Wikitech-l April 2024

wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org

31 participants
33 discussions

[Google Season of Docs] Call for documentation projects and technical writers
by Alexandra Paskulin 27 Nov '24

27 Nov '24

Hi all, We’re excited to announce Wikimedia’s participation in Google Season of Docs! 🎉 For the first time since 2020, Wikimedia is applying for Google Season of Docs[1]: a program that provides grants to technical writers to work on documentation for open-source projects. This year, we’ll be selecting one Wikimedia documentation project and, if accepted by Google, hiring one technical writer to complete the project. For details about the program and how to apply, see the wiki page[2]. Here's how you can get involved: - [Until March 22] Propose a project, share feedback on a project, or volunteer to help support a project[3]. - [Until April 28] Apply as a technical writer. We highly encourage Wikimedians to apply! Even if you’re not a professional technical writer, we value experience working on wikis. Our goal is to use this program to improve MediaWiki.org and other Wikimedia technical documentation, supplementing the work done by volunteers and staff. We’re hoping to use this year’s edition as a model to expand the program to multiple projects in future years. Let's make this a successful season of documentation together! 📚 Best, - Alex and Onyinyechi [1] - https://developers.google.com/season-of-docs [2] - https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Season_of_Docs/2024 [3] - https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Season_of_Docs/2024#Volunteering_to_support_… -- Alex Paskulin Technical Writer Wikimedia Foundation

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Changes to JavaScript documentation tools
by Alexandra Paskulin 13 Nov '24

13 Nov '24

Hi everyone, tl;dr The tools we use to document Wikimedia JavaScript code are changing. In the short term, you can read the complete MediaWiki core JavaScript docs using the 1.41 version[0] while we migrate to the new system[1]. If you use JavaScript documentation on doc.wikimedia.org, please share your feedback on wiki[2]. Wikimedia JavaScript codebases are switching from using JSDuck[3] to JSDoc[4] for documentation. Started in 2016, this migration is necessary because JSDuck is currently unmaintained and does not support the ES6 standard[5]. Several Wikimedia JavaScript codebases, including Vector and GlobalWatchlist, already use JSDoc, while several others, such as VisualEditor and MediaWiki core, still use JSDuck. The migration project consists of two parts: changing the codebases to support JSDoc and improving the usability of the JSDoc WMF theme. For more information, see phab:T138401[6]. == Migrating MediaWiki core to JSDoc == We are migrating MediaWiki core to JSDoc incrementally. While the migration is in progress, the master branch docs will be incomplete, containing only those modules that have been migrated. To read the old JSDuck docs, see the MediaWiki 1.41 docs[0]. To help with migration, choose a module from the list in phab:T352308[7], and follow the guide on phab:T138401[6] to translate the tags from JSDuck to JSDoc. == Migrating other codebases == You can find a list of codebases that use JSDuck on phab:T138401[6]. (Please add any that are missing.) To help migrate a codebase that uses JSDuck, follow the instructions to set up JSDoc[8], and use the guide in phab:T138401[6] to translate the tags from JSDuck to JSDoc. == Improving the JSDoc WMF theme == One of the biggest differences between JSDuck and JSDoc is the HTML interface for reading the docs. The WMF theme for JSDoc is not as full-featured as the JSDuck theme, but to support this migration, the Wikimedia Foundation Web, Design Systems, and Technical Documentation teams are working to prioritize and complete a set of improvements to the JSDoc theme, with the goal of releasing version 1 of jsdoc-wmf-theme in 2024. If you use JavaScript documentation on doc.wikimedia.org, please leave a comment on the JSDoc WMF theme talk page[2] and let us know how you use the docs and which features of the theme are the most important to you. Thank you for reading! Alex, Kamil, Jon, Roan, and Anne [0]: https://doc.wikimedia.org/mediawiki-core/REL1_41/js/ [1]: https://doc.wikimedia.org/mediawiki-core/master/js/ [2]: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Talk:JSDoc_WMF_theme [3]: https://github.com/senchalabs/jsduck [4]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSDoc [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECMAScript [6]: https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T138401 [7]: https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T352308 [8]: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/JSDoc -- Alex Paskulin Technical Writer Wikimedia Foundation

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Missing Section Headings
by Marc Riddell 13 Sep '24

13 Sep '24

Hello, I have been a WP editor since 2006. I hope you can help me. For some reason I no longer have Section Heading titles showing in the Articles. This is true of all Headings including the one that carries the Article subject's name. When there is a Table of Contents, it appears fine and, when I click on a particular Section, it goes to that Section, but all that is there is a straight line separating the Sections. There is also no button to edit a Section. If I edit the page and remove the "== ==" markers from the Section Titles, the Title then shows up, but not as a Section Heading. Also, I don't have any Date separators on my Want List. This started 2 days ago. Any thoughts? Thanks, Marc Riddell [[User:Michael David]]

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Collect telemetry (using WikimediaEvents) for a gadget
by psnbaotg 09 Jul '24

