Weekly GitHub Report for Mastodon - 2024-12-09 12:00:10
Weekly GitHub Report for Mastodon
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Table of Contents
I. News
1.1 Recent Version Releases:
The current version of this repository is v4.3.2
1.2 Other Noteworthy Updates:
II. Issues
2.1 Top 5 Active Issues:
We consider active issues to be issues that that have been commented on most frequently within the last week.
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Tootctl accounts cull not purging domains: This issue highlights a problem with the
tootctl accounts cullcommand in the Mastodon project, where domains that have been unavailable for more than a week are not being purged as expected, contrary to the documentation. The user reports that these domains continue to appear in the federated domains list and must be removed manually, which is not the intended behavior according to the available documentation.- The comments discuss the misunderstanding of the
tootctl accounts cullcommand's functionality, clarifying that it does not operate at the domain level but only on accounts. The conversation evolves into a suggestion for a new feature that would allow for automatic purging of domains that have been unresponsive for a specified period, as the current process requires manual intervention. The discussion also touches on the potential benefits of a command-line tool to handle domain purging, which would be more efficient than the current manual process. - Number of comments this week: None
- The comments discuss the misunderstanding of the
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arm64 image doesn't build libvips: This issue involves a problem with building a Docker image for the arm64 architecture, where the build process fails due to a segmentation fault while compiling libvips using meson/ninja, although the amd64 build completes successfully. The user has attempted to resolve the issue by updating the libvips version but suspects that the problem might be related to meson, as the build works on some systems but not others.
- The comments suggest that the issue might be related to the user's setup, possibly due to insufficient memory or disk space, as the build works on the project's CI. Some users experience similar issues due to stale Docker build cache, and a command to prune the cache is suggested. There is a discussion about the potential impact of cross-compiling, with some users noting that the build fails on Intel systems but succeeds on ARM systems, indicating a possible cross-compilation artifact. The versions of Docker and buildx are also queried to further diagnose the issue.
- Number of comments this week: None
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Allow administrators to modify "year in review" feature / "Wrapstodon" + Documentation: This issue is about allowing server administrators to modify or deactivate parts of the "Year in Review" feature, also known as "Wrapstodon," in the upcoming Mastodon v4.4.0 release, as the current implementation includes elements that some administrators find misaligned with the community-focused ethos of Mastodon. The issue also highlights the need for proper documentation regarding the feature's activation process, as there was initial confusion about whether the feature was automatic or required manual activation.
- The comments clarify that the "Year in Review" feature must be manually triggered by server administrators and is not automatic. There is agreement that the reference to US politics within the feature is inappropriate and out of place for non-US users. The discussion also includes a request for guidance on how to manually trigger the feature, with a link provided to a blog post explaining the process.
- Number of comments this week: None
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Extend cache time on custom css?: This issue discusses the possibility of extending the cache time for the
/custom.cssasset in a GitHub project, which is currently set to only three minutes despite the asset rarely changing. The issue proposes several solutions, including extending the cache time, adding a query parameter to the URL, or implementing a "DIY digest" approach to manage caching more effectively.- The comments discuss the feasibility and potential downsides of different caching strategies, with some contributors favoring the query parameter approach despite its limitations with certain caching proxies. There is also a reference to a prior pull request that was not merged, possibly due to concerns about additional database queries. The conversation highlights a shared interest in finding a robust solution without increasing database load.
- Number of comments this week: None
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New embed sometimes needs a scrollbar even for short statuses: This issue is about a problem with the embed code for statuses on Mastodon, where the iframe is slightly too small, causing a scrollbar to appear even for short statuses with image attachments. The expected behavior is for the iframe to be 421px tall, but it is currently 418px tall, leading to the unnecessary scrollbar.
- The comments discuss difficulties in reproducing the issue consistently, with some users unable to replicate it while others note it occurs in specific conditions, such as using Chromium 130 and when statuses contain images. There is confusion about the exact dimensions causing the scrollbar, with some users observing different iframe heights and behaviors across browser versions. The discussion includes technical observations about the iframe's height and the appearance of the scrollbar, with no definitive solution reached.
- Number of comments this week: None
2.2 Top 5 Stale Issues:
We consider stale issues to be issues that has had no activity within the last 30 days. The team should work together to get these issues resolved and closed as soon as possible.
As of our latest update, there are no stale issues for the project this week.
2.3 Open Issues
This section lists, groups, and then summarizes issues that were created within the last week in the repository.
Issues Opened This Week: 16
Summarized Issues:
- Cross-Server News Feed Feature: This issue proposes the implementation of a cross-server News Feed feature in the Mastodon platform. It aims to allow users to follow and view news from servers other than their own. This feature is intended to enhance accessibility and reduce the need for multiple accounts or tabs.
- Year in Review Feature Concerns: This issue addresses the need for server administrators to modify or deactivate aspects of the "Year in Review" feature. Concerns include its focus on "number-go-up" statistics and inappropriate references to US politics. Additionally, there is a lack of documentation on managing this feature.
- Wrapstodon Feature Issues: This issue concerns a unique notification type related to the "Wrapstodon" feature on Mastodon. It is not yet documented and requires support from third-party clients like Tusky. There are questions about its recurrence and purpose beyond the annual event.
- AutoModerator Feature Proposal: This issue proposes the implementation of an AutoModerator feature for Mastodon instances. It aims to enhance content moderation, user management, and support tasks through automated tools. The feature would include customizable rules and integration with human moderation.
