Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Features

We have not created a complete, detailed product specification. Each feature will be built and implemented separately, over time. Features which have been created are still being adjusted and improved.

We are making decisions based on community feedback, individual users who decide to opt-in, and extracted API data. Please feel invited to participate!

Each feature, prior to the deployment on community-led early adopter wikis, is tested on the [ https://test.wikipedia.org/ test] and [ https://office.wikimedia.org/ Office wiki].

Header 1: Logo reconfiguration

 * The new logo is smaller than the current version. This allows us to later make the header sticky and to provide commonly-used functionality from any portion of the page (without needing to scroll up).


 * Deployment on early adopter wikis:

Collapsible sidebar

 * Collapsible sidebar leads to a cleaner reading and editing experience while continuing to give access to important functionality.


 * Deployment on early adopter wikis:

Limiting content width

 * Limiting content width allows users to read more quickly and lead to better retention of the text itself. In addition, it lowers eye strain while reading.


 * Deployment on early adopter wikis:

Search: widget move and other improvements

 * The search widget has been moved to a more prominent location. It will also provide type-ahead functionality and more interactive content, such as the page image of a page as well as a description of the page itself.


 * Deployment on early adopter wikis: ,

Language switching: Language links in the article title bar

 * Moving language links to the article title bar would make language switching easier.


 * Deployment on early adopter wikis:

User menu

 * User menu would provide all links related to a user in one intuitive place.


 * Deployment on early adopter wikis:

Header 2: Sticky site and article headers

 * Sticky header will allow users to access important functionality (logging in/out, edit, talk pages, etc.) without requiring people to scroll to the top of the page.


 * Deployment on early adopter wikis:

Table of contents

 * Table of contents would be sticky (always available while reading).


 * Deployment on early adopter wikis:

Page tools

 * Page tools (such as what links here, related changes, as well as PDF and download tools) would be moved outside of the sidebar. We believe this change will lead to a more intuitive navigation by making clear the separation of navigation related to the site itself, and navigation related to the page that is being viewed.


 * Deployment on early adopter wikis: TBD

Visual refinements

 * With all the changes in place, we focus on the visual refinements. These are styling changes to the site.  The goal is to pull the new look together and ensure all changes are consistent with our [ https://design.wikimedia.org/style-guide/ style guide].


 * Deployment on early adopter wikis: -