Design contest submission

[asterd]

Names and Contact Details

dario.durzo@gmail.com

Link to mockup/prototype

https://asterd.github.io/php8.5-design-contest/DESIGN1/php85-release-page.html

Rationale (300-600 words)

Design Philosophy

1. Content-First Architecture

Clean hierarchy: Hero → Release info → Features → Timeline → Migration → Downloads
Features are displayed in scannable cards with code examples
Each section has clear purpose and breathing room
No visual gimmicks competing with actual PHP 8.5 content

2. Mobile-First Responsive Design

Grid layouts adapt naturally (grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(300px, 1fr)))
Fluid typography using clamp() for optimal readability at all sizes
Touch-friendly buttons and spacing
Timeline collapses gracefully on mobile

3. Performance & Simplicity

Zero JavaScript - pure HTML/CSS solution
System fonts - no web font downloads
Inline CSS - single file, no build process
Minimal markup - semantic HTML5, ~400 lines total
No dependencies - works everywhere, immediately

4. Localization-Ready

All text in HTML, not images
Proper semantic structure for translation tools
No text-as-image patterns
RTL support built into layout (flexbox/grid naturally support RTL)

5. PHP.net Brand Consistency

Uses PHP's signature purple (#8892BF / #4F5B93)
Professional, trustworthy aesthetic
Clean, documentation-focused design language
Respects existing php.net conventions while feeling fresh

6. Maintainability

Clear CSS custom properties for theming
Semantic class names (.feature-card, .timeline-item)
No complex frameworks or build chains
Comments-free but self-documenting code structure
Easy to modify individual sections

Visual Approach Benefits
Gradient Hero Section: Modern but professional, uses PHP brand colors to create visual interest without overwhelming content
Card-Based Features: Scannable, modular design makes it easy to add/remove features for future releases (PHP 9.x ready)
Timeline Visualization: Makes support lifecycle immediately clear with visual progression
Icon System: Simple emoji-based icons (can be replaced with SVG later) provide visual anchors without requiring icon fonts
Hover States: Subtle interactions provide feedback without JavaScript, making the page feel alive
Technical Highlights

CSS Grid & Flexbox: Modern layout without media query complexity
CSS Custom Properties: Easy theming for future versions
Backdrop Filters: Modern glassmorphism effect in hero badge (gracefully degrades)
Semantic HTML5: Proper sectioning for accessibility and SEO
Single File Deployment: Copy-paste ready, no build process

Future-Proof Design System
This layout scales beautifully for future releases:

Change hero gradient colors for PHP 9.x
Update version badge and feature cards
Keep same grid system and card patterns
Modify CSS custom properties for instant rebrand
Timeline extends naturally with new dates

The design strikes the perfect balance between modern aesthetics and practical maintainability - exactly what a release page needs for long-term use by the PHP community.

Desktop 1:

Desktop 2:

Mobile:

License

• I confirm, and agree.

[TimWolla]

Hi! Thank you for your submission(s). I noticed that they do not use the “existing 8.5 content” from PR #1454 and do not actually showcase the most interesting “new PHP 8.5” features (e.g. the new URI extension or clone-with), instead focusing on some minor improvements. While single-line snippets might be sufficient for these minor improvements, I don't feel they can sufficiently showcase some of the larger features, especially when combined with a proper description that explains what is happening.

I suggest to take a look at #1454 and the current rendered version at https://web-php-pr-1454.preview.thephp.foundation/releases/8.5/en.php to see what is planned for the the release page, as also suggested in the contest description: “Content-first: use existing 8.5 content as data.”.

Disclosure: I'm not part of the contest jury or otherwise involved in scoring. I am however a core developer of PHP, developed several of the new PHP 8.5 features and helped preparing the release pages for PHP 8.3, 8.4 and now also helped to prepare and refine the planned contents for 8.5.

[asterd]

@TimWolla thanks a lot for this comment. You're right. I'll try to fix this as soon as possibile.

[asterd]

I've updated the design to match the content. Sorry for the delay.
ASAP I'll fix all the other submissions.

Thanks a lot @TimWolla

[asterd]

Ok.
I'll partecipate with this design.
On my repo there were other designs: https://github.com/asterd/php8.5-design-contest
If you find something good outside the contest, to me is the same, you can use openly.