diff --git a/packages/documentation-site/patternfly-docs/content/releases/release-highlights.md b/packages/documentation-site/patternfly-docs/content/releases/release-highlights.md index 4212818a9a..f1e1da3075 100644 --- a/packages/documentation-site/patternfly-docs/content/releases/release-highlights.md +++ b/packages/documentation-site/patternfly-docs/content/releases/release-highlights.md @@ -6,6 +6,105 @@ section: releases import '../get-started/get-started.css'; import { Divider, Timestamp } from '@patternfly/react-core'; +April 2026 + +## PatternFly 6.5 + +This release brings exciting new options for your PatternFly projects, offering more choice and flexibility in how you use our design system. We’ve subtly refined our core visuals to better align with the Red Hat Design System while still maintaining the classic PatternFly experience you know. + +A major milestone for this release is the introduction of our **new Project Felt theme**. This theme offers a bold new look for your products, with Red Hat-influenced styles and more visual depth, made possible by our **new glass mode**. More broadly, to ensure all our visual options remain inclusive, we’ve also launched a **high-contrast mode** for WCAG AAA accessibility across all themes. + +Alongside these theming milestones, we've added a few **new components and variants** tailored for Red Hat journeys, **revamped our website navigation** for better findability, and **expanded our AI resources** to keep your workflows moving forward. + +### Promoted package versions + +*[Replace with versions from [patternfly-org package.json](https://github.com/patternfly/patternfly-org/blob/main/package.json) before publish.]* + +- patternfly/patternfly ([changelog](https://github.com/patternfly/patternfly/releases/tag/v6.5.0)) + - [@patternfly/patternfly@6.5.0](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@patternfly/patternfly/v/6.5.0) +- patternfly/react ([changelog](https://github.com/patternfly/patternfly-react/releases/tag/v6.5.0)) + - [@patternfly/react-charts@8.5.0](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@patternfly/react-charts/v/8.5.0) + - [@patternfly/react-code-editor@6.5.0](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@patternfly/react-code-editor/v/6.5.0) + - [@patternfly/react-core@6.5.0](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@patternfly/react-core/v/6.5.0) + - [@patternfly/react-drag-drop@6.5.0](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@patternfly/react-drag-drop/v/6.5.0) + - [@patternfly/react-icons@6.5.0](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@patternfly/react-icons/v/6.5.0) + - [@patternfly/react-styles@6.5.0](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@patternfly/react-styles/v/6.5.0) + - [@patternfly/react-table@6.5.0](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@patternfly/react-table/v/6.5.0) + - [@patternfly/react-templates@6.5.0](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@patternfly/react-templates/v/6.5.0) + - [@patternfly/react-tokens@6.5.0](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@patternfly/react-tokens/v/6.5.0) +- PatternFly extensions + - *[List only extensions bumped for 6.5; npm + changelog per package.]* + +### Updated theming options + +This release significantly expands our theming options, including style updates, high contrast mode, and our new Project Felt theme with glass mode. To see these theming options in action, you can swap the theme, color scheme, and contrast mode used on PatternFly.org via the masthead theme switcher. + +#### Project Felt theme + +We're excited to offer PatternFly's first major theme variant: the [Project Felt](/foundations-and-styles/theming#project-felt-theme) theme. Aimed at creating more dynamic, and eye-catching experiences, it introduces red accent colors, pill-shaped radii, and our new glass mode for added depth. Best of all—Project Felt is built entirely with our design token system, meaning no breaking change is required to add Project Felt to your product. + +#### Glass mode + +Glass mode is a new contrast mode, used by default in the Project Felt theme and optionally available for implementation in the Default theme. "Glass", enabled by an intentional set of designs tokens, adds transparency and depth to specific components so UIs can feel more layered. + +When turned on, glass applies to the following components, including their uses within our extensions: + +- Card +- Drawer +- Login page +- Masthead +- Navigation (docked) +- Page +- Panel + +For implementation guidance, constraints, details about design tokens, and user opt-out, refer to the [glass mode developer handbook](/foundations-and-styles/theming/glass-mode-handbook/). + +#### Style updates + +We've aligned styles in the classic PatternFly experience (now referred to as our [Default theme](/foundations-and-styles/theming)) more closely with the [Red Hat Design System](https://ux.redhat.com/). These changes enhance brand consistency and usability: +- **Links:** Now feature a subtle gray dotted underline that becomes a solid, active color on hover/focus. +- **Navigation:** Active items now utilize a vertical "accent" line for better visual emphasis. +- **Card:** Added a border shadow to support clarity in dense content views. +- **Controls:** Borders of controls are now more boldly outlined for better interaction indication. + +#### High contrast mode + +Now fully released and supported across light and dark color schemes, high contrast mode improves product accessibility and provides users with more control over their experiences. Validated by user research, it utilizes an updated color palette and modified global border rules to meet enhanced WCAG AAA contrast ratios. + +High contrast can be enabled via a singular CSS class as described in the [high contrast developer handbook](/foundations-and-styles/theming/high-contrast-handbook). + +### New components and layouts + +We've added new variants to support our evolving visual language and Red Hat-specific user journeys: + +- [Iconography:](/foundations-and-styles/iconography) We’ve updated our icon set to use Red Hat brand icons. This is an automatic change handled via a single class, ensuring cross-platform consistency without much manual lift. +- [Hero](/components/hero) is a new card-like component for attention-grabbing callouts at the top of pages. +- [Docked navigation:](/components/navigation/react-demos#docked-nav) A space-saving solution that minimizes navigation items to icons while remaining expandable. +- [Compass:](/ai/generative-uis/compass) A conversational-first layout for generative UI, placing a ChatBot bar below content with surrounding toolbars. + +### Revamped website navigation + +Based on extensive user research, we’ve updated the PatternFly.org navigation. Content is now conceptually grouped and labeled to help you find documentation faster. + +### New AI tooling + +We’ve expanded our AI ecosystem to help you design and develop more efficiently: +- [PatternFly MCP server:](https://github.com/patternfly/patternfly-mcp) Connects LLMs directly to PatternFly documentation and schemas to ensure more accurate AI conversations and generation. +- [PatternFly CLI:](https://github.com/patternfly/patternfly-cli) A new command-line tool designed to accelerate your workflow by automating project scaffolding, streamlining version upgrades, and handling repetitive development tasks. +- [ai-helpers repo:](https://github.com/patternfly/ai-helpers) A collection of plugins and skills for accelerated workflows. + +### New ChatBot features + +We've continued to enhance and evolve the [ChatBot extension](/extensions/chatbot/overview) based on user feedback and product needs. Updates include: + +- **Improved documentation and design guidelines:** To keep documentation aligned with product patterns, we've updated references to the chat history drawer with consistent naming, and expanded our design guidelines for using [source cards](/extensions/chatbot/overview/design-guidelines/#source-cards) and [starting new chats](/extensions/chatbot/overview/design-guidelines/#starting-a-new-chat). +- **Message layout and response actions:** To support more flexible messages, you can now [right align user messages](/extensions/chatbot/messages/#user-messages) (and related response actions) and [remove visible metadata from bot or user messages](/extensions/chatbot/messages/#bot-messages). Additionally, you can now [hide response actions](/extensions/chatbot/messages/#message-actions) until a user interacts with a message and use a [filled message action icon variant](/extensions/chatbot/messages/#message-actions) that applies on click. +- **More options for source cards:** We've added a [non-paginated option for the message sources component](/extensions/chatbot/messages#messages-with-sources) that displays more source cards at once. +- **More interactive deep thinking:** We added a [loading state option for messages with deep thinking](/extensions/chatbot/messages#messages-with-deep-thinking) that indicates when a model is still reasoning. +- **More flexible message bar:** The [message bar](/extensions/chatbot/ui) now supports a controlled value when the `value` prop is set. We've also added a [message bar with custom attach menu and additional actions](/extensions/chatbot/ui/#message-bar-with-custom-attach-menu-and-additional-actions) example that shows how to place a customizable action icon at the start of the message bar and add extra actions (for example, a menu or label) via the `additionalActions` prop. + + + October 2025 ## PatternFly 6.4