Design Content Submission #1512
Description
Names and Contact Details
Anørak, seb@iamseb.dev
Link to mockup/prototype
https://anoerak.github.io/PHP_8.5_Release_page_redesign_constest/
Rationale (300-600 words)
How the page is structured
The page starts with what matters most: the hero section hits you with the PHP elephant logo and version badges showing the release number, status, and date. No hunting around—you know what version it is and when it's dropping right away.
Right under that, there's a quick tagline explaining what's new, followed by two buttons: one to download immediately, and another to browse features first. Basically, whether you want to grab it now or learn more, we've got you covered.
Making features easy to understand
The stats section gives you the TL;DR—how many new features, deprecations, and performance wins. Just a quick glance tells you what changed without reading paragraphs.
The real magic is in the before/after code comparisons. Instead of explaining what the pipe operator does in words, you just see PHP 8.4 code next to PHP 8.5 code. The difference clicks instantly. Same with array_find() and other features—show, don't tell. Each feature links to its RFC if you want the deep dive.
Mobile works great too
The whole thing scales from phone screens (320px) all the way up to big monitors. On mobile, the code comparisons stack vertically so you can actually read them. On desktop, they sit side-by-side. Pretty standard responsive stuff, but it works.
Colors, fonts, and accessibility
Stuck with PHP's purple (#777bb3) because... well, it's PHP. Made sure the contrast is good for readability. Dark mode switches automatically based on your system preference, or you can toggle it manually.
Here's a fun detail: no custom fonts. Just uses whatever's on your system (San Francisco on Mac, Segoe UI on Windows, etc.). Saves about 15-20KB and loads instantly. The whole page gzips down to around 15KB total—works fine even on slower connections.
Why this will work for future releases
The Sass is organized with the 7-1 pattern, so when PHP 8.6 or 9.0 rolls around, you just swap out the content in the existing card components. Want to change the color scheme? Update one Sass variable. The structure stays the same.
Everything works without JavaScript too. The JS just adds nice-to-haves like the theme toggle and smooth scrolling. If someone has JS disabled, they still get the full content.
Three ways to use it
Built this three different ways:
- Vanilla HTML/CSS/JS — Just open the HTML file. No build process needed for quick deployment
- Markdown template — Edit content in Markdown files if you want easier content management. Works also with the HTML file, whatever suits you
- Full PHP version — Uses JSON for data, renders with PHP templates for proper integration with php.net infrastructure
Pick whichever fits your workflow.
License
- I confirm, and agree.