Wikipedia debuts new look, for the first time in over a decade

Wikipedia's new page has subtle not dramatic changes.

Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, has debuted a new look for the first time in over a decade, in an effort to make browsing easier for users.

A series of subtle changes have been introduced to Wikipedia (desktop version), which include an updated sticky header and the left-side panel of article sub-headings moving as you scroll down.

The tool to switch languages is more visibly located (top right) on the Wikipedia page now. The search option has been improved to show autocomplete suggestions that use both photos and text.

The revamped Wikipedia page has not removed previous functionalities, The Wikimedia Foundation, that runs the encyclopedia, said.

"It instead introduces new tools to improve the existing website experience through enhancements based on consultation with Wikipedia volunteer editors, data analysis, and user testing," they added.

Updates to Wikipedia were rolled out soon after its 22nd birthday on January 15. The objective was to modernise browsing experience so that it's simpler for everyone to access content.

The Wikimedia Foundation cited a global digital trends report from 2o22, that showed the number of people not connected to the internet dropped below 3 billion for the first time ever.

It was to meet the needs of this audience that changes to Wikipedia were introduced, the foundation said.

Over 30 teams of volunteers from all over the world were engaged in the development, testing and rollout of the Wikipedia updates.

Wikipedia receives billions of visits every month. Its articles are collectively written by volunteers the world over using various sources (newspaper reports, research papers, among others) and are free for everyone to access.

"The Wikipedia desktop update is one of the major improvements the Wikimedia Foundation is making to help people easily access the world’s knowledge, in support of our mission to make sure every person on the planet has free and equitable access to knowledge, regardless of where they live or where they are from,” said Selena Deckelmann, chief product and technology officer at the Wikimedia Foundation, said.