The latest release of MediaWiki, 1.44, published in early July 2025 and supported through June 2026, brings a range of enhancements to your wiki.

Version 1.44 improves wiki features you use every day, from blocking accounts and review workflows to redirect handling, file protection, and editing extensions. They help you spend less time on maintenance and more on content. Whether you are running a public wiki or an in-house knowledge base, these improvemnts cut overhead and increase security. Explore the sections below to see exactly what is new.

The New Manage Blocks Interface and Multiblocks

With the new Manage Blocks interface for doing advanced user blocking, you have a cleaner and more powerful workflow. At the heart of this release is the Multiblocks capability, which empowers administrators to impose multiple, distinct restrictions on the same user or IP address concurrently.

• Layered Restrictions
  Apply overlapping blocks that target specific actions, including both standard and newly supported ones. You can block traditional actions like editing pages, account creation, or sending email, and take advantage of new options for moving pages and files, creating new pages, and uploading files. Each restriction has its own customizable expiration time.

• Transparent Status Display
  Users can view exactly which restrictions are in place and their expiration times, so they know where they stand. Administrators will see active and past blocks, with all details at their fingertips, simplifying audits and follow‑ups.

By enabling targeted, situation-specific restrictions instead of all-or-nothing bans, the new Manage Blocks interface ensures you apply only the necessary limits, and only when needed. With customizable sub-blocks and clear status visibility, you can now enforce rules more appropriately to the given situation, reduce collateral impact, and maintain community trust without overblocking.

If desired, you need to enable this feature via the configuration parameters ($wgEnableMultiBlocks and $wgUseCodexSpecialBlock).

Improved Patrolling

To improve quality-assurance workflows, MediaWiki’s Patrolling feature has been enhanced for better oversight:

• Recreated pages tagged
  New pages using a previously deleted title receive an automatic “Recreated” tag, which you can see on special pages listing new pages or recent changes. This way, patrollers can quickly spot and review them.
• Rollbacks marked “manually patrolled”
  Rolling back an unpatrolled edit now flags it as manually patrolled (not autopatrolled), accurately reflecting human review.

Together, these two enhancements give patrollers a clearer, more accurate view of new and reverted content, helping communities keep their wikis clean and trustworthy.

Smarter Redirect Handling

Several enhancements came to MediaWiki’s Redirects feature:

• Redirects to non-existent pages now trigger a warning.
• Warnings appear when you point a redirect at another redirect.

These checks prevent errors at their source, reducing the need for tedious follow-up later.

Additionally, editors will now find it easier to manage redirects: action tabs on redirect pages link back to the redirect itself, letting you edit without jumping to the target page.

Together, these improvements make redirects more manageable and mistakes easier to avoid.

File Protection Security Pitfalls Addressed

Several file protection issues were resolved by applying cascading protection to both file uploads and their description pages, while also enforcing reupload permissions for version reverts.

When you embed a file with [[File:Example.png]] on a cascade-protected page, only the upload itself is locked down; anyone can still edit the file’s description page. However, if you transclude the description page directly with {{:File:Example.png}}, the protection carries over, and you cannot change the metadata or licensing details either.

That means embedded files leave their documentation vulnerable, while transcluded files stay fully locked. For sensitive assets like legal logos, policy diagrams, or any image where the caption matters, transclusion is the safer choice.

Additionally, reverting files now requires the same reupload permissions and respects cascading protection, preventing rollbacks without the proper rights.

Resolving Conflicts between Languages and Namespaces

Linking across wikis or languages gets messy when your local namespace clashes with an interwiki or language code. Two new parser functions are now available to solve precisely that problem:

1. #interwikilink – Forces an interwiki link, i.e., a link in your text, even if the prefix matches a local namespace.
2. #interlanguagelink – Adds an interlanguage link, i.e., a link in the sidebar, when the prefix overlaps a namespace.

The problem is conflicting prefixes. On your internal wiki, you may have an “EU:” namespace collecting your internal knowledge and data about the “European Union”, yet “eu:” is also the Basque Language code. Writing: [[eu:PageName]] will resolve to https://example.org/wiki/PageName instead of, e.g., https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/PageName since the local namepace takes precedence.

Now you can use {{#interwikilink:eu|PageName|PageTitle}} or {{#interlanguagelink:en|PageName}} with “eu” as your prefix to link to the external wiki or add a sidebar language link, depending on which kind of link you need.

With these new parser functions at hand, you will never accidentally link to the wrong “EU:” page again. Enjoy conflict-free cross-wiki linking!

Spotlight on Bundled Extensions

Several bundled MediaWiki extensions have received usability enhancements that make editing, maintenance, and customization faster and more powerful. Here is our pick of the key improvements in WikiEditor, Nuke, TemplateStyles, VisualEditor, and CodeEditor, although other bundled extensions may have also picked up enhancements.

WikiEditor

The WikiEditor, also known as “2010 Wikitext Editor,” offers the following improvements:

• Symbol tracking: Keeps your 32 most-recently used special characters front and center across sessions.
• List handling: Select one or more lines and click indent/outdent to build properly nested sub-lists instantly.
• Code button: Wrap selected text in <code> tags with a single click for quick inline code formatting.
• New keyboard shortcuts: “Ctrl +B” for bold, “Ctrl +I” for italics, and four more to speed up your editing.

Nuke

The Nuke extensions got streamlined bulk-deletion features with advanced filtering and preview options, and more:

• Namespace multi-select: Pick any combination of namespaces when fetching pages for bulk deletion.
• “Nuke” tagging: Mass deletions are now automatically labeled with the “Nuke” tag for easier review.
• 90-day history: When targeting a specific user or IP, you can delete pages they created in the last 90 days (up from 30).
• Size filter: Limit deletions to pages within a specified byte-size range.
• Include talk pages & redirects: Bulk delete associated talk pages and redirects alongside the main pages.
• Preview for all: Even non-admins can now see which pages would be deletable under Special:Nuke.
• Post-queue links: After queuing deletions, get one-click links to the user’s page and any pages you did not select.

TemplateStyles

Template editors working with the TemplateStyles extension can now tailor their output for users with specific accessibility needs using media queries like prefers-reduced-motion, prefers-reduced-transparency, prefers-contrast, and forced-colors.

VisualEditor

Like the WikiEditor, VisualEditor now tracks symbols, keeping your 32 most recently used special characters readily accessible across sessions.

CodeEditor

The CodeEditor extension now supports live code autocompletion across JavaScript, CSS, JSON, and Lua code pages.

Interwiki

The functionality of the Interwiki extension is now part of MediaWiki core. A separate install is no longer needed. Everyone can view the interwiki table, and users granted the “interwiki” permission can edit it.

Impact on Technical Teams

MediaWiki 1.44 brings quite some under-the-hood tweaks. The biggest one: if you are running DNS-based spam block lists, do not forget to add your extra spam-DB URLs. There are a handful of other minor changes as well, so give the RELEASE NOTES’ configuration changes a quick review to avoid any surprises.

