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This page in a nutshell: HTML should be avoided in marking up articles. Use Wikimarkup for formatting when possible. If Wikimarkup is not possible, and the formatting will be generally useful, consider a Mediawiki template. |
- HTML is harder to edit. Wiki markup is designed specifically for editing on-screen in a browser, and to be really easy to edit. HTML is not. It intimidates casual editors and keeps them from making improvements to our content.
- It's also more difficult to maintain. Fixing HTML formatting wastes time and attention that could instead be spent making valuable content.
If HTML must be used for formatting reasons, it's hidden "behind the scenes" with Mediawiki templates whenever possible. For example, disclaimers should be added with Template:Disclaimerbox and country quickbars with Template:Quickbar, not by adding raw HTML. Not only is this more user-friendly, but it allows updating the design of all boxes or bars in one place. About the only common exception to this is a non-breaking space recommended to prevent elements being "orphaned" on a new, separate line: " "