Why can't two people work on the same article?

answered 2017-07-27 12:27:01 -0600

Shalor (Wiki Ed)

updated 2017-10-23 18:27:05 -0600

Cassidy (Wiki Ed)

Two people cannot edit the same article because of the software Wikipedia uses, as it cannot automatically reconcile both users' edits. To minimize the chances of receiving an edit conflict:

• Save your work frequently

This reduces the risk of an edit conflict, and makes it easier to resolve if one arises.

• Edit one Section at a time, when practical

The system can cope if different editors are editing different sections at the same time. This may not work with VisualEditor.

• Start new articles in sandboxes

When you are ready to stop editing for an hour or so, move your new articles into the mainspace and watch what others do to them. If you are both trying to edit one sandbox, try to coordinate edits offline.

• Simply put {{inuse}} on an article before making a major edit

Wikipedia's "In Use" notice in its Template namespace may discourage other editors from editing while you are editing. Remove it when the editing is complete.