This release also brings notable enhancements for developers and integrators. Extension authors and API consumers will love the expanded Action API capabilities, including authenticated cross-origin requests, alongside refreshed front-end tooling. The updated Codex library gets minor visual and breaking changes to core MediaWiki and extensions. A range of new hooks, services, and a new system of events and listeners further help create and maintain extensions. For a complete overview of every technical change, be sure to consult the “New developer features,” “Action API changes,” “Breaking changes,” and “Deprecations” sections of the 1.44 RELEASE NOTES.

Upgrading: Planning, Compatibility, and Considerations

Before upgrading to MediaWiki 1.44, check your upgrade path, system requirements, and compatibility:

System Requirements and Compatibility

PHP Requirements
MediaWiki 1.44 continues to require PHP 8.1 or later as the minimum supported version. PHP 8.2 to 8.4 are also supported, though support for PHP 8.4 is somewhat less mature.

Database Requirements
MediaWiki 1.44 maintains the minimum database requirement of MariaDB 10.3 or later, or MySQL 5.7 or later.

Essential Information for MediaWiki Upgrades

MediaWiki 1.35 is the oldest version from which a direct upgrade to MediaWiki 1.44 is possible. However, we advise upgrading via MediaWiki 1.39 and 1.43 as intermediate steps.

If you want to minimize upgrade hassle, consider sticking with MediaWiki 1.43, which remains a rock-solid choice, although 1.44 is now available. It will continue getting long-term support through December 2027.

If you are using MediaWiki 1.39, 1.40, 1.41, or 1.42 (or an older version), consider upgrading to either 1.43 (recommended) or the new 1.44 release soon.

For comprehensive assistance on handling MediaWiki, check out our upgrade guide. It contains detailed instructions for installation and configuration.

Conclusion

MediaWiki 1.44 makes life easier for editors, admins, and programmers alike. A redesigned user blocking interface and cleaner review flows streamline processes. Better redirect handling and file protection mean less cleanup and wiki gardening afterward. Bundled extensions, such as WikiEditor and Nuke, bring useful new features. All of this delivers a quicker, safer, and smoother wiki experience from the very start for everybody.

Blog credit:
- Highlights from MediaWiki 1.44, July 4, 2025

Make Your Wiki Stand Out with the Perfect MediaWiki Theme!

Is your wiki failing to make the impact it should? The right MediaWiki theme can transform your wiki from plain to professional. Drawing from our experience with many different wikis — from corporate intranets documenting critical processes to vibrant community knowledge hubs — we’ve curated the best themes for 2025. Whether you are looking for a sleek, modern interface or a classic professional design, you’ll find themes that align with your vision.

This 2025 update of our popular 2022 guide brings you the latest trends, proven implementations, and real-world examples from successful wikis.

Let’s start by understanding what a MediaWiki theme encompasses and the critical components that make it successful before exploring our curated selection for 2025.

What Are MediaWiki Themes?

MediaWiki supports multiple themes. MediaWiki themes (or “MediaWiki skins”) let you customize your wiki’s look and feel to match its purpose. This customization is necessary because whether sleek and modern for technical topics or classic and formal for educational content, the suitable theme for your knowledge management with MediaWiki can significantly enhance every user’s experience.

As the wiki creator, you decide on the MediaWiki theme to use, e.g., the popular Chameleon skin. The wiki’s system administrators then set which themes are available to their users, what the default wiki theme is, and the theme configuration.

What Makes A Great MediaWiki Theme?

A modern MediaWiki theme must be responsive and mobile-friendly. Since many users use mobile devices, your wiki should work seamlessly across all devices, ensuring usability, accessibility and engagement.

A well-designed theme improves navigation by placing frequently used tools where users expect them, minimizing clicks and frustration. Transparent menus, intuitive layouts, and fast-loading pages keep visitors engaged. At the same time, proper color contrast and keyboard navigation also play a key role in enhancing accessibility.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Vector 2022 offers a familiar design with modern refinements, while the Chameleon or Tweeki skins provide flexibility. The right theme depends on your wiki’s purpose — lightweight themes like Medik suit knowledge bases, while customizable layouts like Citizen work well for community-driven sites. Choosing the right theme enhances both usability and visitor retention.

In summary, the best MediaWiki themes blend aesthetic appeal with functionality, ensuring ease of use and user-friendly navigation across various devices. Remember, a suitable theme can significantly enhance both the user experience and the effectiveness of your wiki.

If your wiki still has an outdated design, now is a great time to explore better options. This blog post introduces the best themes for 2025.

Top MediaWiki Themes

All themes included in our top list are free and compatible with versions from MediaWiki 1.35 to MediaWiki 1.43. They are also expected to support many upcoming MediaWiki releases.

#1 Chameleon

Chameleon is the most popular responsive MediaWiki theme, and the top MediaWiki theme, according to our wiki experts.

It stands out as being the most customizable MediaWiki theme. You can configure which layout elements to show and where to place them. Unfortunately, some technical know-how is required because you do the configuration via XML. The upside is that you can use Chameleon to create a well-designed wiki in-line with your brand identity.

Because Chameleon uses the Bootstrap framework, you can utilize the BootstrapComponents extension to embed Bootstrap elements, components, and grids right within your wiki pages.

Suppose you have wondered how to utilize Bootstrap components on your wiki. In that case, we recommend checking out the Bootstrap for MediaWiki wiki. It demos them and provides the respective code examples for easy adoption.

Stephan Gambke released the first version of Chameleon in 2013. The theme has received many enhancements since and is nowadays maintained by Professional Wiki. Create your Chameleon-based wiki today via ProWiki.

Chameleon links:

• Chameleon documentation
• Example website: Triple Performance
• Example website: Wien Geschichte Wiki
• Example website: Rhizome Artbase
• Example website: Dermoscopedia
• Example website: Bootstrap for MediaWiki wiki
• Chameleon source code
• Create your Chameleon-based wiki today

#2 Medik

Medik looks great out of the box and is naturally responsive and mobile-friendly.

Medik provides a somewhat classic wiki-look with a sidebar on the left side of the screen. You can find the user menu at the top right and the page actions and tools right above the page content on the left. On mobile devices the sidebar turns into a Hamburger menu holding the links.

You can use Bootstrap elements, components, and grids within your wiki pages when using Medik. Like Chameleon, Medik optimizes for the best mobile user experience. For detailed instructions on implementing this quickly, visit our Bootstrap for MediaWiki wiki, a resource we have created to facilitate your adoption process.

The first version of Medik was released in 2019. It is now one of the most popular responsive MediaWiki themes and is available on ProWiki.

Medik links:

• Medik documentation
• Example website: Wetzipedia
• Example website: Karsten Hoffmeyer
• Example website: The New Zealand Musculoskeletal Medicine Wiki
• Example website: WikiSkripta
• Medik source code
• Create your Medik-based wiki today

#3 Citizen

Citizen, new in our 2025 list of the top MediaWiki themes. Citizen brings a fresh, content design-inspired look to MediaWiki platforms.

Its responsive layout adapts smoothly to various screen sizes and includes a convenient light/dark (night) mode toggle. Readers can also personalize their experience by modifying page width, font size, and line height.

The skin includes modern features like collapsible sections, persistent Table of Contents for easy navigation, and rich search suggestions with images.

