Items in the Locked category are wikis that have had their database locked. A locked database cannot handle new technical actions, including logging in and creating new accounts. A database can be locked in the following ways:

  • Via Special:LockDB by a wiki founder or owner
  • Setting the $wgReadOnly variable in LocalSettings.php to "true" by a server administrator

Usually, wikis with a locked database are only temporary, although occasionally an abandoned wiki will indefinitely lock its database to prevent other people from trying to adopt it.