About IU Web Framework updates

Overview
Framework structure
Update types
Know your Framework version
Recommended manual updates
Feature requests and bug reports

Overview

The IU Web Framework is built using IU's Web Content Management System (WCMS). The Framework has a rich set of features to create layouts and elements for web pages.

The Framework development team provides updates approximately every two months, during the maintenance window. Updates are submitted to UITS Change Management for approval prior to the release. Hotfixes are rare updates implemented outside of the normal release cycle.

The Web Framework Changelog lists the latest release, then previous releases, followed by manual updates, ordered chronologically.

Update types

Automatic updates: These occur during the scheduled release window and are applied to a site without any action on the user’s part.
- Example: On March 2, 2023, the development team released an update addressing GitHub issue #231, with no action required by Site Managers. View this update in the Changelog.
Manual updates: Require a Site Manager to publish specific assets and/or change specific assets.
- Example: On June 2, 2022, the development team released an update addressing GitHub issue #235. The update changed local CSS and JavaScript includes to bring styles more in line with Rivet 2.0, and required Site Managers to edit multiple code files and publish the entire site. An automatic update tool was provided on the Framework website. View this update in the Changelog.

Framework structure

The Framework codebase is divided between a centralized site on the WCMS, a centralized account on Sitehost, and the customer's local site in the WCMS. Framework developers maintain the centralized codebases on the WCMS and Sitehost. Customers are asked to maintain their local site.

Important:

Always publish to Sitehost-test first when applying a manual update.

Know your Framework version

The three codebase versions are:

Centralized Velocity Version: You're using this codebase if the files located in _internal/velocity all import from the common WCMS site. The current version is 1.2.x, and the version number is available in the import path, for example:
```
#import('site://IU-FRAME-WEBS.common/velocity/1.2.x/Page/Banner')
```
Centralized PHP Version: A local IU Web Framework site is using this codebase if the files located in the _php folder all import from the common WCMS site. The current version is 1.2.x, and the version number is available in the import path, for example:
```
include('1.2.x/nav-primary.php');
```
Centralized Brand Version: Your local IU Web Framework brand version is available in the Settings block located at the root of your site. The current brand version is 3.3.x. For instructions on updating the brand version, see the June 2, 2022, Manual Update in the Changelog.

Recommended manual updates

The Framework development team recommends each site owner apply these manual updates:

Note:

Sites created after a manual update is released will already have it.

Feature requests and bug reports

The development team welcomes feature requests and bug reports, tracked at https://github.iu.edu/IU/framework-issues.

Note:

The development team avoids features requiring updates to Data Definitions.