The Citizen MediaWiki theme takes a unique approach by creating its responsive design from scratch, rather than using established responsive frameworks that other MediaWiki themes rely on.

The first version of Citizen theme was released in 2020. Its features and configuration options are well documented, making it easy for your wiki community to adopt.

Citizen links:

• Citizen documentation
• Example website: Tolkien Gateway
• Example website: Star Citizen Wiki
• Example website: Coasterpedia
• Example website: Prism Party
• Citizen source code

#4 Timeless

Timeless is a popular responsive theme focusing on content and editing tools. You can find the navigation menu and wiki tools in a sidebar on the left. A second sidebar on the right side of the screen contains the page tools.

Timeless comes bundled with MediaWiki. Enabling it is thus very easy, even for inexperienced MediaWiki system administrators.

Unlike most responsive MediaWiki themes, Timeless does not build upon one of the popular responsive web frameworks.

The first version of Timeless was released in 2015. It is the default theme of ProWiki.

Timeless links:

• Timeless documentation
• Example website: KeukenWiki
• Example website: Wiki der Herner Stadtgeschichte
• Example website: Wiki Law School
• Timeless source code
• Create your Timeless-based wiki today

#5 Vector 2022

Vector 2022, in our list of top MediaWiki themes since 2024, is an update to the original Vector theme, bringing the mobile-friendliness and other MediaWiki theme feature improvements the original lacked. It is now the default for several Wikimedia projects.

The objectives for the Vector 2022 MediaWiki theme focus on enhancing the welcoming nature of MediaWiki-run wikis and boosting their usefulness for readers while improving trust and positive feelings towards MediaWiki wikis, enhancing the practicality of standard functions like search and tables of content presentation.

Compared to Vector, Vector 2022 brings new traits like a collapsible sidebar, enforces a limited content width, makes the header and the table of contents stick, and moves the page tools out of the sidebar, combined with visual refinements. Last but not least, it is mobile devices friendly and responsive. However, the Vector 2022 MediaWiki theme does not build upon one of the popular responsive web frameworks.

As of 2024, Vector 2022 includes a dark mode feature known as night mode. This feature allows users to switch to a dark color scheme that reduces eye strain in low-light conditions. Moreover, an easy settings menu now allows users to set page width, font size, and line height.

As the name suggests, the first version of Vector 2022 was released in 2022. It is now the default theme of some Wikipedias, including major ones like the English Wikipedia and the French Wikipedia. The Wikimedia Foundation maintains it.

Unlike a typical theme, Vector 2022 shares its codebase with its predecessor, Vector, and both are downloaded together. The MobileFrontend MediaWiki extension must no longer installed alongside since it no longer brings extra value to the user experience of the MediaWiki.

Vector 2022 links:

• Vector 2022 documentation
• Example website: English Wikipedia
• Example website: MediaWiki.org
• Example website: Traditional Tune Archive
• Vector 2022 source code
• Create your Vector 2022-based wiki today

#6 Tweeki

Tweeki provides a clean layout with a menu bar above your wiki content.

This responsive MediaWiki theme utilizes the Bootstrap framework to be mobile-friendly. It uses as much Bootstrap tooling as possible and provides excellent support for Semantic MediaWiki and Page Forms.

Tweeki is a good choice for wiki-as-website projects. Like with other Bootstrap-based themes, you can use the BootstrapComponents extension to embed Bootstrap elements right into your wiki pages.

Tweeki links:

• Tweeki documentation
• Example website: Tweeki Demo Wiki
• Example website: TheaterEncyclopedie
• Example website: Prachteinbände
• Tweeki source code

#7 Foreground

Foreground emphasizes the wiki content by bringing it into the foreground.

Focus on the wiki content is achieved by not having any sidebars. Tools typically found in a sidebar on the left of the wiki content can be found in the menu on the top. A second bar is located below the wiki content, resulting in no tool links between the two bars.

Foreground leverages the Foundation framework to be responsive and mobile-friendly.

Over 200 public wikis use this popular and feature-rich MediaWiki theme. Foreground has been around since 2014 and is still actively developed by the community of its users.

Foreground links:

• Foreground documentation
• Example website: Foreground Demo Wiki
• Example website: MediaWiki Widgets Catalog Wiki
• Example website: Wikimanche
• Foreground source code

#8 Pivot

Pivot focuses on mobile first but pivots to all viewports with elegance. It resembles the classic and well-known Vector theme used on Wikipedia. Thus it is an excellent alternative to the default MediaWiki theme for those that desire something more mobile-friendly.

Pivot, like Foreground, leverages the Foundation framework to be responsive and mobile-friendly. It also self-describes as being awesome by bundling the popular Font Awesome library.

Pivot has been around since 2017 and is still actively developed by the community of its users.

Pivot links:

• Pivot documentation
• Example website: Pivot Demo Wiki
• Example website: International Society of Genetic Genealogy Wiki
• Example website: Znilwiki
• Pivot source code

#9 Vector + MobileFrontend

Vector is the default MediaWiki theme. Many Wikipedias and other Wikimedia projects use Vector, so this theme is instantly recognizable.

Wikimedia developed Vector in 2010 to replace the then-Wikipedia-theme MonoBook. Because it is the default MediaWiki theme for many Wikipedias, many 1000s of wikis use Vector.

The Wikimedia Foundation now refers to this MediaWiki theme as ‘legacy Vector’ since they shifted their focus on the MediaWiki Vector 2022 after two years of development and continuous improvements; we finally look at a MediaWiki theme that brings responsive and mobile-friendly features we dearly missed in the past years.

Vector links:

• Vector documentation
• Example website: German Wikipedia
• Example website: OberpfalzWiki
• Example website: OpenStreetMap Wiki
• Vector source code
• Create your Vector-based wiki today

MediaWiki Theme Help

• Create a wiki with one of the top responsive themes
• Commission a new theme
• Get professional help with theme installation or customization
• Enhance Your MediaWiki with Bootstrap
• How to change your MediaWiki theme
• Installing new MediaWiki themes
• Full list of all themes

Blog credit:
- Best MediaWiki Themes in 2025, February 5, 2025

December 2024 brought an essential milestone for wiki platforms with MediaWiki’s 1.43 LTS release. While version numbers often come and go, this update stands out by offering extended support through December 2027 as a Long-Term Support release — crucial for organizations building their knowledge bases for the long haul.

From enhanced security features and more competent template handling to improved multilingual support and accessibility updates, version 1.43 brings practical changes that matter in day-to-day wiki operations. Whether managing documentation for a small team or running a knowledge base for a company or wiki community, these improvements make wiki management more efficient.

Ready to explore what’s new? Jump to any section in the table of contents below to learn more about the features that interest you most!

Main MediaWiki 1.43 Improvements

New Tools and Features

Summary:
MediaWiki 1.43 introduces powerful tools like enhanced password reset security, smarter template cleanup, and better namespace management with “Special:NamespaceInfo”. These updates streamline workflows, improve security, and enhance user experience.

Why this matters:
These tools make it easier for wiki users and admins to manage content effectively, saving time and reducing the risk of errors, especially for large or complex wikis.

