wikibase.cloud

WBStack close and migration

August 28, 2023February 2, 2022 by addshore

This entry is part 11 of 12 in the series WBStack

The time is approaching for the end of life of the WBStack alpha platform (don’t worry, it’s still some months away, and there is a migration path to a new platform etc :)).

In this post you’ll find an update on the current state of WBStack, another introduction to Wikibase.Cloud, some rough dates and connections to other communications. If you don’t know what WBStack is then you can start with this introduction.

Following the pre launch announcement of Wikibase.Cloud at WikidataCon 2021, the WMDE team has been working on getting the new platform set up and ready to replace wbstack.com. This includes updates to components such as MediaWiki, Wikibase, reworking components, modifying code bases to be more easily maintained by a team, and generally getting to grips with the platform.

This new platform uses the same codebases, and architecture as wbstack.com does currently, but it is maintained by a team at Wikimedia Deutschland, rather than me, an individual.

You can read more on the launch from the WMDE perspective in the mailing list post that will be sent at the same time as this blog post.

Initially, Wikibase.cloud will launch as a closed beta for WBStack users who registered before February 2nd, 2022 with a waiting list for later expansion. To join the waiting list, please fill out this form https://lime.wikimedia.de/index.php/717538. Please note that the waitlist will be considered after WBStack migration has completed.
For current users of WBStack, you do not need to join this waitlist. You will receive an email with details on how you can opt-in to a migration to wikibase.cloud in March.
wikibase-cloud mailing list February 2022

As migration time approaches, I will be reaching out to the current users of WBStack about the options and approach to migration. And if you are a current user, it’s worth reading the rest of this post.

Pre-launch Announcement of Wikibase.Cloud [WikidataCon Writeup]

August 28, 2023January 7, 2022 by addshore

This entry is part 10 of 12 in the series WBStack

WikidataCon 2021 was in October 2021, and one of the sessions that I spoke in was a “Pre-launch Announcement and Preview of Wikibase.Cloud”.

The recording is now up on YouTube, and below you’ll find a write-up summary of what was said.

You can also find:

So what is wikibase.cloud?

It’s a new platform that has yet to be launched, that is based on WBStack code, but that will be managed and maintained by Wikimedia Deutschland (or Wikimedia Germany).

This is a Wikibase as a service platform, that exists to offer open knowledge projects a new way to create their own Wikibase very quickly and very easily.

WBStack in 2021 and the future

August 28, 2023December 7, 2021 by addshore

This entry is part 9 of 12 in the series WBStack

2021 is nearly over, WBStack is over 2 years old (initially announced back in 2019), and has continued to grow. The future is bright with wikibase.cloud looking to be launched by Wikimedia Deutschland in the new year (announced at WikidataCon 2021), and as a result, the code under the surface has had the most eyes on it since its inception.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the developments this year, and the progress that WBStack has made.

Current Usage

WBStack now has 148 individual user accounts registered on the platform that enabled wiki creation. These accounts have created 510 wikis with Wikibase installed since the platform was initially put online, and 335 of those wikis are still currently published (the other 175 have been deleted).

	Nov 2019	April 2020	May 2020	Nov 2021	Dec 2021
Platform Users	38	70	76	139	148
Non deleted Wikis			145	306	335
All Wikis	65	178	226	476	510
Pages				1.4 million	1.9 million
Edits		200,000	295,000	4.1 million	4.6 million

Tech Lead Digest – Q3/4 2021

August 28, 2023December 6, 2021 by addshore

This entry is part 5 of 5 in the series Tech Lead Digest (wmde)

It’s time for the 5th instalment of my tech lead digest posts. I switched to monthly for 2 months, but decided to back down to quarterlyish. You can find the other digests by checking out the series.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑Wikidata & Wikibase

The biggest event of note in the past months was WikidataCon 2021 which took place toward the end of October 2021. Spread over 3 days the event celebrated Wikidatas 9th birthday. We are still awaiting the report from the event to know how many folks participated, and recordings of talks will likely not be available until early 2022. At which point I’ll try to write another blog post.

Just before WikidataCon the updated strategy for Linked Open Data was published by Wikimedia Deutschland which includes sub-strategies for Wikidata and the Wikibase Ecosystem. This strategy is much easier to digest than the strategy papers published in 2019 and I highly recommend the read. Part of the Wikidata strategy talks about “sharing workload” which reminds me of some thoughts I recently had comparing Wikipedia and Wikidata editing. Wikibase has a focus on Ecosystem enablement, which I am looking forward to working on.

The Wikibase stakeholder group continues to grow and organize. A Twitter account (@wbstakeholders) now exists tweeting relevant updates. Now with over 14 organizational members and 15 individual members, the budget is now public and the group is working on getting some desired features implemented. If you are an organization or individual working in the Wikibase space, be sure to check them out! The group recently published a prioritized list of institutional requirements, and I’m happy to say that some parts of the “Automatic maintenance processes and updating cascades should work out of the box” area that scored 4 have already been tackled by the Wikidata / Wikibase teams.