Skin:Vector

This skin comes with MediaWiki 1.17 and above. Thus you do not have to download it again. However, you still need to follow the other instructions provided.

MediaWiki skins manual - category

Vector Release status: stable
Compatibility policy	Snapshots releases along with MediaWiki. Master is not backwards compatible.
Composer	mediawiki/vector-skin
License	GNU General Public License 2.0 or later
Download	Download skin Git [?]: Download Git master browse repository (Phabricator · GitHub) commit history repository contributors (GitHub) code review
Example	https://en.wikipedia.org/
Parameters $wgVectorUseSimpleSearch $wgVectorUseIconWatch $wgVectorResponsive
Hooks used BeforePageDisplayMobile GetPreferences PreferencesFormPreSave SkinTemplateNavigation LocalUserCreated
Hooks provided VectorBeforeFooter VectorAfterToolbox
Translate the Vector skin if it is available at translatewiki.net
Check usage and version matrix;
Vagrant role	vector
Issues :	Open tasks · Report a bug

Wikimedia Foundation project Vector A skin based on Monobook, with a variety of usability improvements Group: Features Start: 2009

Vector is a skin for MediaWiki which became default in 2010.

In recent years the skin underwent a number of technical changes, e.g. the switch to Mustache to support the construction of Skin:Vector/2022 as part of the work done by the Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements initiative.

Installation

• If using Vagrant , install with vagrant roles enable vector -p

Manual installation

• Download and place the file(s) in a directory called Vector in your skins/ folder.
• Add the following code at the bottom of your LocalSettings.php:

wfLoadSkin( 'Vector' );

•  Done - Navigate to Special:Version on your wiki to verify that the skin is successfully installed.

To users running MediaWiki 1.24 or earlier:

The instructions above describe the new way of installing skins using wfLoadSkin(), since MediaWiki 1.25. If you need to install this skin in earlier versions, instead of wfLoadSkin( 'Vector' );, you need to use:

require_once "$IP/skins/Vector/Vector.php";

(To run a skin on an earlier release, you may need to download the version of it tagged for that release from Special:SkinDistributor.)

Setting the default skin to Vector

A default skin should be set for new users of a wiki by setting the variable $wgDefaultSkin in LocalSettings.php to the lowercase skin name specified in the skin file:

$wgDefaultSkin = 'vector';
// uncomment the following line to restore "classic" Vector appearance.
// $wgVectorDefaultSkinVersion = '1';

Configuration options

wgVectorUseIconWatch

Watch and unwatch as an icon rather than a link.

• Supported Values:
  • true — use an icon watch/unwatch button
  • false — use watch/unwatch text link

$wgVectorUseIconWatch = true;

wgVectorResponsive (< 1.36)

MediaWiki version:

≥ 1.26

Experimental setting to make Vector a responsive skin that adapts to mobile phones. Not actively being tested or used in production (yet) but relatively stable and false by default.

• Supported Values:
  • true — Use responsiveness to improve usability in narrow viewports
  • false — No responsiveness

Note as of 1.36 this experimental feature flag no longer works in the default Vector skin. Those looking for a responsive Vector skin can use #New Vector skin in 1.36+ at their own risk.

wgVectorPrintLogo (< 1.36, removed in 1.36)

MediaWiki version:

≥ 1.30

Logo used in print styles. Keys are 'url', 'width', 'height' (in pixels). Note that this solution only works correctly if the image pointed to by 'url' is an SVG that does not specify width and height attributes, or its width and height match the corresponding variables below. Alternatively, a PNG or other type of image can be used, but its dimensions also need to match the corresponding variable below. That in turn may result in blurry images, though.

In 1.36, please use Manual:$wgLogos

$wgVectorPrintLogo = [
	'url' => 'https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg',
	'width' => 174,
	'height' => 27
];

Features

Basic features of the Vector skin

• Reduced clutter, primarily by reducing the number of lines on screen
• More prominent placement of the search portal
• Visual separation of the content-action and namespace links, the former of which being divided into view tabs and action menu items
• Automatic increase/decrease of margins throughout the user interface based on browser size
• Use of a star icon for watch and unwatch actions

Added features of the Vector extension (some of these features have later been merged into the Vector skin or into the MediaWiki Core or have been removed)

• Simplified search portal, including suggestions
• Collapsible navigation portals
• Alert when leaving an edit page without saving
• Automatic hiding of tabs that do not fit on screen

Experimental Vector extension features

• Simplified footer content
• Search box expands on focus
• Section edit links are moved to be directly next to heading instead of on the right, and use an icon

CollapsibleNav support via CollapsibleVector extension

Notes

Collapsible navigation

The collapsible navigation portals are now provided by the CollapsibleVector extension which will have to be installed additionally.

Smartphone and tablet design

See also: Manual:Mobiles, tablets and responsive design

Vector will work on many mobile devices, but it is not fully optimized for mobile devices. This will be rectified in the new version of Vector that is currently in development: #New_Vector_skin_in_1.36+_2.

History of the skin

Vector became default skin in 2010 (MediaWiki 1.17 , git #2833b07a), succeeding MonoBook. It had been created in 2009 as part of the work done by the Wikipedia Usability Initiative . In 2021, as part of the MediaWiki 1.36 release it will see an update as part of the work done by the Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements initiative.

Vector provides a number of usability improvements over its predecessor MonoBook. It was the first skin to separate the flat level content_actions into the categorized content_navigation.

At the beginning the basic functionality was included in the core skin, while some of Vector's special features were handled by a separate extension (Extension:Vector ). The extension has since been merged into the skin itself.

Dark mode customizations

Many solutions relying on MediaWiki:Common.css exist to support a dark version of the skin, including Skin:Vector/Wikipedia-userstyle-dark-minimum. An alternative skin to Vector exists that allows you to install as a separate skin at Skin:DarkVector.

Note all of these are supported by third parties, not the Wikimedia Foundation.

See also

• Skin:Vector/2022 The 2022 version of Vector
• Skin:MonoBook – MediaWiki's previous default skin
• Skin:DarkVector – Dark theme of the same skin
• Skin:Vector/VectorBook.css – CSS code to get the book background image from Skin:MonoBook in this skin.
• Skin:Vector/monobook-replica.css – An experiment to make Vector appear as similar to MonoBook as possible using CSS code applied on top of it.
• Skin:Vector/Customize - How to Customize appearance and add some custom HTML code in different places.

New Vector skin in 1.38+

MediaWiki version:

≥ 1.38

In MediaWiki 1.38 a new variant of Vector Skin:Vector/2022 was made available part of Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements .