2024 - what a year! As we look back on the last twelve months, one thing is clear: it's been a year full of challenges, innovations and exciting milestones. The WoltLab Suite community is more vibrant than ever, and we at Darkwood.Design have given our all to contribute with our plugins, solutions and ideas.
From major updates to the WoltLab Suite to brand new plugins that take your forums and websites to the next level - we've had our hands full. But all the work was worth it: 2024 was a year of further development for us, not only of our software, but also of our vision of how we can make the community and the possibilities of the WoltLab Suite even better.
In this review, I would like to take you on a journey through our greatest successes, most exciting innovations and perhaps a little anecdote or two that made this year special. Let's celebrate the most important milestones together!
Milestones and highlights 2024
Comprehensive optimisation for WoltLab Suite 6.1
When talking about 2024, there's one event you can't avoid: the release of WoltLab Suite 6.1. It was clear to us that we didn't just want to accompany this milestone, but actively help shape it. And so we started early on to put our more than 150 plugins through their paces, adapt them and optimise them for the new version. The aim? To ensure that our customers can use all the new features from day one - without compromise.
WoltLab Suite 6.1 brought with it impressive new features that we integrated into our plugins: a dynamic ACP dashboard that gives admins more control and overview, as well as the new upload pipeline that can handle even huge files effortlessly. These technical improvements not only make working with the software faster, but also more efficient. And that's exactly what we want to further strengthen with our plugins.
We also wanted to send a clear signal when it came to pricing. Our update prices are fair and transparent because we know that new versions involve effort, but also offer an opportunity to create added value in the long term. For 2024, we have even introduced a 20% discount on new licences and updates - a thank you to our loyal customers and an invitation to anyone who might want to try out our plugins for the first time.
This comprehensive optimisation was a major effort for us, but one that was absolutely worth it. The feedback from the community shows us that it was the right approach. And to be honest: It's just fun to see how our work helps forums and websites work even better.
New plugins: diversity and innovation
2024 was also the year of new ideas - and their implementation. We have developed 11 brand new plugins that will make your forums and websites even more versatile, modern and functional. The focus was always on one thing: creating solutions that not only look good, but also offer real added value.
- Aivor: Automatic replies and fake user extensions
Our AI innovation Aivor has really picked up speed with the new plugins. With the "Automatic replies" function, Aivor now actively takes over communication in your forums. Posts no longer go unanswered and the AI ensures lively discussions - just like a real user. We have also introduced extensions for fake users, including AI personalities who write authentic and interesting posts with a personalised writing style. - Lead box: Content in the spotlight
For CMS articles and blog posts, we have developed the lead box, a modern way to present your most important content in style. The largest article takes centre stage, surrounded by four other topics that pique the reader's interest. This clear structure not only ensures an appealing look, but also increases visibility and interaction with your content. - Ticket system enhancements: More overview and collaboration
We have added several new functions to our popular ticket system:- Dashboard box: Shows important tickets directly in the dashboard and makes organisation easier.
- Statistics box: Provides useful figures on tickets, sorted by category or priority.
- Co author function: Allows multiple users to be added as contributors to a ticket. This makes collaboration more efficient without losing responsibilities.
These new plugins are more than just tools - they're tools to help you take your websites and forums to the next level. We've developed each feature with our customers' needs in mind, and the feedback confirms it: This variety is well received!
WSC Connect App: A big step forward
Another highlight of this year was the launch of the new WSC Connect App. With this completely redeveloped version for iOS and Android, we have created a tool that revolutionises the management and use of WoltLab forums on mobile devices. It wasn't a simple update - we rethought the app from the ground up to adapt it to the needs of forum owners and users today.
- Completely redesigned
The new app has been completely reprogrammed to create a stable, future-proof foundation. The result is an app that is not only fast and reliable, but also offers an elegant user interface that is simply fun to use. - Simplified management
Forum operators benefit from a modern dashboard that allows them to send targeted push notifications to members and manage their communities efficiently. Everything has been designed to facilitate processes and seamlessly integrate mobile use into the WoltLab Suite.
