Article Merge Codes

Here are the available template merge codes for use in Customize > Style (HTML & CSS) > Custom HTML > Article. Many can also be used directly within individual articles, categories, and subcategories.

Article merge code	Description	Example
`[article("body")]`	The contents of the current category or article.	This merge code only works in Custom HTML > Article. It does not work inside articles. If it did, it would create an infinite loop of loading content inside of content. It might be fun to see, but it would break KnowledgeOwl horribly.
`[article("title")]`	The category or article title.	Article Merge Codes
`[article("toc_title")]`	The Short Article Title (if set).	Article
`[article("pdf_download_tool")]`	Generates a PDF icon that will download the contents of the current category or article when clicked.
`[article("version")]`	The version number of the current active version.	2025.02.05
`[article("url")]`	The full URL to the article.	https://support.knowledgeowl.com/help/article-merge-codes
`[article("date_created")]`	The date and time the current category or article was created.	07/12/2015 2:24 pm EDT
`[article("date_modified")]`	The date and time the current category or article was last modified.	02/13/2025 12:38 pm EST
`[article("date_published")]`	The Published Date, if it's been explicitly set.	07/12/2015
`[article("last_modified_by")]`	The name of the author who most recently saved changes to this article.	Kate Mueller
`[article["thumbnail"]]`	The article's Thumbnail image, if set.
`[article["banner"]]`	The article's Banner image, if set.
`[article("category")]`	The ID of the article's immediate parent category.	59a4a799ad121cd61e410479
`[article("parent_ids")]`	A comma-separated list of the article's parent categories' IDs as they appear in the breadcrumbs.	5db75805ad121c7361e3c5bd, 59a4a799ad121cd61e410479
`[article("action_icons")]`	The various article action icons next to the article's title (PDF, print, email, and favorites if Favorites have been enabled). This merge code replaces older hard-coded HTML.	Refer to the icons at the top of this page next to the article title. :)
`[article("favorites_action")]`	The favorites icon (a star), if Favorites are enabled in the knowledge base. For use with hard-coded HTML setups not using the action_icons merge code.	Refer to How favorites work for sample screenshots and Change the favorites star icon for updating to a different icon.
`[article("required_reading_flag")]`	The "this article is required to read" statement for use with Required Reading.	Refer to Required Reading overview for sample screenshots.
`[article("required_reading_acknowledgement")]`	The acknowledgement section for use with Required Reading.	Refer to Required Reading overview for sample screenshots.
`[template["rating"]]`	The rating text and controls as set up in KB settings > Ratings.	Refer to the "Was this article helpful?" section at the bottom of this page.
`[template["comments"]]`	The comments section as set up in KB settings > Comments.	Refer to the comments section at the bottom of this page.

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