Maniphest T419633

Remove $wgCentralHost in favor of $wgCentralSelectedBannerDispatcher
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	Krinkle
	Mar 10 2026, 11:25 PM

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Description

Background

In 2012 we add $wgCentralHost as a way to output <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//meta.wikimedia.org" /> on pageviews, to improve performance of loading banners. T42969: Add a non-blocking DNS lookup for meta.wm.o to the head
In 2014 we add $wgCentralSelectedBannerDispatcher for the URL to Special:BannerLoader on Meta-Wiki. It supersedes $wgCentralBannerDispatcher which was a URL to Special:BannerRandom on Meta-Wiki. The banner selection logic was replaced with a ResourceLoader module loaded from the local wiki. https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/c/mediawiki/extensions/CentralNotice/+/173220

Problem

It is unclear why $wgCentralHost exists. It appears exclusive used for DNS preloading for the request to $wgCentralSelectedBannerDispatcher, and thus there is only ever one correct value: The hostname in that URL.

Any other value is incorrect. We can remove this extra configuration management, and extra thing to learn (or do wrong) by deriving it from $wgCentralSelectedBannerDispatcher instead.

Details

Related Changes in Gerrit:

	Subject	Repo	Branch	Lines +/-
	Remove need for manual $wgCentralHost configuration	mediawiki/extensions/CentralNotice	REL1_45	+11 -15
	Remove need for manual $wgCentralHost configuration	mediawiki/extensions/CentralNotice	master	+11 -15

Customize query in gerrit

Related Objects

Mentioned Here: T42969: Add a non-blocking DNS lookup for meta.wm.o to the head

Event Timeline

Krinkle created this task.Mar 10 2026, 11:25 PM

Restricted Application added a subscriber: Aklapper. · View Herald TranscriptMar 10 2026, 11:25 PM

Krinkle updated the task description. (Show Details)Mar 10 2026, 11:25 PM

Change #1250116 had a related patch set uploaded (by Krinkle; author: Krinkle):

[mediawiki/extensions/CentralNotice@master] Remove need for manual $wgCentralHost configuration

https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/1250116

gerritbot added a project: Patch-For-Review.Mar 10 2026, 11:37 PM

AKanji-WMF moved this task from Triage to Current Sprint on the Fundraising-Backlog board.Mar 20 2026, 5:37 PM

AKanji-WMF added a project: Fundraising Sprint - Entire room is a couch.Tue, Mar 24, 7:24 PM

AKanji-WMF edited projects, added Fundraising Sprint - Floor is Lava; removed Fundraising Sprint - Entire room is a couch.Tue, Mar 24, 7:45 PM

Ejegg moved this task from Backlog to Ready for Review on the Fundraising Sprint - Floor is Lava board.Tue, Mar 24, 7:49 PM

Change #1250116 merged by jenkins-bot:

[mediawiki/extensions/CentralNotice@master] Remove need for manual $wgCentralHost configuration

https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/1250116

Maintenance_bot removed a project: Patch-For-Review.Thu, Mar 26, 5:31 PM

ReleaseTaggerBot added a project: MW-1.46-notes (1.46.0-wmf.22; 2026-03-31).Thu, Mar 26, 6:00 PM

Change #1261897 had a related patch set uploaded (by Krinkle; author: Krinkle):

[mediawiki/extensions/CentralNotice@REL1_45] Remove need for manual $wgCentralHost configuration

https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/1261897

gerritbot added a project: Patch-For-Review.Fri, Mar 27, 5:40 AM

Change #1261897 merged by jenkins-bot:

[mediawiki/extensions/CentralNotice@REL1_45] Remove need for manual $wgCentralHost configuration

https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/1261897

Maintenance_bot removed a project: Patch-For-Review.Fri, Mar 27, 6:31 AM

SBurnett-WMF moved this task from Ready for Review to Pending Deployment on the Fundraising Sprint - Floor is Lava board.Mon, Mar 30, 7:43 PM

XenoRyet added a project: GNU England Shaker dresser.Tue, Apr 7, 7:36 PM

Damilare removed a project: Fundraising Sprint - Floor is Lava.Mon, Apr 13, 5:40 PM

Damilare moved this task from Backlog to Pending Deployment on the GNU England Shaker dresser board.Mon, Apr 13, 5:51 PM

Ejegg moved this task from Pending Deployment to Done on the GNU England Shaker dresser board.Mon, Apr 13, 7:46 PM