Wikipedia has undergone the first major redesign of the site in over a decade. In the course of it, the Internet encyclopedia eliminated some common problems.
For example, the new title provides quick access to the search and article sections, while the updated search displays images and descriptions as you type.
The table of contents helps you navigate through the content by showing which section the reader is in.
Switching languages is now easier.
The sidebar is now removed, which allows you not to be distracted while reading.
The default font size has also become larger to reduce eye strain.
The Wikipedia update was initially rolled out to English-speaking users only. It is now available in 300 of the 318 active languages on the site.
Wikimedia emphasized that no features were removed during the redesign.
When testing the new design in a group of volunteers, they found that they searched for information 30% more often and scrolled through the results 15% less. The tests also showed that edits that people started using the edit button on a sticky header were undone less frequently than those initiated using other edit buttons on the page, says Habr.
According to the creators of the encyclopedia, the redesign modernizes Wikipedia, making it more accessible to the “next generation” of Internet users who may not be very familiar with the Internet.
The encyclopedia team collects user feedback, so the design may undergo further changes.
NIX Solutions reminds that the Wikimedia Foundation announced the first redesign of the project in the past decade back in 2020. The developers came to the conclusion that it was time to change the visual style, as it became too cumbersome and inconvenient for readers.