Five pillars form the foundation of Wikipedia's core principles and policies. They summarize the broad ideas that guide how Wikipedia is written, edited, and governed.
The first pillar says that Wikipedia is an encyclopedia. The second requires articles to be written from a neutral point of view. The third establishes Wikipedia as free content that anyone may use, edit, and distribute under its licensing terms. The fourth asks editors to treat one another with respect and civility. The fifth says that Wikipedia has no firm rules, meaning policies can be adapted when doing so improves the encyclopedia.
The pillars are not a complete rulebook and do not replace detailed policies such as verifiability, reliable sourcing, or conflict-of-interest guidance. Instead, they provide a compact summary of Wikipedia's culture and purpose.
Readers sometimes confuse Wikipedia's five pillars with the Five Pillars of Islam or assume they are five departments or organizational divisions. On Wikipedia, “pillars” means foundational principles, not a count of all policies or guidelines.