NixOS Wiki:Deletion process
This page serves as a guideline for how an editor can propose an article for deletion, and how the community can handle such proposals, such that the deletion is carried out with fairness and efficiency.
Motivation
As of June 2025, the wiki has been amassing a growing number of deletion candidates, some inherited from the import. These pages are cluttering the wiki, sometimes leading to confusion regarding which information is reliable, which templates are in use, etc.
It is important we handle housekeeping efficiently, so that we minimise the risk of confusion, and that we keep to the standards laid down in the Manual of Style.
This document serves as the guideline for how such a process could exist.
The deletion process
When an editor notices a page that may not be relevant to the wiki, may be in violation of the wiki's policies, or may not be up to the standards in the manual of style, there are two possible avenues to take. However, if the page checks any of the Speedy deletion criteria below, the page may be deleted right away.
The first avenue, which is preferred is to mark the page with one of the templates that signal significant issues with the article (listed in the related section below). This gives the editors the chance to rectify the issues without requiring a more destructive solution to the situation.
The second avenue, reserved for significant violations of the standard, is to mark the article for deletion directly. This would start the deletion process right away. This shouldn't be used as a panacea, rather it should be for the most obvious, direct and damaging edits on the wiki.
An overview of the process is shown in the flowchart below. An extensive process timeline is shown in the table, where T0 marks the moment an editor notices issues with an article, T1 marks the moment the article is proposed for deletion and T2 marks the time an article qualifies for deletion.
| T0 | T1 | T2 | Step | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -?d | A page is created that is not up to the wiki's standards, or such an edit takes place on an existing article | - | ||
| T0 | The article's issues are marked for rectification, with the appropriate template | 30 days | ||
| T0 | -30d | Editors of the wiki may contribute by fixing the article, removing the notice, thus ending this process. | - | |
| +30d | If no editors have contributed by fixing the article, and the issues are severe enough, the article may now be proposed for deletion | - | ||
| +30d | T1 | The article is proposed for deletion by an editor | 14 days | |
| +7d | If no statements for or against the deletion have been made on the related discussion page, the link to the article should be posted on the Matrix channel. | 7 days | ||
| +14d | T2 | If 7 days after posting on the Matrix channel, there are no comments on the discussion page against the deletion, the page may be deleted. | 30 days | |
| +14d | If 7 days after posting on the Matrix channel, there are only comments against the deletion, the process is concluded and the proposal does not pass. The notice should be removed right away | - | ||
| +14d | -30d | If 7 days after posting on the Matrix channel, there are comments both for and against, we enter a debate period of 30 days, on which the users may add arguments for or against. | 30 days | |
| +44d | T2 | If the majority of the users involved in the conversation are against the deletion, the proposal does not pass, and the notice is removed. If the majority are for the deletion, the article may now be deleted. | 30 days | |
| +30d | If 30 days since the article qualifies for deletion pass, and the article is still not deleted, the editor(s) may prompt the admins for expedited deletion. |
Marking for rectification
It is always preferrable to mark the issues of the article and allow the editors the time to rectify them. The wiki is a collaborative environment, and user error is always a possibility. Thus, use one of the templates below to mark the article accordingly.
| Template | Example |
|---|---|
{{outdated}}
|
⏲︎︎ This article or section is outdated. Further information might be found in the corresponding discussion. Please remove this notice once the information has been updated.
|
{{cleanup}}
|
⚟︎ This article or section needs cleanup. Please edit the article, paying special attention to fixing any formatting issues, inconsistencies, grammar, or phrasing. Make sure to consult the Manual of Style for guidance.
|
{{expand}}
|
☶︎ This article or section needs to be expanded. Further information may be found in the related discussion page. Please consult the pedia article metapage for guidelines on contributing.
|
{{low quality}}
|
⍼︎ This article or section is of low quality. Further information may be found in the related discussion page. Editors that are knowledgeable in this area are encouraged to expand it, otherwise this page could become a candidate for deletion.
|
{{wip}}
|
🏗︎ This article or section is a work in progress. The information on this page may not be reliable, and the formatting may not follow the Manual of Style yet. Please remove this notice as soon as the work is in a presentable shape.
|
{{copypaste}}
|
⎘︎ This article or section may have been copy-pasted from another location, possibly in violation of the wiki's copyright policy and standards of quality. Please review this article's content, contacting the original authors, and editing, removing, or marking the copyrighted content appropriately. The content could become an archival copy with the original authors' consent. Further information may be found on the related discussion page.
|
Speedy deletion criteria
- Pages containing nonsense or gibberish.
- Pages used solely for testing purposes. This includes templates that are unused.
- Vandalism.
- Deletion candidates that were requested by its sole author.
- Pages that obviously qualify as copyright infringement.
- Pages that obviously qualify as advertising or promotion, with little documentation value.
- Technical pages such as disambiguation pages or redirects.