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Abstract Wikipedia fragment does not render on first load, succeeds after retry
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Description

Description:
When using an Abstract Wikipedia function fragment for the first time, the fragment output does not render on initial load.

If I press Retry, the result renders correctly. After that, editing fragment contents refreshes as expected.

So the issue appears to affect only the initial render (possibly before cache is populated), but first-run behavior should still render correctly.

I reproduced this on another person’s phone as well, so this does not seem device-specific.

Steps to replicate the issue (include links if applicable):

  1. In my case I opened the app on a mobile phone.
  2. Use an Abstract Wikipedia function for the first time (fresh load / first invocation). I tried new section title.
  3. Observe that the fragment does not render.
  4. Press Retry.
  5. Observe that rendering succeeds.
  6. Edit fragment contents and observe subsequent refreshes work normally.

Movie:

always max retriesalways max retries2

What happens?:

  • First render attempt shows no fragment output.
  • Retry succeeds, and subsequent edits/render cycles work.

What should have happened instead?:

  • Fragment output should render correctly on the first attempt as well.

Software version (on Special:Version page; skip for WMF-hosted wikis like Wikipedia):

  • Reproducible on at least two different phones.

Other information (browser name/version, screenshots, etc.):

  • Might be related to first-load state or cache initialization timing.

Event Timeline

DSmit-WMF updated the task description. (Show Details)
DSmit-WMF updated the task description. (Show Details)

Ive seen also messages about this in the community: https://t.me/Wikifunctions/29913

IMG_7613.jpg (1,290×2,796 px, 701 KB)
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If you follow all the reproduction steps above and then refresh the page the fragments are not gotten from cache and again take a long time to load and eventually end up in Max Retries message again.

Before it would get the fragment data directly from cache I think.

Jdforrester-WMF changed the task status from Open to In Progress.Apr 16 2026, 2:35 PM
Jdforrester-WMF claimed this task.
Jdforrester-WMF subscribed.

The underlying caching problem (T422299: Wikifunctions client wikis' cache config doesn't know about wf-wan, so embedded Functions’ output is never available) now looks to be fixed, so this should get better, but individual calls are still timing out some of the time, including on first-load — this is likely going to improve as the service is no longer being deluged with load, but let's keep an eye on it.