New features in 3.5.0.beta8
Popular plugins now bundled with Discourse core
We’re making Discourse more powerful and easier to use out-of-the-box by bundling a set of our most popular plugins directly with Discourse core. This means widely-used plugins like Assign, Solved, Data Explorer, Reactions, and more will be included by default when you install or update Discourse, with no separate plugin installation required, making it much easier to access these powerful features.
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No change for managed hosting: Sites on Discourse hosting will not be impacted, while self-hosters will be prompted to remove these plugins from their
app.ymlon their next rebuild. -
Disabled by default: All bundled plugins remain disabled by default, so there is no visible change or added functionality unless you enable them.
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No performance impact: Disabled plugins do not add any extra JavaScript or server load, ensuring your site remains as lean as ever if you do not enable them.
For full details, a complete plugin list, and upgrade instructions for self-hosters, check out the official announcement.
New Horizon theme, available for all
We’re happy to announce Horizon, our newest default theme designed for a beautiful, friendly first impression and streamlined community experience! Highlights include:
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Simplified, modern topic cards: Less clutter, more focus.
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Larger reading area text: Improves readability, especially on mobile.
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Multiple color palettes: Built-in options for better personalization.
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Optimized for non-technical admins: Out-of-the-box, minimal-setup design that looks great on every device.
Horizon is now included in all Discourse sites - both new and existing. Read more in the announcement.
A new way to manage color palettes
We’re excited to announce a redesigned way for admins to manage and select color palettes in Discourse! The new color palette list page introduces:
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Visual palette previews: Instantly see every available palette, each displayed in cards with live previews.
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Clear status labels: Quickly identify which palette is active and which are selectable by users.
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Easy palette management: Toggle the active palette or adjust which palettes are user-selectable, all from one page.
The update is mobile-friendly and gives admins a clear, visual overview of all palettes for a streamlined workflow. Read more in the announcement.
Dynamic topic filtering now available
The improved /filter route brings faster, smarter topic search and filtering! This update to the topics filtering UI includes:
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Keyword search: Effortlessly search for topics by typing any keyword or phrase.
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Autocomplete: Navigate filtering options with new autocomplete suggestions.
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Find it in the sidebar: The
/filterlink is available under “More…” in the sidebar by default.
Read the announcement for more, and dive deeper with the documentation.
Advanced image controls in the composer
The new composer offers a modern writing experience, including an all-new image handling UI! With this new toolbar, you can:
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Scale images: Resize your images directly in the visual editor.
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Set alt text: Add or edit alt text and captions to keep your posts accessible.
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Delete images: Remove uploaded images with a click.
This user-friendly interface makes working with images in your posts easier than ever.
The new composer is now available in all communities to make writing in Discourse easier for all your members. Read the full announcement about the new composer experience to learn more.
Security Updates
This release includes fixes for these security issues reported by our community and HackerOne.