Font size recently increased on meta? (on desktop)

AI-generated summary

Users discussed a recent increase in font size on the desktop version of the Meta site, noting that the change makes text appear larger than before. schneeland first noticed the change and shared a screenshot, confirming it was not just their perception. awesomerobot confirmed the update, attributing it to a commit that increased font sizes slightly for better accessibility, with 16px now being the default. They explained how users can customize font sizes in themes using SCSS variables. JammyDodger wondered if the change affected codeblocks, which awesomerobot suggested might be a possibility but needed clarification. JammyDodger shared side-by-side comparisons of old and new codeblock appearances, noting differences in blending and font style. schneeland acknowledged the change and expressed that while it will take time to adjust, they found thread list entries too large and suggested more granular font size controls for users who don’t have theme customization options.

I was wondering: was the font size here on meta (with default theme) increased in the past one or two days? Things feel a bit oversized now (see screenshot).
Strangely, I see this only on desktop, but not on my iPads.

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Yes, fonts are 1px larger now. This change was made here:

https://github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/5c09792f79f40b057f5da9a38de71b3ec2d2241d

Generally 16px is the browser default, and this is considered a good starting point for accessibility. Minimum font size? | Accessible Web

If the smaller 15px size is preferred, this can be changed in a theme by adding:

:root {
 --base-font-size: 0.938em; // eq. to 15px
 --base-font-size-larger: 1.063em; // eq. to 17px
 --base-font-size-largest: 1.118em; // eq. to 19px
}
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Is this why the codeblocks look a bit different too?

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Maybe but do you know what specifically is different?

Um… That’s harder to pin down. :slight_smile: I thought they were a different font for a bit. Or maybe bolder. They don’t seem as blended into their surroundings as they used to.

I remembered I haven’t updated my test site for a bit:

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Ok, thanks! Then I didn’t just imagine that :slight_smile:

I think for the most part, it will just require a bit of time to get used to it. I do feel the entries in the thread list are a bit large now, though (according to Chrome, they are 18.4px).

And unfortunately, stepping everything down by one step in the settings is too small again. Maybe it would be worth having a more granular control? :thinking:
(as you say, on sites I control, I could adjust the theme, but on those where I’m just a member I don’t have that level of control)

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