Global interface editors

Global interface editors are trusted users who can edit all pages including the MediaWiki namespace on all wikis. They maintain templates and the site's JavaScript (*.js) and Cascading Style Sheets (*.css) resources. This permission is enabled on every public Wikimedia wiki that shares access via CentralAuth and SUL, and is only to be used for non-controversial maintenance, or by request of the local community. Since users in this group can seriously disrupt Wikimedia wikis if used incorrectly, the interface editor permission is only assigned to users who have a strong track record in maintaining code and scripts.

Scope

This global group, named "Global interface editors" (global-interface-editor, also known as global interface admins), is enabled on every Wikimedia wiki that shares access via CentralAuth and SUL (including locked (closed) wikis and excluding private and fishbowl wikis). Projects may not opt out. However, global interface editors must not make any controversial edits to the interface on projects where they are not in a local user group that grants this user right.

Global interface editors should avoid making routine changes to the interface on larger wikis without prior agreement. Projects with established communities and processes for maintaining scripts should be avoided. Wikimedia Foundation staff who are editing the interface as part of their official duties are exempt, as the Wikimedia Foundation has its own internal policy regarding staff and user permissions.

Appointment

Requests for this permission should be placed on Steward requests/Global permissions, and the discussion should last no less than five days; if there is consensus and the criteria from the scope are fulfilled, the permission will be granted by a steward. The need for this permission should be stated very clearly. Substantiating information should also be provided, such as MediaWiki development experience or other experience with code on Wikimedia wikis.

Alternatively, this permission may be granted to Wikimedia Foundation staff at the request of the Wikimedia Foundation.

By default, appointment will be temporary, lasting any time up to a year. A longer appointment may be requested by long-term interface editors after several successful renewals. Requests for renewal can be done by placing a new request on Steward requests/Global permissions. This does not apply to paid employees of the Wikimedia Foundation.

Removal

Continued access to the interface is dependent on activity and community trust.

• Misuse or abuse: If this permission is used for any actions which are controversial, such as major additions or removals to a site's interface, or continued disruption due to errors, access will be revoked by a steward. Requests can be made to any steward by placing a request on Steward requests/Permissions#Removal of access or, in emergencies, the #wikimedia-stewards^connect IRC channel.
• Inactivity: If an interface editor has made no global edits to the interface for six months, the permission may be revoked by a steward.
  Wikimedia Foundation staff accounts are exempt from this policy when the rights are assigned for WMF purposes, but the permission may be removed at the request of the Wikimedia Foundation when it is no longer needed.

Review of an interface editor's actions can be requested from any steward or via Requests for comment.

Communication

Technical requests for assistance can be made at Steward requests/Miscellaneous. Tech-related wiki questions can be asked at the Tech Forum.

If disputes arise with local communities, all efforts must be taken to resolve the issue(s) calmly. If in doubt, global interface editors are advised to post advanced notice of their edits to the local community via a community noticeboard, explaining what the edits will achieve. If disputes still cannot be resolved, a request for comment may be initiated, or a review may be requested from any steward.

Global interface editors should also create a global user page where they explain that they have these global permissions and how they may be used (i.e. by linking to this page).

Rights

These are the rights assigned to global interface editors:

• Not be affected by IP-based rate limits (autoconfirmed)
• Edit pages (edit)
• Edit pages protected as "Allow only autopatrollers" (editautopatrolprotected)
• Edit the content model of a page (editcontentmodel)
• Edit pages protected as "Allow only editors" (editeditorprotected)
• Edit pages protected as "Allow only autopatrollers" (editextendedsemiprotected)
• Edit the user interface (editinterface)
• Edit pages protected as "Allow only administrators" (editprotected)
• Edit pages protected as "Allow only autoconfirmed users" (editsemiprotected)
• Edit sitewide CSS (editsitecss)
• Edit sitewide JavaScript (editsitejs)
• Edit sitewide JSON (editsitejson)
• Edit other users' CSS files (editusercss)
• Edit other users' JavaScript files (edituserjs)
• Edit other users' JSON files (edituserjson)
• Edit restricted pages (extendedconfirmed)
• Enable two-factor authentication (oathauth-enable)
• Change protection settings and edit cascade-protected pages (protect)
• Not create redirects from source pages when moving pages (suppressredirect)
• Override the disallowed titles or usernames list (tboverride)
• Edit protected templates (templateeditor)

See also

• Global interface editors: global permission · global groups (toolforge) · member list · group changelog
• Global groups