Strengthened Security for Password Resets in MediaWiki

MediaWiki now offers an extra layer of protection for password resets. Users can require a username and email address to trigger password reset emails in their preferences. This dual-verification approach reduces the risk of spam, username enumeration attacks, and unwanted resets. It’s a simple yet effective way to enhance security, particularly for wikis concerned with privacy or targeted attacks.

New “Special:TalkPage” — A Smarter Way to Link Discussion Pages

Linking to discussion pages became a whole lot easier. MediaWiki’s new “Special:TalkPage” utility makes namespace navigation effortless for everyone. This intelligent redirector seamlessly routes users to the correct discussion page, no matter the originating namespace.

For example, visiting “Special:TalkPage/PageName” redirects you to “Talk:PageName”, while “Special:TalkPage/Project:PageName” takes you to “Project_talk:PageName”. This simple feature solves a surprisingly tricky problem behind the scenes.

The real magic of “Special:TalkPage” lies in its benefits for template creators and tool developers. Previously, implementing logic to determine if a namespace had an associated talk page, and what its name would be, required considerable effort. Now, just point to “Special:TalkPage” with the target title, and MediaWiki does the heavy lifting.

Smarter Template Cleanup with New Magic Word

MediaWiki has made template maintenance easier and more efficient with the new __EXPECTUNUSEDTEMPLATE__ magic word, implemented as a behavior switch. This magic word allows editors to exclude specific templates from the list of unused templates on “Special:UnusedTemplates”, cutting down on noise and spotlighting genuinely abandoned templates.

This feature is ideal for template sandboxes, test cases in documentation, and substitution-only templates that aren’t directly used.

By adding __EXPECTUNUSEDTEMPLATE__ to a template, wiki gardeners can keep the list clean, making it easier to identify and manage unused templates. This enhancement streamlines workflows and improves tools for content curation while honoring valid use cases for templates.

Introducing “Special:NamespaceInfo” for Better Namespace Management

MediaWiki has rolled out “Special:NamespaceInfo”, a new special page designed to simplify namespace management. This page provides an organized table displaying essential details, including:

• Namespace IDs and canonical names
• Custom local names specific to your wiki
• Descriptions of each namespace’s purpose and characteristics
• Configuration details like subpage support

This new special page is a handy reference for administrators and users. It centralizes information that you previously could only find by sifting through documentation or special pages.

“Special:NamespaceInfo” enhances site management tools, making technical details more accessible and manageable for everyone.

Temporary Accounts: Expanded Creation and Edit Insights

When the creation of temporary accounts on page save is turned on with configuration parameter $wgAutoCreateTempUser (disabled by default since it is still considered a beta feature), MediaWiki now creates temporary accounts for all edit attempts, including unsuccessful and null edits rather than just for successful edits.

For administrators, this means more complete logs and deeper insights into the edit patterns, even when no content changes occur. This change will significantly boost MediaWiki’s moderation capabilities and the understanding of its contributors. For more insights, have a look at the temporary accounts project page.

New Category Sorting Option on Pages

MediaWiki has introduced a new feature designed to give wiki communities more control over category sorting and better accommodate their diverse organizational needs. Wikis organize and display categories on pages in different ways, some treat categories as unordered sets, while others require a specific order. Until now, there hasn’t been a built-in solution to support both approaches.

This new feature allows wikis to customize how categories are sorted on pages, making it easier to adapt category organization to their preferences. Controlled by the $wgSortedCategories configuration parameter (defaulting to false and currently considered experimental), the feature enables the option to enforce alphabetical sorting of categories.

Improved Multilingual Support

Summary:
With features like the {{USERLANGUAGE}} magic word and smarter text direction handling, MediaWiki 1.43 simplifies multilingual content delivery, offering greater personalization and performance for diverse wiki communities.

Why this matters:
For wikis serving multilingual audiences, these updates improve the user experience by tailoring content to individual language preferences and ensuring smooth, accessible navigation across languages.

Enhancing Multilingual Wikis with New Magic Word

For multilingual wikis, delivering content tailored to each user’s language preference can significantly enhance the user experience. MediaWiki’s new configuration option, $wgParserEnableUserLanguage (turned off by default), empowers wikis by allowing the {{USERLANGUAGE}} magic word, implemented as a variable, to adapt dynamically based on the user’s preferred language.

This flexibility is a game-changer for wikis serving various language wiki communities, making it easier to provide personalized, accessible content. By default, the magic word reflects the page’s language, but enabling the new setting ensures that content aligns with individual user preferences.

However, this personalization comes with a trade-off: enabling the feature increases the burden on performance. Wikis focused on performance, likely large with a lot of traffic, may stick to the default setting, while those prioritizing a customized experience can adopt the feature with care.

Smarter Language Direction Handling in MediaWiki

MediaWiki continues to improve in multilingual support, and the introduction of two new parser functions, {{#dir}} and {{#bcp47}}, takes this even further by simplifying language direction and code management while improving performance.

• {{#dir}} parser function: It intuitively detects text direction based on language or script codes. For example:
• {{#dir:en}} outputs "ltr," while {{#dir:ar}} outputs "rtl".
• It also handles script codes like {{#dir:Arab}} and complex cases like {{#dir:und-arab}} seamlessly, outputting "rtl" when appropriate.
• {{#bcp47}} parser function: IT standardizes language code handling with full compliance to the so-called BCP47 standard, essential for multilingual wikis. For instance:
• {{#bcp47:sr-ec}} transforms the input to "sr-Cyrl," indicating Serbian in Cyrillic script.
• {{#bcp47:zh-yue}} simplifies the input to "yue", identifying Cantonese specifically.

These parser functions replace template-based solutions, significantly reducing server load, streamlining maintenance, and boosting overall performance.

By automating these processes, MediaWiki empowers editors to focus on creating content rather than managing technical complexities. Now, you can migrate or replace your templates using this new feature.

Enhanced Accessibility and Usability

Summary:
Accessibility improvements in MediaWiki 1.43 include refined color schemes, better image handling, and an updated search page for modern browsing. Usability enhancements, such as more apparent page protection indicators, further enhance user experience.

Why this matters:
These enhancements make wikis easier to use for everyone, including those with visual impairments or other accessibility needs, ensuring a more inclusive and enjoyable browsing experience.

Accessibility Boost with Enhanced Color Schemes

MediaWiki has introduced thoughtful updates to enhance accessibility and text readability, creating a more consistent and intuitive user experience. These updates introduce a range of improvements to improve functionality and aesthetics, ensuring better usability across all viewing modes and skins, including those without dark mode support. The key highlights include:

• Enhanced Byte-Change Visibility in Diff Views: Updated background colors for byte-change numbers make reading and interpreting values easier, ensuring clarity across all themes and skins.
• Refined Link Colors for Accessibility: Adjustments to text colors for links — covering states such as visited, hover, and active — improve contrast and readability, enhancing navigation across light and dark modes.
• Refreshed Visual Design System: A harmonized color palette brings greater consistency and readability to the software, with improvements such as better contrast for dark-mode links, refined quiet button designs for a more streamlined appearance, clear differentiation for visited link states, and distinctive system message backgrounds to draw attention to essential notices.

