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Frontend changelogVersion 1.27.0

The site has two parts, each with its own version number: the frontend (what you see and use in the browser) and the backend (the server, the feed worker and the database). Versions are major.minor.bugfix: major for changes that break existing setups or links, minor for new or changed features, bugfix for fixes and speed-ups.

Backend changelog →

  1. 1.27.0

    Added

    • The footer of every page shows the running frontend and backend versions, each linking to its changelog.

  2. 1.26.0

    Added

    • Public changelog (/changelog): the frontend's and backend's current versions and latest changes side by side, with every release at /changelog/frontend and /changelog/backend.
    • A Changelog link in the footer of every page.

  3. 1.25.1

    Fixed

    • The "Top story from" selector offered sections the reader had turned off, and a turned-off section could still supply the top story.

  4. 1.25.0

    Changed

    • Account and settings are one page (/account); /settings takes you there.
    • The masthead has one link: "Sign in · Settings" or "My account".

  5. 1.24.0

    Added

    • Signed-in readers choose which section the top story comes from ("Top story from" beside the top story, and in Settings). The usual top story moves to the top of its section.

  6. 1.23.0

    Added

    • The place picker also takes ZIP codes and postcodes, offering the towns nearby.

  7. 1.22.0

    Added

    • Local news: a Local box on the front page (tabs for up to 3 places), town pages (/local/<place>) with grouped stories and Mute, and a Local page (/local) to choose places and browse.
    • Place picker: type a town, or "Use my location" (worked out on the device; the position is never sent).
    • Local link in the masthead and a Local news block in Settings.

  8. 1.21.0

    Added

    • Pages point to their Markdown version for AI agents (<link rel="alternate" type="text/markdown">).

  9. 1.20.0

    Added

    • Dashboard → Alerts: on/off switch, rules, and daily totals.
    • Dashboard → Outlets: "Draft with AI" fills in outlet facts for the editor to check.
    • Story pages: the mix of outlets by type and country (each filters the list), and which kinds of newsroom haven't covered a big story yet.

  10. 1.19.0

    Added

    • Alerts for followed topics, turned on from the Following page or Settings.

  11. 1.18.0

    Added

    • Outlet pages show the outlet's type, country, owner, year founded and a short description; editors fill them in under Dashboard → Outlets.

  12. 1.17.0

    Added

    • Mute an outlet, from its page or in Settings; story pages say how many muted outlets were left out.

  13. 1.16.0

    Added

    • Week in review: most read this week.

  14. 1.15.1

    Changed

    • The link-preview card and placeholders show helixnews.one.

  15. 1.15.0

    Changed

    • Settings moved to their own page (/settings); the account page shows just the account.

  16. 1.14.1

    Fixed

    • There was no way to sign up or sign in when chat credits were off; the account link now always shows.

  17. 1.14.0

    Added

    • Follow topics: ◆ marks on matching headlines and a Following page (/following).
    • Outlet pages (/source/<outlet>); outlet names link to them.
    • Search filters: time, section and outlet.
    • Week in review (/week, past weeks at /week/<Monday>).
    • Installable app: visited pages open offline; install button in Settings.
    • Dashboard → History: a change log for feeds and ad campaigns.

  18. 1.13.0

    Added

    • Dashboard → Overview: readers right now, with a 30-minute trend.
    • An optional "N reading now" in the masthead (shown from 5 readers up).

  19. 1.12.0

    Added

    • Dashboard → Feeds: export (JSON or OPML) and import with a preview of every change.

  20. 1.11.0

    Added

    • Dashboard → Ads: campaigns with start and end dates, pausing, view caps, weights and UTM tags; image uploads; per-campaign reports with CSV; private report pages for advertisers (/ad-report/<link>); link checks.

    Changed

    • Each page view shows one campaign per column, picked by weight.

  21. 1.10.0

    Added

    • Lock marks next to outlets that need a subscription; a "Subscription required" switch per feed in the dashboard.
    • Story pages: "First reported by" and an "As it developed" timeline.
    • Latest (/latest): every headline, newest first, grouped by hour.
    • Saved stories: a bookmark on headlines and a Saved page (/saved).
    • Settings: text size, and dots on headlines that are new since the last visit.

  22. 1.9.0

    Added

    • Settings on the account page, for everyone: theme (match device, light, dark), front-page sections, feedback questions, visit counting, and clearing chats.

    Changed

    • Inner pages share the front page's layout and width.
    • A chosen theme applies before the page paints.

  23. 1.8.1

    Changed

    • Faster front page: about 28 KB less JavaScript (the form-validation library loads only with the dashboard), and fonts are preloaded.

  24. 1.8.0

    Changed

    • Chat answers appear as they're written; citations follow with the checked answer.

  25. 1.7.0

    Added

    • Dashboard → AI: "Search by meaning" switch for chat.

  26. 1.6.0

    Changed

    • Hidden sections follow signed-in readers to other devices.

  27. 1.5.0

    Added

    • Search (/search), with a search box in the masthead.
    • Story pages (/story/<id>): every outlet's version of a story, linked from "Full coverage" and from the source-count bars.

  28. 1.4.1

    Fixed

    • A Content Security Policy report caused by the form-validation library.

    Security

    • HTML ads load in their own sandboxed frame instead of inside the page.

  29. 1.4.0

    Security

    • Emailed sign-in links open a page with a Sign in / Add this email button, so email scanners that open links can't use them up first.

  30. 1.3.0

    Added

    • Dashboard → AI: room for reasoning models' thinking, added to every request.

  31. 1.2.0

    Added

    • "Ask Helix about this story" on stories that several outlets cover.
    • Accounts without email: username and password with a one-time recovery code, optional passkeys and optional email (Sign-in & security).
    • Crypto section.
    • Readers can hide front-page sections; the columns re-balance.

  32. 1.1.1

    Fixed

    • Formatting of the chat's privacy note.

  33. 1.1.0

    Added

    • A floating AI assistant: chat with the news (follow-up questions keep the conversation going) and the AI Insight in one panel.

    Changed

    • The front page's Ask box moved into the assistant.

  34. 1.0.0

    Added

    • NewsHelix brand: ribbon logo and app icons, Midnight and Helix Teal colors in light and dark themes, Inter and Manrope fonts.
    • Ask the news and AI Insight on the front page, when AI is turned on.
    • Reader accounts with email sign-in, credits, and checkout with Stripe or PayPal (/account).
    • Admin dashboard (/admin): feeds, stories, editorial controls, front page, ads, survey, AI, credits, readers, legal pages, stats, users and history.
    • Public status page (/status).
    • Privacy Policy, Terms of Use and About pages.
    • A notice about cookieless visit counting, with an opt-out.
    • Page titles, descriptions and link previews for search engines and social sites.

    Changed

    • Wording: "N sources covering" and Perspectives.
    • Accessibility pass (no axe errors in either theme) and layout fixes for phones and tablets.

  35. 0.1.0

    Added

    • The front page: masthead, Developing strip, the top story with other outlets' headlines, topic sections in three balanced columns, and quiet ad slots.
    • Source-count bars showing how many outlets are covering each story.
    • Live updates: a "new stories" button when the page changes, applied quietly while the tab is in the background.
    • A warning when the feed worker stops updating the page.