09 Jul '24

Hi there, I'm User:Diskdance, and recently I'm developing a default gadget for Chinese Wikipedia enhancing MediaWiki's variant handling logic, and under certain circumstances a prompt is shown at page load asking for a user's preferred variant. Consider it as a conditional Cookie notice, and its English screenshot can be found at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VariantAlly-En.png. Iknowthis can be very disruptive on UX, so I tend to be careful about its negative impact on page views. If the gadget can collect telemetry data about the prompt's display frequency and user interactions(using e.g. WikimediaEvents), I can know about its possible impact. Is this possible? It would be much appreciated if anybody could provide assistance. Best wishes,Diskdance

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How to make commits from mirrored Wikimedia repos show up on your GitHub profile
by Bartosz Dziewoński 28 Jun '24

28 Jun '24

I know it has been annoying a couple of people other than me, so now that I've learned how to make it work I'll share the knowledge here. tl;dr: Star the repositories. No, seriously. (And yes, you need to star each extension repo separately.) (Is there a place on mw.org to put this tidbit on?) ------- Forwarded message ------- From: "Brian Levine" <support(a)github.com> (GitHub Staff) To: matma.rex(a)gmail.com Cc: Subject: Re: Commits in mirrored repositories not showing up on my profile Date: Tue, 09 Jul 2013 06:47:19 +0200 Hi Bartosz In order to link your commits to your GitHub account, you need to have some association with the repository other than authoring the commit. Usually, having push access gives you that connection. In this case, you don't have push permission, so we don't link you to the commit. The easy solution here is for you to star the repository. If you star it - along with the other repositories that are giving you this problem - we'll see that you're connected to the repository and you'll get contribution credit for those commits. Cheers Brian -- Matma Rex

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Research FAQ gets a facelift
by Dario Taraborelli 25 Jun '24

25 Jun '24

We just released a new version of Research:FAQ on Meta [1], significantly expanded and updated, to make our processes at WMF more transparent and to meet an explicit FDC request to clarify the role and responsibilities of individual teams involved in research across the organization. The previous version – written from the perspective of the (now inactive) Research:Committee, and mostly obsolete since the release of WMF's open access policy [2] – can still be found here [3]. Comments and bold edits to the new version of the document are welcome. For any question or concern, you can drop me a line or ping my username on-wiki. Thanks, Dario [1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Research:FAQ [2] https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Open_access_policy [3] https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Research:FAQ&oldid=15176953 *Dario Taraborelli *Head of Research, Wikimedia Foundation wikimediafoundation.org • nitens.org • @readermeter <http://twitter.com/readermeter>

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[Wikitech-I] Call for Projects and Mentors for Google Summer of Code 2024 and Outreachy Round 28 is OPEN!
by Onyinyechi Onifade 26 May '24

26 May '24

Hello everyone, Wikimedia is gearing up to apply as a mentoring organization for Google Summer of Code 2024 < https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Google_Summer_of_Code/2024>[1] and Outreachy Round 28 <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Outreachy/Round_28> [2]. Currently, we're crafting a list of exciting project ideas for the application. If you have any suggestions for projects, whether coding or non-coding (design, documentation, translation, outreach, research), please share them by February 5th via this Phabricator task: < https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T354734> [3]. Note that for non-coding projects eligible for Outreachy, slots are limited and will be allocated to mentors on a first-come, first-serve basis. Timeline In your role as a mentor, your involvement spans the application period for both programs, taking place from March to April. During this time, you'll guide candidates in making small contributions to your project and address any project-related queries they may have. As the application period concludes, you'll further intensify your collaboration with accepted candidates throughout the coding period, which extends from May to August. Your support and guidance are crucial to their success in the program. Guidelines for Crafting Project Proposals: - Follow this task description template when you propose a project in Phabricator: < https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/tag/outreach-programs-projects> [4]. You can also use this workboard to pick an idea if you don't have one already. Add #Google- Summer-of-Code (2024) or #Outreachy (Round 28) tag. - Project should require an experienced developer ~15 days and a newcomer ~3 months to complete. - Each project should have at least two mentors, including one with a technical background. - Ideally, the project has no tight deadlines, a moderate learning curve, and fewer dependencies on Wikimedia's core infrastructure. Projects addressing the needs of a language community are most welcome. * Learn more about the roles and responsibilities of Mentors for both programs:* - Outreachy: <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Outreachy/Mentors> [5] - Google Summer of Code: < https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Google_Summer_of_Code/Mentors> [6] Thank you, Links: [1] https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Google_Summer_of_Code/2024 [2] https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Outreachy/Round_28 [3] https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T354734 [4] https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/tag/outreach-programs-projects [5] https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Outreachy/Mentors [6] https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Google_Summer_of_Code/Mentors -- *Onyinyechi Onifade * Technical Community Program Manager Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/>

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Call for Web Perf Hero award 🚀 nominees is now open
by Derick Alangi 18 May '24

