This is an auxiliary template that allows one to encode "|" (two pipes or vertical bars) within template parameters. If it is unnecessary to get a "|", it is better to use "|". However the "|" delimiter for a Wiki table has to be escaped by a template if it is used within a template.

This template cannot be substituted.

  • There is usually no such problem with "!" (exclamation marks). This problem only affects "|" (vertical bars) in conjunction with the m:Help:Parameter default mechanism within tables. However, in header rows starting with "!" there can be problems with "!!" being interpreted as a cell separator. Try replacing one of the exclamation marks with "!" (this is rarely needed, very few table headers really need to display double exclamation marks).
  • Note also that the {{!}} syntax used to be a real template. This page still documents how it is used, however it is now a magic keyword in MediaWiki (as this utility template was used in lot of pages transcluding templates such as navigation boxes, or infoboxes which used lot of conditional code to generate and format wikitables).

Escapes pipe characters within template parameters

Template parameters

ParameterDescriptionTypeStatus
No parameters specified


Use this template to produce the character or characters " | " as ordinary text rather than as part of a link [[ ]], transclusion {{ }}, variable substitution {{{ }}}, etc.

Template Output HTML alternative Remark
{{=}} = =
{{!(}} [ [ Same as {{Square bracket open}}, which produces "[".
{{)!}} ] ] Same as {{Square bracket close}}, which produces "]".
{{!((}} [[ [[ Same as {{Square bracket open|2}}, which produces "[[".
{{))!}} ]] ]] Same as {{Square bracket close|2}}, which produces "]]".
{{!}} | | {{!}} was also a heavily used template but was converted into an equivalent Magic Word.
{{!!}} || ||
{{(!}} {| {|
{{!-}} |- |-
{{!)}} |} |}
{{(}} { { Same as {{Brace open}}, which produces "{".
{{)}} } } Same as {{Brace close}}, which produces "}".
{{((}} {{ {{ Same as {{Brace open|2}}, which produces "{{".
{{))}} }} }} Same as {{Brace close|2}}, which produces "}}".
{{(((}} {{{ {{{ Same as {{Brace open|3}}, which produces "{{{".
{{)))}} }}} }}} Same as {{Brace close|3}}, which produces "}}}".

Other brace-rendering templates