These updates enhance the user experience by improving readability and accessibility and creating consistency across MediaWiki.

Improved Image Handling: WebP, Captions, and More Formats

MediaWiki fully supports WebP image metadata, extracting XMP and EXIF data alongside traditional formats. Wikis using the external images feature get support for modern formats like AVIF, SVG, and WebP, enhancing compatibility with web-optimized visuals. Additionally, captions retain intentional spacing, offering editors greater precision and control over their presentation.

Search Page Updated for a Modern Experience

MediaWiki’s search page got an upgrade. Further improvements may follow, switching from a table layout to a sleek CSS flexbox design. This isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s a big win for accessibility and usability. Screen readers now navigate search results more naturally, keyboard navigation feels smoother, and the page is far more responsive on mobile devices.

Clearer Visibility of Page Protection Status

The page protection status will be easier to identify in MediaWiki, thanks to a new feature controlled by the $wgEnableProtectionIndicators configuration parameter (disabled by default). This enhancement introduces visual protection indicators, such as lock icons at the top of protected pages, giving users a quick and intuitive clue about a page's protection.

• Flexible Implementation: The lock icon can be customized based on page content, allowing wikis to display protection uniquely.
• Customizable Styling: With a predictable ID system, wiki administrators can modify the icon’s appearance via their “MediaWiki:Common.css” page, maintaining each wiki’s visual identity.
• Configurable Help Link: By default, the icon links to MediaWiki’s protection help page, but wikis can customize this link to align with their own policies using simple configurations.

Improved Headings for Better Accessibility

MediaWiki has updated its HTML for wikitext headings, improving navigation for screen reader users and aligning with modern web standards. A new configuration parameter, $wgParserEnableLegacyHeadingDOM, lets administrators enable the updated markup. Legacy behavior remains the default, but this will be changed in future releases. Skins must explicitly support the new structure to ensure compatibility.

Previously, screen readers read out interface elements like edit links as part of headings, creating cluttered navigation. The new markup eliminates these issues, offering cleaner, more accessible browsing.

Updates Affecting Technical Teams

MediaWiki 1.43 introduces only a few operational adjustments for those managing MediaWiki systems. System administrators should review the configuration updates outlined in the RELEASE NOTES to ensure their installations run smoothly.

This release also brings notable improvements for the development community. Software engineers and extension developers will benefit from the improved API and expanded evelopment tools that enhance their ability to create custom solutions. These updates support the development of more efficient and adaptable extensions, resulting in better-performing MediaWiki sites. For a detailed breakdown of all technical modifications, developers should reference the sections on new developer features, breaking changes, and deprecations within the RELEASE NOTES.

Upgrade Planning and Compatibility Insights

Before upgrading to MediaWiki 1.43, check your upgrade path, system requirements, and compatibility:

Essential Information for MediaWiki Upgrades

Upgrade Path Facts

• Direct upgrade from MediaWiki 1.34 or earlier versions is not supported.
• Upgrade to MediaWiki 1.35 before transitioning to MediaWiki 1.43 to prevent data loss.
• MediaWiki 1.35 is the oldest version compatible with a direct upgrade to MediaWiki 1.43.

PHP Requirements

• MediaWiki 1.43 maintains its minimum PHP requirement of version 8.1.x, continuing the shift introduced in MediaWiki 1.42 from the PHP 7.4.3 support seen in MediaWiki 1.35.
• PHP 8.2.x and 8.3.x are also supported by MediaWiki 1.43. PHP 8.4.x is not.
• The OpenSSL PHP extension must be installed on your system.

Upgrading from MediaWiki 1.39

If you’re using MediaWiki 1.39, it’s time to start thinking about your next move. Sure, support for 1.39 doesn’t end until December 2025, but that doesn’t mean you should put off your upgrade until the last minute. Moving to MediaWiki 1.43 now is the smart choice — and here’s why.

Why Make the Move to 1.43?

Beyond the latest security, performance and stability improvements, upgrading now means you’ll also get all the features added in versions 1.40 through 1.42. Curious about what’s in each version? We’ve covered all the highlights in our previous blog posts about MediaWiki 1.40, MediaWiki 1.41, and MediaWiki 1.42. Plus, you won’t have to rush when support ends in December 2025. It’s better to handle any hiccups now rather than under pressure later.

Check Your Extensions and Skins First

Before you upgrade, examine the extensions and skins you’re using closely. The bundled extensions and skins with MediaWiki will work fine in 1.43, but custom or third-party extensions and skins might not be ready. If you’ve built specific functionality around those, it’s vital to double-check their compatibility before upgrading.

Special Note: If you are using the Linter extension, take extra care when upgrading to 1.43. This release makes major changes to how the Linter extension stores its data in the database, so be sure to review the RELEASE NOTES for details to avoid any surprises during the upgrade.

Running an Older Version?

Don’t wait if you’re on a version older than 1.39. The need to upgrade is even more urgent. Old versions can open your wiki to security vulnerabilities and compatibility problems with newer tools and systems. 1.43 is the way to go if you want a system that’s reliable, secure, and ready for whatever comes next.

Start Planning Now

As always, we strongly recommend thoroughly testing the upgrade process in a staging environment before deploying it to production to identify and resolve potential issues with the software.

For comprehensive assistance on handling MediaWiki, check out our upgrade guide. It contains detailed instructions for installation and configuration.

Conclusion

Having spent time with MediaWiki 1.43, it’s clear this isn’t just another version bump. For wiki administrators who’ve wrestled with multilingual content issues or struggled to make their sites more accessible, this update delivers real solutions. The community’s fingerprints are all over these improvements — from the way language direction handling has been simplified to the smart new protection indicators that even new users intuitively understand.

Sure, upgrading requires careful planning — especially if you’re running custom extensions or coming from a pre-1.35 version. However, with three years of long-term support and a wealth of new features that address real-world challenges, version 1.43 is an upgrade worth making. Start evaluating your environment today to take advantage of the advancements that can make your platform more efficient, accessible, and secure. Whether you’re managing documents for a small team or running a community platform with thousands of users, this release proves that MediaWiki is evolving to serve you.

Blog credit:
- Exploring the MediaWiki 1.43 LTS Release: Key Features and Changes, December 23, 2024

Image credit:
- Sunflower field under a blue sky (AI-generated image), by OpenAI’s DALL-E 2.0, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Table of Contents

1. Connecting Wikibase and Semantic MediaWiki
2. Simultaneous Editing with CollabPads
3. Factors Influencing Wiki Success
4. MediaWiki Strategic Plan
5. New BlueSpice Features
6. Wikibase Introduction: Managing Datasets & Collections
7. Knowledge Management with MediaWiki at NASA
8. LLMs and Local Knowledge
9. Inline Comments Extension
10. Panel: Knowledge Management and Semantics
11. Wrap up

We released the first Semantic Wikibase prototype in 2020. Its main selling point is that it lets you query and visualize your Wikibase data directly in your wiki via SMW’s inline queries and result format visualizations. You also gain autocomplete in forms and export in various formats that the SMW API supports.

