Google Summer of Code 2024 - Final Report

Project - Improve InlineComments extension (T359771)

Synopsis

InlineComments (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:InlineComments) is a relatively new MediaWiki extension that provides a long-missing feature for MediaWiki: the ability to do inline annotation on pages, in the manner of Google Docs, Confluence and other content-management systems. It is a powerful tool designed to facilitate discussion and collaboration directly within the content of a wiki page. This extension allows users to add comments inline with the text, enabling a more interactive and engaging way to discuss and review content. This report contains the information about my mentors, items completed during this project, corresponding patches and my overall experience during this GSoC period.

Mentors

User:Yaron Koren, User:Bawolff

Achievements

Streamlined the user pinging process by adding an autocompletion feature, improving user engagement.
Enabled users to edit their comments, ensuring better communication and error correction.
Improved user notifications by integrating Echo, ensuring users are alerted when mentioned in comments.
Prevented confusion by disabling comment selection in outdated page revisions.
Enhanced communication by notifying users when their comments receive replies or are closed.
Ensured proper access control by correcting permission checks for blocked users.
Protected user privacy by anonymizing hidden users in timestamps.
Increased flexibility by allowing configuration of namespaces for InlineComments.
Improved robustness by handling scenarios involving logged-out users.
Customized the diff view to better represent changes in InlineComments.
Enhanced tracking by tagging all edits related to InlineComments.
Ensured consistent sidebar behavior across different skins by making it skin-neutral.
Released v1.0 of InlineComments
Updated the configuration details and description of Extension:InlineComments MW page
Created a new demo video for showcasing all the features (old and new) of InlineComments - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:InlineComments_extension_updated_video.webm

Experience

During my Google Summer of Code (GSoC) project, I had the opportunity to work on enhancing the user experience and functionality of the InlineComments feature. My focus was on improving comment interactions, user notifications, and ensuring robust handling of permissions across different scenarios. This experience allowed me to dive deep into the complexities of collaborative editing tools, sharpening my skills in both front-end and back-end development. My mentors have been incredibly supportive and guiding, playing a crucial role in my growth as a developer. Their constant feedback and encouragement have significantly improved my programming skills. Being at the initial stages of my career, I found their guidance invaluable. They not only helped me navigate complex coding challenges but also instilled in me the importance of writing maintainable and efficient code.

Patches

Implement autocompletion for user pings (1041172)
Add mention icon and remove title from extras (1048556)
Implement "edit" functionality to comments (1049223)
Add Echo notification for user pings in comments (1038788)
Disable selection of InlineComments in old revisions of the page (1053900)
Notify the comment initiator on reply and close action (1053908)
Hide pencil icon on old revisions of the page (1056573)
Ignore hidden users in @-mentions in InlineComments (1055942)
Fix permission check for the "view" rights of blocked users (1055979)
Make pencil icon bold on hover (1056558)
Replace user link for hidden user with '(username removed)' in timestamp (1055983)
Add $wgInlineCommentsNamespaces setting (1056585)
Replace getActorId with acquireActorId to handle logged out users (1056595)
Override default diff for InlineComments changes (1054887)
Add inlinecomments tag for all InlineComments edits (1062699)
Make sidebar skin-neutral in JS (1048022)

User:JayanthVikash/GSoC/Reports/Final

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