We are the Wikimedia Foundation Web team. Over the past year, the Web team has been getting closer to switching every Wikipedia to using the new Vector 2022 skin. We are now ready to begin the discussion on making the Vector 2022 skin the default on Ukrainian Wikipedia.
Vector 2022 is developed and tested alongside communities over the past four years. Currently, it is the default on almost every Wikipedia and the majority of sister projects. It has been used heavily by logged-out and logged-in users and is the preferred skin for the majority of editors. Out of all active logged-in users, who have the option to select any skin, 87% of active logged-in users on average use Vector 2022.
We would like to make it the default for all logged-out users, and also all logged-in users who currently use Vector legacy. Logged-in users can at any time switch to any other available skins, including the current version of Vector legacy, Timeless, and Monobook. For users of the current non-default skins, such as Timeless or Monobook, no changes are expected and support for these skins will continue in the future.
[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 skin does not meet their needs – it was difficult to read, navigate, and use.
[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, Community Wishlist Surveys, and existing gadgets and scripts.
[Changes in a nutshell] The skin introduces changes to the navigation and layout of the site. It adds persistent elements such as a sticky header and table of contents to make frequently-used actions easier to access. It also makes some changes to the overall styling of the page. The analysis of the data collected concluded that these changes improve readability and usability, and save time currently spent in scrolling, searching, and navigating – thus creating an easier reading experience. The new skin does not remove any functionality currently available on the old Vector skin. On wikis with this skin as the default, there are no negative effects to page views, account creation, or edit rates. This work also helped our code follow modern standards and made all other skins easier to maintain. We reduced PHP code in the other available skins by 75%. The project has also focused on making it easier to support gadgets and use APIs.
[Looking towards the future] The skin makes it possible to build further improvements more easily. New features such as font size controls and dark mode will be available for the Vector 2022 skin.
[Try it out] We encourage you to try out the new skin by going to the appearance tab in your preferences and selecting Vector 2022 from the list of skins.
We make it possible to configure and personalize our changes.
We are happy to work with volunteers with technical skills who would like to create new gadgets and user scripts. So far, many gadgets and user scripts have been built by community developers. These aspects include turning off sticky elements, bringing back the old table of contents, and more. We encourage you to check out our repository for a list of currently available customizations and changes, or to add your own. In addition,
Users can now select the width at which they prefer viewing the skin by using a toggle placed in the bottom right corner of the screen.
They can view menus at different states – opening the menus they wish to see and collapsing those they use less frequently.
This is the data we've collected throughout the process of building the new skin:
On average, 87% of logged-in users on our early adopter wikis continue to use the new skin once they try it.
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 jumped to different sections of the page 50% more than with the old table of contents.
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 wikis we tested on.
The skin does not negatively affect page views, edit rates, or account creation. In fact, there is observational evidence of increases in page views and account creation across partner communities.
Our plan: discussion, online meeting, and next steps
We are now ready to make the new skin the default here and want to hear your thoughts on the change. We plan on discussing the change, answering questions and logging concerns over the course of one month. We'd also like to meet with you online, December 18 at 19:00 Ukrainian time. Click here to join / dial by your location. The meeting will be in English.
We will gladly answer your questions, concerns, or additional thoughts! We will also help you adjust things which Vector 2022 may not be compatible with. Check out our FAQ. You may find useful answers there.
In January, we hope to have a plan for next steps and schedule a date to deploy. Thank you!
Questions from the Web team for the Ukrainian community
Vector legacy (current default)
Vector 2022
Vector legacy (current default)
Vector 2022
