Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Updates/2023-10 for sister projects

The Vector 2022 skin as the default in two / three weeks?
 Read this in your language •  • Please tell other users about these changes 

Hello. I'm writing on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation Web team. In two / three  weeks, we would like to make the Vector 2022 skin the default on this wiki.

If you prefer keeping the current skin select "Vector legacy (2010)" on the appearance tab of the global preferences and save the change. We encourage you to give the new skin a try, though.

Since I last came to you with this question, many things have changed. The skin is now the default on most Wikipedias, and all logos are done! We have also made some tweaks in the skin itself. Below is the text I've sent to you once, but I'm sending it again, just slightly edited, for those who haven't seen it.

If you know what this is about, jump straight to the section "Our plan":

It would become the default for all logged-out users, and also all logged-in users who currently use Vector legacy as a local (but not global) preference. Logged-in users can at any time switch to any other skin. No changes are expected for these skins.

About the skin


[Why is a change necessary] When the current default skin was created, it reflected the needs of the readers and editors as these were 14 years ago. Since then, new users have begun using the Internet and Wikimedia projects in different ways. The old Vector does not meet their needs.

[Objective] The objective for the Vector 2022 skin is to make the interface more welcoming and comfortable for readers and useful for advanced users. It introduces a series of changes that aim to improve problems new and existing readers and editors were having with the old skin. It draws inspiration from previous user requests, the Community Wishlist Surveys, and gadgets and scripts. The work helped our code follow the standards and improve all other skins. The PHP code in the other available skins has been reduced by 75%. The project has also focused on making it easier to support gadgets and use APIs.

[Changes in a nutshell] The skin introduces changes that improve readability and usability. The new skin does not remove any functionality currently available on the Vector skin.
 * The limited width and pin-able menus allow to adjust the interface to the screen size, and focus on editing or reading. Logged-in and logged-out users may use a toggle button to keep the full width, though.
 * The sticky header makes it easier to find tools that editors use often. It decreases scrolling to the top of the page by 16%.
 * The new table of contents makes it easier to navigate to different sections. Readers and editors jump to different sections of the page 50% more than with the old table of contents. It also looks a bit different on talk pages.
 * The new search bar is easier to find and makes it easier to find the correct search result from the list. This increased the amount of searches started by 30% on the tested wikis.
 * The skin does not negatively affect pageviews, edit rates, or account creation. There is evidence of increases in pageviews and account creation across partner communities.

[Customize this skin] It's possible to configure and personalize our changes. We support volunteers who create new gadgets and user scripts. Check out the repository for a list of currently available customizations and changes, or add your own.

Our plan
If no large concerns are raised, we plan on deploying on 31 October / 14 November  . If you'd like to ask our team anything, if you have questions, concerns, or additional thoughts, please comment in any language. If this is the first comment to my message, make sure to ping me. We will gladly answer! Also, check out our FAQ. Thank you!