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  Wikimedia beta cluster

This is the Meta-Wiki of the Beta Cluster. We test software on this cluster before we put it into production on Wikimedia sites. Anyone can create an unlimited amount of accounts to test MediaWiki and user scripts here.

To request changes to the software configuration, the creation of new Beta Cluster wikis or user rights, please file a task in Phabricator.

Please note:

• This cluster is using CentralAuth so one account will work for all Beta Cluster wikis. For security, we recommend you use a password different from your Wikimedia one.
• Only a few of the hundreds of Wikimedia wikis have been imported; other wikis may be imported later. If you need to import content from a specific wiki, request it in Phabricator.
• Technical details:
  • Nova Resource:Deployment-prep: The virtual machines that Beta Cluster runs on (in Wikimedia Cloud VPS).
  • How code is updated.
  • How to add a new wiki.

  About

This is a deployment cluster for developers to test MediaWiki before deploying it to the production wikis. It is using (almost) the same configuration as the production Wikimedia projects. This site is a replacement of the prototype server and its long term goal is to replicate configuration of all production sites, so that we can test any software here first to avoid any issues on the main Wikimedia projects. Anyone is encouraged to create an account to test things, including user scripts or various gadgets on any site. If you want to deploy any extensions, please let us know on Phabricator. If you want to set up another Wikimedia wiki, please request it by filing a task in Phabricator.

  List of all available projects

The Simple English Wikipedia had its entire database imported, and is the best place to test MediaWiki. You can also view the site matrix to show all available projects.

  Problem reports

The deployment cluster is where we are encouraging the community to test the new code before we deploy it on the live sites. We are hoping to track down problems now, before they affect real people.

We have tried our best to test the software before it gets to this point (we use Code review and Unit testing to systematically test the code), but we can't anticipate all the ways that the software is used.

That is where you come in.

If you normally use a gadget, try it out here. Make sure it works and report any problems.

If you think that there is something missing here that you'd like to test before we deploy this software, please let us know so we can set it up here.

Try uploading images to the Wikimedia Commons beta project or using the slideshow gadgets. Try editing an article or patrolling one. Try rolling back edits.

Consider this cluster a huge sandbox. Nothing you make on the *.beta.wmflabs.org sites should be considered permanent and it may be removed at any time.

  Config files

The configuration files are shared with production and are thus available at https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/. Beta cluster specific files are suffixed with -labs.php.