I've been adding some features to the software I use to run this site. The idea was to extend a feature the software already had for recent changes. When saving a page, a link to the page is added to changes under the header of today's date. If the link already exists for an older page, it is moved up. If that leaves an older date header without links, that header is removed. If no appropriate list is found, a new list is started. If the page is missing, it is created.
As you can see, the feature is hard to explain and that makes me wary. At the same time, it seemed that recent changes is a real benefit. I don't usually visit the page, but apparently, at least one reader does.
recent changes is a real benefit
Also at the same time, I had a real need for something somewhat similar: The hashtags I use the most have their own hashtag page, where all the pages are listed. The idea is that those pages can also be used for a feed, like the index page. This feature doesn't use dates to group pages and therefore on subsequent edits, the link doesn't have to move to the top, but if the title of a page changes, that should be reflected on the lists.
It's similar but different.
All these features that are hard to explain hurt a bit. Let's see how long they last. I get the feeling that if I run into a hard to expain bug a few months from now I won't understand the code and it'll be easier to return to manually adding those links.
I guess what this really means is that I don't have a real workflow for adding new pages. If adding new pages doesn't start with me adding a link to the index page, perhaps the index page should also be part of this new feature?
#Oddµ
One thing I am already noticing: When I edit a page called “X Bookmarks” that also has the hashtag X, I do not want a link to the bookmarks page added to the X page.
Or do I? 🤔 I haven’t thought this through, in any case.
I guess I only want it for date pages…
Now that I have implemented it, I need to document it. The amount of documentation required is a reflection of the unfortunate complexity of the feature.