), and many others. Each platform may support different subsets of BBCode tags and may add custom tags. The core tags [b], [i], [u], [url], [img], [list], [code], and [quote] are nearly universal.

Q: How are MediaWiki headings converted to BBCode?

A: BBCode does not have native heading tags, so MediaWiki headings are converted to bold text with increased font size. For example, == Section == becomes [size=5][b]Section[/b][/size] and === Subsection === becomes [size=4][b]Subsection[/b][/size]. This provides visual hierarchy that approximates the original heading structure on forums.

Q: What happens to MediaWiki templates in BBCode?

A: MediaWiki templates do not have direct BBCode equivalents. Warning and notice templates are converted to colored bold text or quote blocks. Infobox templates are converted to structured text or simple lists. Complex templates with conditional logic are flattened to their rendered content. Template parameters are expanded to their values in the BBCode output.

Q: Are MediaWiki tables supported in BBCode?

A: BBCode table support varies by forum platform. Some forums support [table], [tr], [td], and [th] tags, while others do not. The converter generates standard BBCode table tags where possible. For forums without table support, tables are converted to formatted lists or plain text with alignment. Always check your target forum's BBCode capabilities.

Q: Can I convert wiki images to BBCode?

A: MediaWiki image syntax [[File:image.png|thumb|Caption]] is converted to BBCode [img]image.png[/img] tags. However, the image must be hosted at an accessible URL since forums typically require external image hosting. Wiki-relative image paths are preserved but may need to be updated to full URLs. Image sizing and alignment attributes depend on the forum's BBCode capabilities.

Q: Is BBCode standardized?

A: No, BBCode has no formal standard or specification. Different forum platforms implement their own subsets and extensions of BBCode. Core tags like [b], [i], [u], [url], [img], [list], [code], and [quote] are widely supported, but advanced tags like [table], [spoiler], [color], and [size] may vary. Our converter generates BBCode compatible with the most common forum platforms.

Q: Can I preview BBCode before posting?

A: Most forum software includes a preview function in the post editor where you can see how BBCode will render before submitting. You can also use online BBCode previewer tools to test the converted output. If the formatting doesn't look right, you can easily adjust the BBCode tags manually since the syntax is simple and intuitive.