Watch the demo video and read the full post at Semantic Wikibase: 2024 Update

BlueSpice is a powerful MediaWiki distribution explicitly designed for corporate use. It combines wikis’ flexibility and collaborative nature with features critical for business processes and requirements. As an official reseller, we can now offer our clients this robust knowledge management solution backed by our MediaWiki expertise.

Our partnership with Hallo Welt! enables us to offer a comprehensive suite of BlueSpice services, including:

• BlueSpice hosting
• BlueSpice installation
• Migration to BlueSpice
• BlueSpice development
• BlueSpice consulting
• BlueSpice support

These services complement our existing MediaWiki services, allowing us to provide even more value to organizations looking to implement or improve their knowledge management systems.

Get Started With BlueSpice

The latest version of MediaWiki, 1.42, the most popular wiki software, is now available as of June 2024. This release introduces new features and enhancements to improve the user experience. MediaWiki 1.42 will be supported until June 2025, ensuring a year of user updates and assistance with this open-source wiki software.

This release further enhances MediaWiki’s functionality and performance. In this blog post, we explore its key highlights.

Improved Edit Recovery: Preserving Your Work

MediaWiki’s Edit Recovery feature, introduced in version 1.41, matured and now offers enhanced protection for your edits. Here’s what you need to know:

• Functionality:
  Quickly restores unsaved edits when you return to the editing interface
• Purpose:
  Guards against browser crashes, accidental navigation, and other disruptions

Key Benefits:

• Minimizes risk of losing valuable contributions
• Boosts user confidence during editing sessions
• Improves overall editing experience

Availability:

• Default HTML Textarea element (2003 wikitext editor)
• WikiEditor (2010 wikitext editor)
• VisualEditor, already built-in

This feature significantly enhances the reliability of the editing process across MediaWiki platforms.

For more details and setup instructions, visit the Edit Recovery user information and Edit Recovery system administrator documentation on MediaWiki.org.

Conditional User Options: Tailoring Default Preferences for Enhanced User Experience

MediaWiki’s new Conditional User Options feature offers a new level of personalization for default user preferences. Important details at a glance:

• Functionality:
  Intelligently sets default user preferences based on specific user criteria, such as registration date
• Purpose:
  Enables different default settings for newly registered users compared to existing users

Essential Advantages:

• Streamlines onboarding process for new users
• Provides a more personalized and intuitive user experience
• Allows strategic rollout of new features to specific user groups

Use Cases:

• Automatically enabling new features for users who register after a specific date
• Tailoring default preferences to suit the needs of different user segments better
• Minimizing disruption for existing users when introducing new functionalities

This feature significantly enhances the reliability of the editing process across MediaWiki platforms.

For more details and setup instructions, visit the Conditional user options documentation on MediaWiki.org.

Enhanced Category Sorting

MediaWiki’s {{DEFAULTSORT}} variable now offers improved functionality by extending category sorting to categories added by templates within footnotes.

Main Benefits:

• Ensures consistent categorization across entire pages
• Applies default sort keys universally, including in footnotes
• Improves on previous behavior where footnote categories used page titles as sort keys

This enhancement provides a uniform categorization experience, simplifying page management and improving usability for editors and readers.

CSS “filter” Property Now Allowed

MediaWiki has lifted its long-standing restriction on the CSS filter property and the respective filter functions, marking an intriguing update for the software platform.

Why It Matters:

• Enhanced Customization:
  Users can apply various visual effects to wiki page elements.
• Simplified Workflows:
  Provides an easier way to implement visual effects without complex workarounds.
• User-Friendly:
  Offers a straightforward option for those who find the so-called template styles challenging.

This change opens up new possibilities for visual customization without compromising security. It’s particularly beneficial for wikis that have yet to adopt template styles, as users still seek more design flexibility.

Changes for System Administrators and Developers

System administrators will encounter only a few adjustments in MediaWiki 1.42. They should review the configuration changes section in the RELEASE NOTES to understand the specific changes and their potential impact on the MediaWiki instance.

Developers and extension creators will find multiple essential changes in this MediaWiki update. These modifications offer new opportunities for customization, integration, and performance optimization, enabling developers to create more powerful and efficient extensions that enhance the functionality and versatility of MediaWiki-powered websites. The RELEASE NOTES (sections New developer features, Breaking changes, and Deprecations) provide a comprehensive overview detailing every relevant modification.

Compatibility and Upgrade Considerations

As we explore the specifics of MediaWiki version 1.42, we must know the compatibility and upgrade requirements to ensure a smooth transition. Here are the key points to keep in mind:

Upgrade Path:

• Direct upgrade from MediaWiki 1.33 or earlier versions is not supported
• Upgrade to MediaWiki 1.35 before transitioning to MediaWiki 1.42 to prevent data loss
• MediaWiki 1.35 is the oldest version compatible with a direct upgrade to MediaWiki 1.42

PHP Requirements:

• MediaWiki 1.42 introduces a significant change in PHP requirements. It now requires PHP 8.1.x, a large shift from previous releases since MediaWiki 1.35 (which supported PHP 7.4.3 onwards).
• PHP 8.2.x is also supported by MediaWiki 1.42

Considerations for MediaWiki 1.39 Users:

• Staying with MediaWiki 1.39 is a viable option to minimize administrative effort
• Long-term support for MediaWiki 1.39 is available until November 2025, providing ample time for upgrade planning to the upcoming long-term support release

Looking Ahead:

• MediaWiki 1.43, the next long-term support release, is scheduled for release in just half a year (December 2024)
• Upgrading to MediaWiki 1.42 offers access to the latest features and improvements highlighted in this blog post

It’s essential to carefully review the compatibility and upgrade requirements before transitioning to MediaWiki 1.42. Following the recommended upgrade path and ensuring PHP compatibility can minimize potential issues and guarantee a smooth upgrade process.

For those currently using MediaWiki 1.39, the extended long-term support provides flexibility in planning your upgrade timeline. However, remember that MediaWiki 1.43, with its long-term support, is just around the corner.

As always, we recommend thoroughly testing the upgrade process in a staging environment before deploying it to production to identify and resolve potential issues.

For comprehensive assistance on handling MediaWiki, check out our help center’s upgrade guide. It contains detailed instructions for installation and configuration.

Conclusion

MediaWiki 1.42 significantly improves user experience, and customization options. With enhanced Edit Recovery and Conditional User Options, this release offers valuable upgrades for wiki communities of all sizes. While upgrading requires careful consideration of compatibility, the new features make 1.42 a compelling update. As MediaWiki continues to evolve, we encourage users to explore these enhancements.

MediaWiki hosting

Create your wiki instantly via ProWiki. Never worry about upgrades again. Get started immediately via the free trial, or contact us to migrate your existing wiki.

Blog credit:
- Discover MediaWiki 1.42 Features, June 27, 2024

Image credit:
- Discover MediaWiki 1.42 Features: Sunflower field in Kurihara, Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture 252–0013, Japan by surimu, CC BY 3.0 Generic, via Wikimedia Commons

In 2021, we set off on a journey to revolutionize MediaWiki hosting by providing a modern and user-friendly experience. Our goal was to create a new hosting service that allows you to create a new wiki in a minute, try it out for free, and configure it via a nice admin panel.

