Manual:Setting user groups in MediaWiki

By default MediaWiki has several user groups that can grant a user a set of user rights. See also the list of groups.

Special:UserRights

MediaWiki version:
1.10

There is a simple interface (Special:UserRights) for adding a user to or removing a user from one or more user groups. To do this the acting user must have the userrights user right, which by default is granted to the Bureaucrats user group. You can access Special:UserRights directly or via Special:SpecialPages in the toolbox on the left. You can also view the rights an individual group has by accessing the Special:UserGroupRights special page.

For help in using Special:UserRights, refer to Help:User rights and groups .

From API

If you are developing a gadget, a bot (an admin bot) or other stuff that should be able to change user's groups through the API, see the page API:User group membership .

From the command line

The maintenance script createAndPromote.php can add groups to a user from the command line: php maintenance/createAndPromote.php Example --sysop

There is no way to remove a group from a user from the command line, without directly modifying the database.

From source code

If you are developing a MediaWiki extension such as a custom authentication manager or other stuff that should be able to change user's groups, you can have a look at these methods:

  • User::addGroup()
  • User::removeGroup()

As documented into the https://doc.wikimedia.org/mediawiki-core/master/php/User_8php_source.html page.