Annoying little bugs

This page is meant to be a curated list of bugs that are relatively easy for a new MediaWiki coder to fix, or tiny features you could add. These are a good way to start getting familiar with the MediaWiki code base.

Relevant Bugzilla queries:

• bugs with the "easy" keyword
• bugs with the "easy" keyword sorted by most votes

Defects to fix

• show creation date on Special:GlobalUsers
  • This is in the CentralAuth extension.
• Add PLURAL support for MediaWiki:Recordadmin-notset
  • The RecordAdmin extension lets you link HTML forms to wiki templates, to give you the ability to keep records in a MediaWiki installation. Source code.
• Make cite expand template arguments inside <ref>'s.
  • Requires passing the $frame to recursiveTagParse. Look in the codebase of the Cite extension.
• last search results page contains next page link if result count is multiple of limit (edit)
• Article.php should check permissions before advising
• "My new messages" badge number is wrong
• Links to local namespace Wikipedia:Foo rendered as mw:WikiLink/Interwiki to enwiki

System messages

System messages often need small corrections to the English text, but the source text can only be changed in the code by developers, contrary to translations; this has grown into a large backlog of usually very easy fixes (which might be as easy as fixing a typo).

Also, many messages are unclear and require better documentation (see Localisation#Message documentation if you're not convinced this is crucial). Missing documentation can also be added by just editing the /qqq subpage of the message on translatewiki.net, like all translations, but may require some study of the code to understand what a message is for: it's therefore optimal to start understanding the code, and very useful for the translators (which don't have such skills).

All the simple issues of this sort are (or should be) listed at the tracking bug 38638 as blockers[1]: pick one and start committing patches!

Little enhancements to add

• make Special:Whatlinkshere includable
  • This is a "special page". Look in the MediaWiki core codebase, in particular the includes/specials directory and the includes/SpecialPage.php file.
• Add block-options to Special:CentralAuth
  • In the CentralAuth extension (source), figure out how to add the user's block options to the section "Blocked status". Talk with us in the #mediawiki channel on FreeNode IRC.
• Document all configuration variables (usable in LocalSettings.php)
  • Look at the source. It's okay to start by just adding one comment.
• Improve pagination of special page reports
  • Look in the MediaWiki core codebase, in particular the includes/specials directory and the includes/SpecialPage.php file.
• other message for user without 'editinterface' right
  • look in AbuseFilter.i18n.php, and ask in #mediawiki (see MediaWiki on IRC) to find out where to add a line like: 'abusefilter-edit-warn-view' => 'You may not edit the system message becauseyou do not have the editinterface right.',
• StructureTest::testUnitTestFileNamesEndWithTest should use a dataprovider
  • "StructureTest::testUnitTestFileNamesEndWithTest() should be rewritten to use a dataProvider that will give out an array of PHP files under the test directory." This is in mediawiki/core.git / tests / phpunit / structure / StructureTest.php.
• API help should always give parameters' type and default
  • "The indication of type should be relatively easy for someone to pick up; it

should probably go somewhere in the makeHelpMsgParameters() method in includes/api/ApiBase.php."

• Improve user feedback in upload errors.
• "Replace all" is very slow: WikiEditor should do a one-step replace when replacing all occurrences

If you have any trouble or questions, please feel free to contact sumanah or Quim Gil or ask for help via IRC.

See also

• Annoying large bugs — a list of more complex or exciting projects