TiddlyWiki5/editions/tw5.com/tiddlers/TiddlyWikiArchitecture.tid

title: TiddlyWikiArchitecture
modifier: JeremyRuston
tags: docs internals

The heart of TiddlyWiki can be seen as an extensible representation transformation engine for text and images. Given the text of a tiddler and its associated ContentType, the engine can produce a rendering of the tiddler in a new ContentType. Furthermore, it can efficiently selectively update the rendering to track any changes in the tiddler or its dependents.

The primary use of the engine is to convert raw `text/vnd.tiddlywiki` WikiText into a `text/html` or `text/plain` representation for display. The transclusion and templating features of WikiText allow the engine to also be used to generate TiddlyWiki HTML files from raw tiddlers.

You can explore this mechanism by opening the JavaScript console in your browser. Typing this command will replace the text of the tiddler `HelloThere` with new content:

```
$tw.wiki.addTiddler({title: "HelloThere", text: "This is some new content"});
```

If the tiddler `HelloThere` is visible then you'll see it instantly change to reflect the new content. If you create a tiddler that doesn't currently exist (like IntentionallyMissingTiddler) then you'll see any displayed links to it instantly change from italicised to normal:

```
$tw.wiki.addTiddler({title: "IntentionallyMissingTiddler", text: "This tiddler now exists"});
```

If you're interested in understanding more about the internal operation of TiddlyWiki, it is recommended that you review the DeveloperDocs and read the code -- start with the boot kernel [[$:/core/boot.js]].
Introduce plugin module mechanism See the readme for details 2012-04-30 11:23:03 +00:00			`title: TiddlyWikiArchitecture`
			`modifier: JeremyRuston`
Docs update 2012-06-10 16:27:09 +00:00			`tags: docs internals`
Introduce plugin module mechanism See the readme for details 2012-04-30 11:23:03 +00:00
Docs updates 2013-03-02 13:14:56 +00:00			`The heart of TiddlyWiki can be seen as an extensible representation transformation engine for text and images. Given the text of a tiddler and its associated ContentType, the engine can produce a rendering of the tiddler in a new ContentType. Furthermore, it can efficiently selectively update the rendering to track any changes in the tiddler or its dependents.`
Introduce plugin module mechanism See the readme for details 2012-04-30 11:23:03 +00:00
More docs updates 2012-12-28 23:08:28 +00:00			The primary use of the engine is to convert raw `text/vnd.tiddlywiki` WikiText into a `text/html` or `text/plain` representation for display. The transclusion and templating features of WikiText allow the engine to also be used to generate TiddlyWiki HTML files from raw tiddlers.
Introduce plugin module mechanism See the readme for details 2012-04-30 11:23:03 +00:00
More docs updates 2012-06-22 14:45:32 +00:00			You can explore this mechanism by opening the JavaScript console in your browser. Typing this command will replace the text of the tiddler `HelloThere` with new content:
Fixed docs to work with new wikitext parser Which turns out to be entirely a matter of inserting additional blank lines, which has the beneficial effect of making the wikitext a lot more readable 2012-06-04 11:25:54 +00:00
More docs updates 2012-12-28 23:08:28 +00:00			```
More docs updates 2012-06-22 14:45:32 +00:00			`$tw.wiki.addTiddler({title: "HelloThere", text: "This is some new content"});`
More docs updates 2012-12-28 23:08:28 +00:00			```
Fixed docs to work with new wikitext parser Which turns out to be entirely a matter of inserting additional blank lines, which has the beneficial effect of making the wikitext a lot more readable 2012-06-04 11:25:54 +00:00
Docs update 2013-02-05 22:11:36 +00:00			If the tiddler `HelloThere` is visible then you'll see it instantly change to reflect the new content. If you create a tiddler that doesn't currently exist (like IntentionallyMissingTiddler) then you'll see any displayed links to it instantly change from italicised to normal:
Fixed docs to work with new wikitext parser Which turns out to be entirely a matter of inserting additional blank lines, which has the beneficial effect of making the wikitext a lot more readable 2012-06-04 11:25:54 +00:00
More docs updates 2012-12-28 23:08:28 +00:00			```
Docs update 2013-02-05 22:11:36 +00:00			`$tw.wiki.addTiddler({title: "IntentionallyMissingTiddler", text: "This tiddler now exists"});`
More docs updates 2012-12-28 23:08:28 +00:00			```
Fixed docs to work with new wikitext parser Which turns out to be entirely a matter of inserting additional blank lines, which has the beneficial effect of making the wikitext a lot more readable 2012-06-04 11:25:54 +00:00
Docs updates 2013-03-02 13:14:56 +00:00			`If you're interested in understanding more about the internal operation of TiddlyWiki, it is recommended that you review the DeveloperDocs and read the code -- start with the boot kernel [[$:/core/boot.js]].`