EBI Visual Framework v1.3 feature roadmap and timeline

[khawkins98]

🚨UPDATE🚨

The EBI Visual Framework v1.3 will be released on Monday 2018 April 9.

• You can offer your thoughts on v1.4 at EBI Visual Framework v1.4 feature roadmap and timeline #130
• See what's new, read the release notes at https://github.com/ebiwd/EBI-Framework/tree/v1.3#technical-changes
• Look at sample pages at https://www.ebi.ac.uk/style-lab/websites/sample-site/

---

You can see it in use at https://www.ebi.ac.uk/style-lab/

High level

At a high level, this release will require minimal changes to the v1.2 HTML structure and focuses on polishing and optimising the visual framework with an eye to future EMBL brand updates and use of the Visual Framework by more independent groups.

Target changes

All tickets for v1.3: https://github.com/ebiwd/EBI-Framework/milestone/3

Strategic

• Further separate EBI look from function of framework so that this can be of broader use (initial steps at https://github.com/ebiwd/Lifesciences-framework -- more to come in v1.4)
• Utilise documentation systems for CSS and JS Utilise documentation systems for CSS and JS #117
• Add ELIXIR banner support Add support for ELIXIR banner #116

CSS and JS improvements

• Update to Foundation 6.4, but keep CSS floats as our default
• Offer minified versions of all JS/CSS Minify and uglify all JavaScript in the framework? #100
• Add 'external' href link style Add 'external' href link style #110
• Button grid odd right corners Button grid odd right corners #95
• Announcements improvements: Value prop and efficiency of downtime.js Value prop and efficiency of downtime.js #26
• Improve loading of foundation, foundationExtendEBI, script.js Improve loading of foundation, foundationExtendEBI, script.js #77
• Black bar icons misaligned in v1.2/3 Black bar icons misaligned in v1.2/3 #111
• Methods and guidance on using the framework with react and angular (particularly methods on reinserting content as elements are updated) Warn when invoking default functions on an empty document #115

Content delivery improvements

• Fully manage #masthead-black-bar in script.js Fully manage #masthead-black-bar in script.js #112
• Improve presentation of EMBL selector (need to create issue)
• Explore new EMBL font
  • Fira: https://blogs.embl.org/communications/2017/07/17/selecting-a-new-typeface-for-embl-fira/
  • Discuss: Replacing Helvetica Neue as the main font  EBI-Icon-fonts#8

Accessibility

• Reduce number of 'skip-to' links Reduce number of 'skip-to' links #109
• Promote accessibility best practices Promote accessibility best practics #47
• Add visibile a:focus style Add visibile a:focus style #99

Improved distribution

• Automatic updating of NPM (need to create separate issue)
• Build Foundation Framework into main CSS files Build Foundation Framework into main CSS files #107
• Remove compliance compatibility file Remove compliance compatibility file #108

Bumped to v1.4

CSS and JS improvements

• Responsive menu sub-menu bug Responsive menu sub-menu bug #50

Improved distribution

• Add WebJar integration for Java sites Add WebJar integration for Java sites #106

Timeline

• September: begin development
• October: Roll feature plans, timeline
• November (early): first alpha
• December (middle): beta
• February (middle): release candidate
• February (late): release

[khawkins98]

Now launched. Closing.