Change Details

MediaWiki has various user types/classifications: system, temp, anonymous, bot, imported, etc. The way these user types are identified varies between hardcoded and configurable user name patterns, and database table booleans. This makes it difficult to add or modify user types. The current (2023) example of this problem is the need for the IP masking project to be able to identify temp users. More context on this problem can be found in {T332420} and {T333223} and other linked tickets. It is clear that there is a need to address this problem in a more holistic and general way that will make it easier for teams that need to add MediaWiki user types, as well as make it easier to export and use this information to data systems outside of MediaWiki (for analytics, search indexes, public dumps) etc. A team needs to own this decision and documented the chosen solution. A short term temporary and long term solution would be fine, as long as the intention is well documented. === Possible solutions ==== Do nothing Teams have to figure this out ad hoc. ==== Standardized process for adding boolean types to user table MediaWiki documentation on how to add new user types by making schema changes to add new boolean fields to the user table. ==== user / actor type field Add an enum or string field to the user or actor tables that can be used to classify users. This makes it possible to add new user types without schema changes, and makes it easier to automate exporting this data without requiring code to understand all the possible user types MediaWiki has. ==== other? [... please add other possible solutions]

MediaWiki has various user types/classifications: system, temp, anonymous, imported, etc. The way these user types are identified varies between hardcoded and configurable user name patterns, and database table booleans. This makes it difficult to add or modify user types. The current (2023) example of this problem is the need for the IP masking project to be able to identify temp users. More context on this problem can be found in {T332420} and {T333223} and other linked tickets. It is clear that there is a need to address this problem in a more holistic and general way that will make it easier for teams that need to add MediaWiki user types, as well as make it easier to export and use this information to data systems outside of MediaWiki (for analytics, search indexes, public dumps) etc. A team needs to own this decision and documented the chosen solution. A short term temporary and long term solution would be fine, as long as the intention is well documented. === Possible solutions ==== Do nothing Teams have to figure this out ad hoc. ==== Standardized process for adding boolean types to user table MediaWiki documentation on how to add new user types by making schema changes to add new boolean fields to the user table. ==== user / actor type field Add an enum or string field to the user or actor tables that can be used to classify users. This makes it possible to add new user types without schema changes, and makes it easier to automate exporting this data without requiring code to understand all the possible user types MediaWiki has. ==== other? [... please add other possible solutions]

MediaWiki has various user types/classifications: system, temp, anonymous, bot, imported, etc. The way these user types are identified varies between hardcoded and configurable user name patterns, and database table booleans. This makes it difficult to add or modify user types. The current (2023) example of this problem is the need for the IP masking project to be able to identify temp users. More context on this problem can be found in {T332420} and {T333223} and other linked tickets. It is clear that there is a need to address this problem in a more holistic and general way that will make it easier for teams that need to add MediaWiki user types, as well as make it easier to export and use this information to data systems outside of MediaWiki (for analytics, search indexes, public dumps) etc. A team needs to own this decision and documented the chosen solution. A short term temporary and long term solution would be fine, as long as the intention is well documented. === Possible solutions ==== Do nothing Teams have to figure this out ad hoc. ==== Standardized process for adding boolean types to user table MediaWiki documentation on how to add new user types by making schema changes to add new boolean fields to the user table. ==== user / actor type field Add an enum or string field to the user or actor tables that can be used to classify users. This makes it possible to add new user types without schema changes, and makes it easier to automate exporting this data without requiring code to understand all the possible user types MediaWiki has. ==== other? [... please add other possible solutions]