18 May '24

Hi, We (MediaWiki Platform Team) are calling on you to nominate individuals for the Web Perf Hero award for 2024. https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Web_Perf_Hero_award A nomination is as simple as sending an email to mediawiki-platform-team(a)wikimedia.org with the relevant information and we will curate these responses and develop a list once the nomination period has closed. The nomination period would run from today April 17, 2024 to May 19, 2024. When you nominate a person, include an example of where or how they made a measurable performance improvement on Wikipedia or sister projects. This can be as simple as links to Gerrit patch(es) or Phabricator task(s). Nominations are open to all technical contributors (including WMF staff). We really encourage you to nominate others, though self nominations are permitted. You are also free to nominate multiple developers if you have more than one in mind. You can have a look at https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Web_Perf_Hero_award for past awards given out in previous years. Thanks in advance for your nominations! Derick, On behalf of MediaWiki Platform Team

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Call for Nominations: Coolest Tool Awards 2024! 🛠️
by Onyinyechi Onifade 10 May '24

10 May '24

Hi everyone, It’s time to nominate your favorite tool(s) for the fifth edition of the Coolest Tool Award!! 🎉 The Coolest Tool Award seeks to spotlight the diverse range of tools created by Wikimedia community members. These tools play a vital role in improving the efficiency, accessibility, and functionality of Wikimedia projects, ultimately enriching the experience for Wikimedia communities. We’d like to invite you all to nominate your favorite & most used tools and help us celebrate the people who create them! To nominate your favorite tools, simply follow this link: [ https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/797991?lang=en] . Feel free to submit multiple nominations by completing the form as many times as you'd like. The deadline for Nomination is *May 10th 2024.* For further details on the nomination and selection process, the Coolest Tool Award academy, and the upcoming award ceremony, please visit: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Coolest_Tool_Award. We plan to award the coolest tools in a variety of categories (see last year’s categories <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Coolest_Tool_Award/2022#2022_Winners> [2] for an example). Excitingly, we're returning to an in-person event for the first time since 2019, with winners set to be unveiled at Wikimania 2024. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to reach out via the Talk Page <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Coolest_Tool_Award>. We're here to help! Thank you for your participation and recommendations. Regards, Onyinyechi, for the 2024 Coolest Tool Academy [1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Coolest_Tool_Award#Coolest_Tool_Academy [2] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Coolest_Tool_Award/2022#2022_Winners

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Join the "MW Metrics on Prometheus" Migration Effort
by Leo Mata 01 May '24

01 May '24

Esteemed technical community, The WMF’s SRE Observability team <https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/SRE/Observability> invites you to join our ongoing effort to migrate MediaWiki metrics to Prometheus <https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Prometheus>, utilizing StatsLib <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Stats>, an internally developed, Prometheus-capable metrics interface. This initiative is fundamental in unifying our metrics, improving MediaWiki observability, and reducing tool fragmentation. Your participation is crucial to drive this effort forward. The Ask We invite you to contribute to this project <https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T350592>. Your expertise can drive the success of this migration, helping us streamline and improve our monitoring capabilities. We appreciate your support in migrating your component’s metrics to StatsLib (*T350592*) <https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T350592>; this involves: - Look up your component, extension, or module in the task above, claim (or create) the corresponding sub-task for your metrics, and follow the examples/docs available to migrate your metrics to the new metrics interface. - Help deprecate and clean up/remove outdated metrics not in use (or graphed in dashboards). - Collaborate with testing and provide feedback for a seamless transition. Why Prometheus <https://prometheus.io/docs/introduction/overview/>? We have been using Prometheus in production for several years as it offers several benefits over Graphite <https://prometheus.io/docs/introduction/comparison/>. Migrating MediaWiki off Graphite ensures we stay ahead with a supported, scalable metrics platform for more effective long-term, multidimensional metrics analysis and storage. The new stack provides more robust data labeling, storage, and query capabilities. This project facilitates the improvement of our production metrics infrastructure and deprecates older systems. The general thought process is outlined in T249164 RFC: Better interface for generating metrics in MediaWiki <https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T249164>. Support and Resources: We can assist via various channels such as email, phabricator and IRC (#wikimedia-observability on Libera.Chat), including periodic technical office hours (to be scheduled soon). Please contact me or visit the SRE Observability Team Interface Page <https://office.wikimedia.org/wiki/Team_interfaces/SRE_-_Observability> for ways to get involved. Timeline Please prioritize and schedule this work within the next few quarters to ensure a seamless transition and the sustainability of the MW production ecosystem. Together, we can achieve a more efficient and reliable Observability platform. Thank you in advance for your understanding and support. Hackathon 2024! We will be at this year’s hackathon <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Hackathon_2024> for those attending who are interested in participating or have any questions. We appreciate your support and help; many thanks for your attention and to all those who have/are participating already! Respectfully, Leo *Leo Mata* (he/him) Engineering Manager - Observability Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/>

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Wikitech-l April 2024