Wikipedia just got its first update in over a decade. We’re all familiar with Wikipedia as a resource that offers free access to literally all knowledge in the world. It has also created a community of people who keep adding to the platform’s knowledge pool.
On Thursday, the Wikimedia Foundation announced the launch of an updated interface after sticking to the same layout for more than 10 years. Wikipedia’s updated features include improved search, a tool to switch between languages, a new header that leads to commonly visited links, a new table of contents section and other design tweaks to add to Wikipedia’s readability.
New year, new Wikipedia
Over the last few weeks, the change was rolled out in hundreds of languages. Now, it is also being extended to English Wikipedia.
The thing about these new changes at Wikipedia is that not all people might notice them at first glance. To build the updated interface, the Wikimedia Foundation engaged with over 30 different volunteer groups around the world – including India, Indonesia, Ghana, Argentina.
What was their goal? The foundation says they wanted to make Wikipedia more modern in addition to removing clutter and also to bring the desktop version in line with Wikipedia’s mobile counterpart.
What are the new features?
The updated search box now shows both images and descriptions in its autocomplete suggestions to make finding the right piece of content easier. Acting as a sort of visual cue, Wikimedia Foundation claims it led to a 30% increase in user searches during testing.
Another small tweak is Wikipedia’s new sticky header that moves with the user as they scroll down. Essentially, users no longer have to scroll back up to find links like Search, Sections, and page name. During tests, it decreased scroll rates by about 15%.
Wikipedia also get a new table of contents on the left side, along with new tools that make language-switching easy, especially given that Wikipedia supports 300 languages.
A collapsible sidebar has also been added to Wikipedia for a distraction-free experience. In addition, the default font size has also been updated. This version of Wikipedia is called “Vector 2022” and had been in development for three years.
What do you think about Wikipedia’s makeover? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
References
Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, January 18). Wikipedia Gets a Fresh New Look: First Desktop Update in a Decade Puts Usability at the Forefront.