We named our new solution ProWiki and launched it in May 2022. We have come a long way in those short two years, hosting many wikis and continuously improving ProWiki. Let’s look at some highlights!

Admin Panel

Customize your wiki via our MediaWiki admin panel.

Effortlessly configure settings, customize themes, activate extensions, and manage user permissions. Sidestep PHP configuration by using our user-friendly interface for seamless wiki customization.

We added over 100 new settings to the Admin Panel and recently redesigned it from the group up to make it even more intuitive. Learn more.

Single Sign-On

Check out the full post on our MediaWiki blog.

Welcome to the dynamic realm of content and knowledge management with MediaWiki, essential for businesses, professional groups, and individual users alike. More than just aesthetics, MediaWiki and Bootstrap combine practicality and responsive design to enhance user experience, ensuring efficiency and ease of access for platforms like Wikipedia.

Bootstrap, a powerful tool for building modern websites, shines in these circumstances. Combining Bootstrap with popular MediaWiki themes such as Chameleon and Medik can turn the classic wiki style into something sleek, fast, and more user-friendly.

Why is this blend of Bootstrap and MediaWiki a win for businesses, wiki communities, and individuals? Let us discover how Bootstrap revolutionizes the MediaWiki interface with its responsive design and user-friendly features.

Enriching MediaWiki with Bootstrap Integration

Bootstrap enhances MediaWiki with mobile responsiveness. Its easy integration with themes like Chameleon and Medik ensures a visually appealing, functional experience, adapting seamlessly to various screen sizes in our mobile-centric world.

This integration translates to better user engagement and productivity for businesses, professional groups, and individuals using MediaWiki as a knowledge base or collaboration tool. Employees and users can efficiently access information on any device, improving workflow and collaboration.

Bootstrap for MediaWiki as a Resource

The “Bootstrap for MediaWiki” wiki is crucial for those integrating Bootstrap with MediaWiki, offering many practical examples and tutorials. It showcases Bootstrap’s versatility within MediaWiki, from adding an image carousel to implementing responsive design elements like grids.

This wiki is essential, particularly as the MediaWiki software limits certain HTML tags, restricting the direct use of numerous Bootstrap examples provided via its documentation. This wiki bridges that gap, offering tailored solutions and adaptations for effective integration.

Ideal for people with varying MediaWiki experience, it simplifies the customization process with easy-to-follow examples and code snippets. This resource benefits enterprises, professionals, and beyond, providing essential components like alert boxes, buttons, cards, and many more for easy integration.

The “Bootstrap for MediaWiki” wiki is more than a guide; it is an evolving platform enriched by community contributions, ensuring it stays current with the latest trends in web design and MediaWiki enhancements.

Conclusion

In conclusion, integrating Bootstrap with MediaWiki exceeds mere aesthetics. This powerful combination proves highly effective for enterprises, professional settings, and wiki communities, transforming MediaWiki into a dynamic, user-centric, responsive platform.

The “Bootstrap for MediaWiki” wiki exemplifies this potential, offering practical insights and embodying the essence of community-driven innovation in open-source development. Whether you are a seasoned developer or new to MediaWiki customization, these resources and collaborative support simplify the enhancement process.

Incorporating Bootstrap into MediaWiki leads to more efficient, attractive, and user-focused websites. This integration invites you to a refined world of content management.

Elevate Your MediaWiki Now!

Dive into the “Bootstrap for MediaWiki” wiki and start transforming your site today. Join our community, experiment with new ideas, and share your insights. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned pro, every step you take enriches our collective journey.

• Start exploring the “Bootstrap for MediaWiki” wiki.
• Create a wiki with a mobile and responsive theme supporting Bootstrap.

Your journey to a more dynamic and responsive MediaWiki begins!

MediaWiki Theme Links

• Best MediaWiki Themes
• Bootstrap for MediaWiki wiki
• Commission a new theme
• Get professional help with theme installation or customization
• How to change your MediaWiki theme
• Installing new MediaWiki themes
• Full list of all themes

Blog credit:
- Enhance Your MediaWiki with Bootstrap, January 20, 2024

Image credit:
- Rubik’s cube by Masakazu Matsumoto, CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Wikimedia Commons
- Tournesol shape by DieBuche, CC BY-SA 2.5 Generic, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bootstrap Logo by Bootstrap, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Please look at the Best MediaWiki Themes in 2025 update to this story, too!

Find the best MediaWiki theme. Based on our year-long expertise in dealing with many different wikis, our expert-curated list of the best MediaWiki themes eases your search. Whether you are seeking something cutting-edge or more traditional, we have got you covered.

In this updated version of our original 2022 blog post, we have included the latest trends, fresh insights, and new examples to ensure you have the most current information.

What Are MediaWiki Themes?

MediaWiki supports multiple themes. MediaWiki themes, also called “MediaWiki skins,” are about changing your wiki’s look and feel to match its purpose. Whether sleek and modern for tech topics or classic and formal for educational content, the suitable theme for your knowledge management with MediaWiki can significantly enhance every user’s experience.

As the wiki creator or maker, you decide on the MediaWiki theme to use. The system administrators of a wiki will then set which themes are available to their users, what the default wiki theme is, and the theme configuration.

What Makes A Great MediaWiki Theme?

Modern MediaWiki themes need to be responsive and mobile-friendly. They should ensure a seamless experience across devices, looking as stunning on ultra-wide desktop monitors as on smartphones. This adaptability is vital in today’s diverse device landscape, significantly enhancing user engagement and accessibility.

The placement of navigation and tools is also crucial. Ideally, good themes make frequently used tools readily accessible with minimal clicks and intuitively placed, aligning with user expectations. This ease of navigation is not just about convenience; it is about enhancing the overall user experience and keeping visitors on your site longer.

It is important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all wiki theme. The choice often depends on the specific needs and goals of your wiki. While certain themes excel in general adaptability and user-friendliness, making them well-suited for most common use cases, evaluating each based on your unique requirements is crucial.

In summary, the best MediaWiki themes blend aesthetic appeal with functionality, ensuring ease of use and user-friendly navigation across various devices. Remember, a suitable theme can significantly enhance both the user experience and the effectiveness of your wiki.

Top MediaWiki Themes

All themes included in our top list are free and compatible with versions from MediaWiki 1.35 to MediaWiki 1.41. They are also expected to support many upcoming MediaWiki releases.

#1 Chameleon

Chameleon is the most popular responsive MediaWiki theme, and the top MediaWiki theme, according to our wiki experts.

It stands out as being the most customizable MediaWiki theme. You can configure which layout elements to show and where to place them. Unfortunately, some technical know-how is required because you do the configuration via XML. The upside is that you can use Chameleon to create a well-designed wiki in-line with your brand identity.

Because Chameleon uses the Bootstrap framework, you can utilize the BootstrapComponents extension to embed Bootstrap elements, components, and grids right within your wiki pages.

Suppose you have wondered how to utilize Bootstrap components on your wiki. In that case, we recommend checking out the Bootstrap for MediaWiki Wiki. It demos them and provides the respective code examples for easy adoption.