This app is not just a technical advance, but a promise to continuously improve the mobile experience with WoltLab forums. The success of the app - and the great feedback from the community - shows us that we are on the right track. We are proud to provide forum operators with a tool that makes their work easier and modernises the user experience.
Revolutionary AI innovations with Aivor
When we talk about the highlights of this year, Aivor should of course not be missing. Our AI solution took a huge leap forward in 2024 and is now more than ever at the centre of our work. We asked ourselves: How can we make interactions in forums even more authentic and engaging? The answer was the introduction of AI personalities.
With these individual characters, we have managed to ensure that AI users are no longer recognisable as such. Every AI user now has their own identity, interests and personal writing style. Whether tech geek, gaming enthusiast or amateur chef - the variety of personalities brings a breath of fresh air to the communities and encourages lively discussions. As a result, the posts appear more natural and users feel more encouraged to participate.
But that's not all. We upgraded Aivor to the high-performance GPT-4o model. This upgrade was a real game changer. The AI now generates content that is so human and relevant that it's hard to distinguish it from real user contributions. The quality and credibility of the posts have reached new heights, which has a positive impact on the overall interaction in the forums.
Another important step was to make Aivor available for free as a basic offering. We want as many of you as possible to have the opportunity to try out this technology and benefit from the advantages. With the five free applications per month, you can test how Aivor can enrich your community without obligation.
We have also professionalised Aivor: We have set the course for the future with a new logo and registration as a registered trade mark with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA). These steps will allow us to further expand the service and offer you even more innovative features.
In short, with Aivor we have reached an important milestone that fundamentally changes the way we think about AI in forums. I'm excited to see where this journey will take us and look forward to taking the next steps with you.
Improving the web presence & strengthening the community
A strong foundation is the key to a successful community - and that's exactly what we created in 2024 with our own web presence. Thanks to the upgrade to WoltLab Suite 6.0 and 6.1, we were not only able to modernise the technical basis, but also significantly improve the user experience.
- Fresh design for clear structures
With the update, we took the opportunity to fundamentally overhaul our design. The result? Clearer navigation, clearly structured content and a look that is not only modern but also functional. We wanted our website to be more intuitive and at the same time reflect the professionalism that Darkwood.design stands for - and the feedback shows that we have achieved just that. New suggestion system for better ideas
A community thrives on ideas. That's why we have completely overhauled our suggestion system. Suggestions now appear in a modern card design that not only looks appealing, but also presents the most important information at a glance. To increase the relevance of the ideas, we have introduced a limit on the number of likes per user. This means that the really important suggestions are better emphasised.In addition, there is the new function "Suggestions that I like", which you can use to easily manage your likes. The new sorting of suggestions emphasises current and trendy ideas, which means that new content gets more attention. This system is not only active on our website - it is also available as a plugin so that every community can benefit from this structure.
With these innovations, we have laid the foundation for a platform that is not only technically up to date, but also encourages interaction and creativity from the community. Because at the end of the day, it's about giving ideas a voice - and we have consistently implemented this in 2024.
Conclusion & Outlook
2024 was a year that we won't forget in a hurry. We optimised our over 150 plugins for WoltLab Suite 6.1, released 11 brand new plugins and created a whole new level of AI-powered forum interaction with Aivor. Our new design and revamped suggestion system have not only modernised our own platform, but have also shown how important it is to focus on user-friendliness and innovation.
But we are far from finished. The outlook for Phase 3 of our AI offensive promises to expand the possibilities of Aivor and Co. even further. We are already working on exciting new features that will revolutionise content marketing and interactions in your forums. In addition, there are further plugin developments that will help you to make your websites even more effective and attractive.
A special thanks goes to you - the community. Your support, feedback and suggestions are the engine that drives us. It's great to see how many of you are using our products and working with us to move the WoltLab Suite community forward.
Now it's your turn: Try out our new plugins, test Aivor in its new free basic version or take a look at our improved solutions for CMS articles, blog posts and the ticket system. We are also currently offering a 20% discount on all new licences and updates - a perfect time to take your projects to the next level.
Do you have any questions or need support? As always, our team is here to help and advise you. Thank you for shaping 2024 with us - we look forward to working with you to create an even better 2025! 🚀