# Sam Wilson > software engineer on the Community Tech team at the Wikimedia Foundation **Wikidata**: [Q105955627](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105955627) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sam-wilson ## Summary Sam Wilson is a software engineer and programmer who serves on the Community Tech team at the Wikimedia Foundation. He is best known for developing the MediaWiki extension "UnlinkedWikibase," which facilitates the access of Wikibase entities from unlinked wikis. Wilson maintains a significant online presence within the open-source and Wikimedia communities through his code contributions and social media engagement. ## Biography * **Known for:** Developing the UnlinkedWikibase MediaWiki extension; working on the Wikimedia Community Tech team. * **Employer(s):** Wikimedia Foundation. * **Field(s):** Software Engineering, Computer Programming. * **Gender:** Male. * **Online Aliases:** Samwilson, SWilson (WMF). ## Contributions Sam Wilson has made specific technical contributions to the Wikimedia ecosystem, primarily focusing on software that enhances the interoperability of wiki platforms. His most distinct technical output is the creation and maintenance of **Extension:UnlinkedWikibase**. This MediaWiki extension addresses a specific architectural need by allowing wikis to access and display data from Wikibase entities (structured data repositories like Wikidata) even when the local wiki is not formally linked to a Wikibase site. This tool enables greater flexibility for smaller wiki installations or specific projects that utilize Wikibase as a data backend without a full federation setup. In addition to specific software extensions, Wilson contributes to the broader open-source community through active code repositories. His GitHub username, `samwilson`, hosts his development work. He is also an active participant in the Fediverse, utilizing the Mastodon platform under the handle `samwilson@wikis.world`. His engagement there has grown steadily, tracking from 482 followers in February 2024 to 497 followers by April 2024. Wilson documents his ongoing work and technical insights on his personal website, `samwilson.id.au`, which serves as a hub for his professional portfolio and RSS feed updates. ## FAQs ### Q: What is Sam Wilson's role at the Wikimedia Foundation? A: Sam Wilson is a software engineer on the Community Tech team. This team typically focuses on building tools and features specifically requested by the Wikimedia volunteer community to improve editing and maintenance workflows. ### Q: What is the "UnlinkedWikibase" extension developed by Sam Wilson? A: UnlinkedWikibase is a MediaWiki extension developed by Wilson. It allows a wiki to retrieve information from a Wikibase repository (such as Wikidata) even if the wiki does not have a direct, configured link to that repository. ### Q: What are Sam Wilson's official Wikimedia usernames? A: He operates under two primary usernames: "Samwilson" for his personal contributions and "SWilson (WMF)" to denote his official actions as a staff member of the Wikimedia Foundation. ### Q: Where can Sam Wilson's work be found online? A: His professional work and code are hosted on GitHub under the username `samwilson`. He also maintains a personal website at `samwilson.id.au` and is active on Mastodon at `samwilson@wikis.world`. ## Why They Matter Sam Wilson plays a functional role in maintaining and expanding the technical capabilities of the open-source wiki ecosystem. By working on the Community Tech team at the Wikimedia Foundation, he directly addresses the technical needs of the massive volunteer base that powers Wikipedia and its sister projects. Tools developed by Community Tech are often the result of community-wide surveys and requests, meaning Wilson’s work has a direct, tangible impact on the daily workflows of editors and administrators. Furthermore, his development of the **UnlinkedWikibase** extension is significant for the broader "Wiki of the Future" landscape. As the movement moves toward structured data and more connected knowledge graphs, the ability for disparate wikis to easily pull data from centralized repositories becomes crucial. By enabling access for wikis that are not natively linked to a Wikibase, Wilson’s extension lowers the barrier to entry for structured data usage, allowing smaller or independent wiki communities to benefit from the power of Wikibase without complex configuration. This contribution helps democratize access to structured data technology. ## Notable For * **Wikimedia Foundation Staff:** Serving as a software engineer on the Community Tech team. * **Extension Developer:** Creating the **UnlinkedWikibase** extension for MediaWiki. * **Open Source Advocate:** Maintaining active code repositories and a personal technical blog. * **Fediverse Presence:** Establishing a growing presence on Mastodon (`samwilson@wikis.world`) within the wiki community. ## Body ### Professional Role Sam Wilson is employed as a **software engineer** by the **Wikimedia Foundation**. He operates specifically within the **Community Tech** team. In this capacity, he holds the occupational title of **programmer** and **software developer**. His work involves maintaining and improving the MediaWiki software stack that powers Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects. ### Technical Contributions Wilson's specific contributions to the MediaWiki software landscape include the development of tools that bridge data gaps. * **UnlinkedWikibase:** He is credited with the creation of **Extension:UnlinkedWikibase**. This software solution is designed to allow MediaWiki installations to access and render data from Wikibase entities. The primary utility of this extension is for wikis that are not hard-linked to a specific Wikibase site (like Wikidata), thereby offering a flexible method for importing structured data. * **Open Source Code:** He maintains a presence on GitHub under the username **samwilson**, where he publishes and manages his code repositories. ### Digital Presence and Identity Sam Wilson maintains a distinct digital footprint across several platforms, distinguishing his personal identity from his official staff role. * **Personal Website:** He runs a personal website at **https://samwilson.id.au/**. The site features content in English and offers an RSS feed for updates. * **Social Media:** Wilson is active on the decentralized social network Mastodon. His handle is **samwilson@wikis.world**. His follower count on this platform showed consistent growth in early 2024, rising from 482 in February to 497 in April. * **Wikimedia Identity:** He uses the handle **Samwilson** for general community interaction. For official administrative actions performed as part of his employment, he uses the account **SWilson (WMF)**. This account is explicitly qualified as a "WMF staff account" affiliated with the Wikimedia Foundation. ## References 1. [Source](https://betweenthebrackets.libsyn.com/episode-29-sam-wilson)