Stephan Gambke released the first version of Chameleon in 2013. The theme has received many enhancements since and is nowadays maintained by Professional Wiki. Create your Chameleon-based wiki today via ProWiki.

Chameleon links:

• Chameleon documentation
• Example website: Rhizome Artbase
• Example website: Bootstrap for MediaWiki Wiki
• Example website: Dermoscopedia
• Example website: Maps Extension Wiki
• Create your Chameleon-based wiki today

#2 Medik

Medik looks great out of the box and is naturally responsive and mobile-friendly.

Medik provides a somewhat classic wiki-look with a sidebar on the left side of the screen. You can find the user menu at the top right and the page actions and tools right above the page content on the left. On mobile devices the sidebar turns into a Hamburger menu holding the links.

You can use Bootstrap elements, components, and grids within your wiki pages when using Medik. Like Chameleon, Medik optimizes for the best mobile user experience. For detailed instructions on implementing this quickly, visit our Bootstrap for MediaWiki Wiki, a resource we have created to facilitate your adoption process.

The first version of Medik was released in 2019. It is now one of the most popular responsive MediaWiki themes and is available on ProWiki.

Medik links:

• Medik documentation
• Example website: Karsten Hoffmeyer
• Example website: The New Zealand Musculoskeletal Medicine Wiki
• Example website: WikiSkripta
• Create your Medik-based wiki today

#3 Timeless

Timeless is a popular responsive theme focusing on content and editing tools. You can find the navigation menu and wiki tools in a sidebar on the left. A second sidebar on the right side of the screen contains the page tools.

Timeless comes bundled with MediaWiki. Enabling it is thus very easy, even for inexperienced MediaWiki system administrators.

Unlike most responsive MediaWiki themes, Timeless does not build upon one of the popular responsive web frameworks.

The first version of Timeless was released in 2015. It is now the default theme of ProWiki.

Timeless links:

• Timeless documentation
• Example website: KeukenWiki
• Example website: Wiki der Herner Stadtgeschichte
• Example website: Stampy.ai
• Create your Timeless-based wiki today

#4 Vector 2022

Vector 2022, new in our 2024 list of the top MediaWiki themes, is an update to the original Vector theme, bringing the mobile-friendliness and other MediaWiki theme feature improvements the original lacked. It is now the default for several Wikimedia projects.

The objectives for the Vector 2022 MediaWiki theme focus on enhancing the welcoming nature of MediaWiki-run wikis and boosting their usefulness for readers while improving trust and positive feelings towards MediaWiki wikis, enhancing the practicality of standard functions like search and tables of content presentation.

Compared to Vector, Vector 2022 brings new traits like a collapsible sidebar, enforces a limited content width, makes the header and the table of contents stick, and moves the page tools out of the sidebar, combined with visual refinements. Last but not least, it is mobile devices friendly and responsive. However, the Vector 2022 MediaWiki theme does not build upon one of the popular responsive web frameworks.

As the name suggests, the first version of Vector 2022 was released in 2022. It is now the default theme of some Wikipedias, including major ones like the English Wikipedia and the French Wikipedia. The Wikimedia Foundation maintains it.

Unlike a typical theme, Vector 2022 shares its codebase with its predecessor, Vector, and both are downloaded together. The MobileFrontend MediaWiki extension must no longer installed alongside since it no longer brings extra value to the user experience of the MediaWiki.

Vector 2022 links:

• Vector 2022 documentation
• Example website: English Wikipedia
• Example website: MediaWiki.org
• Example website: Traditional Tune Archive
• Vector 2022 source code
• Create your Vector 2022-based wiki today

#5 Tweeki

Tweeki provides a clean layout with a menu bar above your wiki content.

This responsive MediaWiki theme utilizes the Bootstrap framework to be mobile-friendly. It uses as much Bootstrap tooling as possible and provides excellent support for Semantic MediaWiki and Page Forms.

Tweeki is a good choice for wiki-as-website projects. Like with other Bootstrap-based themes, you can use the BootstrapComponents extension to embed Bootstrap elements right into your wiki pages.

Tweeki links:

• Tweeki documentation
• Example website: Tweeki Demo Wiki
• Example website: TheaterEncyclopedie
• Example website: Prachteinbände
• Tweeki source code

#6 Poncho

Poncho is a clean, responsive, and modern MediaWiki theme. It features a fixed header, breadcrumbs, dark mode, and a collapsible sidebar.

At the bottom of the page, you will find categories styled as tags and the de-emphasized Talk Page link.

Further features include a share button, print button, and integrated Google Translate. You can hide any or all of those with CSS.

Poncho has been around since 2017 and is actively developed.

Poncho links:

• Poncho documentation
• Example website: Sophivorus
• Example website: Appropedia
• Example website: data franca wiki
• Poncho source code

#7 Foreground

Foreground emphasizes the wiki content by bringing it into the foreground.

Focus on the wiki content is achieved by not having any sidebars. Tools typically found in a sidebar on the left of the wiki content can be found in the menu on the top. A second bar is located below the wiki content, resulting in no tool links between the two bars.

Foreground leverages the Foundation framework to be responsive and mobile-friendly.

Over 200 public wikis use this popular and feature-rich MediaWiki theme. Foreground has been around since 2014 and is still actively developed by the community of its users.

Foreground links:

• Foreground documentation
• Example website: Foreground Demo Wiki
• Example website: MediaWiki Widgets Catalog Wiki
• Example website: Wikimanche
• Foreground source code

#8 Pivot

Pivot focuses on mobile first but pivots to all viewports with elegance. It resembles the classic and well-known Vector theme used on Wikipedia. Thus it is an excellent alternative to the default MediaWiki theme for those that desire something more mobile-friendly.

Pivot, like Foreground, leverages the Foundation framework to be responsive and mobile-friendly. It also self-describes as being awesome by bundling the popular Font Awesome library.

Pivot has been around since 2017 and is still actively developed by the community of its users.

Pivot links:

• Pivot documentation
• Example website: Pivot Demo Wiki
• Example website: International Society of Genetic Genealogy Wiki
• Example website: Znilwiki
• Pivot source code

#9 Vector + MobileFrontend

Vector is the default MediaWiki theme. Many Wikipedias and other Wikimedia projects use Vector, so this theme is instantly recognizable.

Wikimedia developed Vector in 2010 to replace the then-Wikipedia-theme MonoBook. Because it is the default MediaWiki theme for many Wikipedias, many 1000s of wikis use Vector. The Wikimedia Foundation now refers to this MediaWiki theme as ‘legacy Vector’ since they shifted their focus on the MediaWiki Vector 2022 after two years of development and continuous improvements; we finally look at a MediaWiki theme that brings responsive and mobile-friendly features we dearly missed in the past years.

Vector links:

• Vector documentation
• Example website: German Wikipedia
• Example website: German Wikipedia
• Example website: OpenStreetMap Wiki
• Vector source code
• Create your Vector-based wiki today

MediaWiki Theme Help

• Create a wiki with one of the top 3 responsive themes
• Commission a new theme
• Get professional help with theme installation or customization
• How to change your MediaWiki theme
• Installing new MediaWiki themes
• Full list of all themes

Blog credit:
- Best MediaWiki Themes in 2024, January 11, 2024