- Moderation Reasons Truncation: This issue concerns the truncation of moderation reasons on the /about page of a Mastodon instance. Users are unable to view the full text of these reasons due to CSS rules. A solution such as making the text expandable or adding a tooltip is suggested.
- Docker Build Segmentation Fault: This issue involves a segmentation fault during the build process of a Docker image for the arm64 architecture. The fault occurs when compiling the libvips library using meson/ninja. It successfully builds on amd64 but fails on arm64, potentially due to cross-compilation challenges.
- Moderation/Administration Feed Request: This issue is a feature request for a dedicated moderation/administration feed within the main Mastodon UI. It aims to streamline the visibility of reports, sign-up approvals, and trending content awaiting approval. The current challenge is that moderators and admins must rely on separate screens or email notifications.
- Embed Code Scrollbar Issue: This issue involves a problem where the embed code for a status with an image attachment in Mastodon results in an iframe that is slightly too small. This causes an unnecessary scrollbar to appear, particularly in Chromium browsers. The expectation is that the iframe should be sized correctly to avoid this.
- Bluesky Username Display Improvement: This issue is about improving the display of bridged Bluesky usernames on Mastodon. It suggests showing them as their real handlers to enhance aesthetics and avoid confusion. Additionally, these bridged accounts should not be counted as followers or following.
- Cache Time Extension for /custom.css: This issue discusses the potential for extending the cache time of the
/custom.cssasset in a GitHub project. Options include lengthening the cache duration, adding a query parameter to the URL, or implementing a "DIY digest" in the path. These changes aim to optimize caching efficiency and reduce unnecessary database queries.
- ESLint Upgrade and Flat Config Adoption: This issue involves upgrading the project to the latest version of ESLint and adopting the new "flat config" format. There are no longer any blockers with the support from
eslint-import-plugin. The issue includes a reference to the migration guide for assistance.
- Profile Field Save Bug: This issue involves a bug in the Mastodon project where attempting to save a profile field without a label results in a misleading success message. Despite the content not being saved, the message indicates success. This highlights a lack of proper validation feedback to the user.
- Content Cutoff on Desktop Browsers: This issue describes a problem in Mastodon version 4.3.1 where content is cut off on desktop browsers just before reaching the mobile breakpoint. Approximately 30 pixels are cut off from the left and right edges of the content. While later versions have addressed the cutoff, additional margin or padding could improve visual appeal.
- Mention Highlighting Bug: This issue describes a bug in the Mastodon platform where editing certain toots results in an error message "422 Mention is invalid." Mentions lose their special highlighting, although the edit itself is successfully applied. This problem seems to occur particularly with mentions of users on subdomains.
- Automated Post Deletion Enhancement: This issue is about a request to enhance Mastodon's Automated Post Deletion feature. It suggests allowing users to automatically restrict the visibility of older posts instead of deleting them. The current exemption options for specific posts should be maintained.
2.4 Closed Issues
This section lists, groups, and then summarizes issues that were closed within the last week in the repository. This section also links the associated pull requests if applicable.
Issues Closed This Week: 32
Summarized Issues:
- Media Description and Character Limits: The Mastodon project has issues related to media description character limits and their handling. One issue highlights the lack of exposure of the media description character limit through the API, requiring clients to hardcode this limit, which could lead to inconsistencies if the limit changes. Another issue addresses a bug where media descriptions exceeding 1,500 characters are silently truncated instead of triggering an error, although it was later found that the endpoint correctly returns an error. Additionally, there is a lack of visibility and enforcement of character limits in user registration forms and when providing reasons for joining a server, leading to user confusion and message loss.
- Server and Configuration Issues: Several issues in the Mastodon project relate to server configuration and operational problems. A newly set up instance experienced 503 and 502 errors due to web server and container volume misconfigurations, preventing access to pre-built assets. Another issue involved a failure in processing updates with unresolvable mentions due to domain unavailability, requiring a fix for successful job execution. Additionally, a problem with the DomainValidator allowed invalid domain blocks, necessitating improved validation to prevent ineffective rules.
- User Interface and Display Issues: The Mastodon project has encountered various user interface and display issues. One issue involves timestamps for posts being incorrectly displayed on Chromium-based browsers, while another highlights a bug where the "Last used on" date for OAuth applications shows a future date. Additionally, there is a problem with the web UI appearing broken during rolling updates due to CSS file version mismatches, leading to style loading failures.
- API and Endpoint Issues: The Mastodon project has several issues related to API and endpoint functionality. One issue involves users encountering HTTP 429 errors on timeline endpoints before reaching rate limits, potentially due to multiple open browser tabs or automated requests. Another issue highlights a discrepancy in the API's handling of the
authorsproperty in thePreviewCardentity, where it incorrectly returns a single-element list with empty author information. Additionally, there is a need for a userinfo endpoint for OAuth to standardize APIs by adopting the OpenID Connect userinfo endpoint.
- Text and Language Handling: Issues in the Mastodon project also involve text and language handling. There is a lack of support for bidirectional text in account header bio content, causing display issues for languages like Farsi and English. Another issue involves link previews failing to correctly decode UTF-8 characters, resulting in incorrect text display. Additionally, there is a discrepancy in the RSS feed where posts formatted in HTML are incorrectly labeled as
text/plain, causing rendering issues when forwarding content.