We are making design adjustments to Forem (the open-source codebase that powers DEV and other communities).
We are removing the unicorn icon from the current set of possible reactions, and making room for an indicator of how many comments there are in the discussion — alongside "like" and "bookmark".
There are a few drivers of this design decision:
- Members cannot easily view how many comments are in the discussion and easily scroll there.
- The unicorn, as it stands, is pretty confusing for a lot of folks.
- We want to build towards a more fun and expressive end state in terms of how these reactions work.
We are planning to re-institute the unicorn as a set of customizable secondary reactions which can be unique to each Forem, and possibly change for fun from time to time.
Anticipate the final result being something like this, but open source and more funky!
As mentioned, the unicorn has caused a good amount of confusion, here are a few of the hundreds of posts on this subject.
Part of the fun of the unicorn is that it means nothing in particular, it's just there. However, we can have that fun without the clutter. And that is the plan.
This change will go live later this week.
Feel free to comment on some other reactions we may want to implement on DEV once we get to the "fully customized" state. 😇
The unicorn will (eventually) be back and better than ever
Happy coding! 🦄
Top comments (44)
So you guys are basically a servant of Lord Voldemort, slaying an innocent unicorn?
Rest in peace, sweet prince 🦄
Dev team: Avada Kedavra
😭😭😭
🦄 (unicorn reaction)
😭😭😭
I like how the URL of this post ends with: idm - I don't mind. So our dear lovely creature is ok with that decision. Legend says it could be a wild coincidence.
Ha, that's great.
I'd really just replace the boring 🧡 by the 🦄.
🧡
🦄
This! Please this.
Whatever, I unicorned (liked + unicorn) this post.
Gone but not forgotten 🦄
I'm sad about the unicorn :'( I always loved to click it as a way to EXTRA like a post XD
I do want to mention that I really miss Dev's retro feeling (and the pink theme), I know WHY it had to change, but... I still miss it.
Hopefully the unicorn comes back soon!
lol
Question: How is this going to be solved in the API? I'm using
positive_reactions_count
on my blog to display those sweet sweet likes. Are they going away?Historical unicorns are still present and part of the count.
And once the unicorn returns in the new format, they'll also still be there.
For the time being, folks can't create new unicorns, but everything else stays in place.
Awesome.
And I love that fact that you now have to deal with historical unicorns.
The Unicorn was the GOAT.
This is the first ( and probably the last) post that has more unicorns than likes :)
Wait, can't you unicorn comments? nvm.
No. Comments just have the heart reaction. I wonder whether the UI update will change that?
Maybe a new type, "downicorn" ? better then unlike
I thought the unicorn was meant that a post was unique or like finding a magic creature so it was worth reading. 🦄
F
!! pretty rude, I must say...
?
What about new posts that won't get the benefit of an aditional reaction to help their post climb? Seems a bit unfair.
Personally I'm here for the community, and for writing when I have something to share; not for sheer volumes of reactions.
That’s good to hear but that doesn’t change that posts are ranked by the number of reactions which older posts get the benefit of pre unicorn vs. post unicorn posts.
You're telling me I made this gif for nothing!