Make new unsaved changes indicator the default #4045
Description
https://eclipse.dev/eclipse/markdown/?f=news/4.40/platform.md#new-dirty-indicator-for-view-and-editor-tabs was added last release as option.
Old:
New:
My impression was that people liked this change (cc @BeckerWdf, @HeikoKlare @sratz, @schneidermic0 @azoitl ) and I also think it looks modern.
I suggest to make it the default early in this release cycle and see if people complain about it or find bugs in it.
What do others think?
Activity
laeubi commentedon Jun 1, 2026
I think that it should be available as an option for at least one full release. It would also be good to mention it in the N&N that we are gathering feedback of this new feature and link it e.g. to this issue.
Then if we found that many people like it it can become a default.
vogella commentedon Jun 1, 2026
That will already be the case with 4.40.
laeubi commentedon Jun 1, 2026
Not really if it becomes the default now ... So everyone who want to test it already can it so I don't see why it should be mandatory to make it the default now. This does not improve anything critical and easy to enable for everyone who absolutely wants this.
HeikoKlare commentedon Jun 1, 2026
Since the feature is available as opt-in for the upcoming release, in my opinion it's fine to make it opt-out during development of the subsequent release (i.e., now). That "forces" developers to use and test that feature and share their opinion on it. At the same time, users can opt-in and give feedback as well. We can still decide to roll back to opt-in for the subsequent release if it does not prove to be mature enough or if we disagree on whether that should be/stay new default.
And I agree with @laeubi that it would be good to enhance the news entry that the setting will become default in an upcoming release and that feedback is appreciated.
vogella commentedon Jun 1, 2026
N&N change: eclipse-platform/www.eclipse.org-eclipse#557
azoitl commentedon Jun 1, 2026
I want to clarify that I never said if I like or dislike this feature. I only wanted that the light mode implementation is not broken and on-par with darkmode. Just in case something like this here is happening.
Regarding if I should like the feature I'm torn. I'm always a fan of reducing visual clutter to help users focusing on their tasks. The new dirty indicator also reduces the width of the tabs which is helping when working with many tabs as I often do.
However I always find it trouble some when I have to hover something to get a certain information. Especially something such small as the dirty/close indicator. This violates a bit Fitts's Law.
I'm here with @HeikoKlare that more feedback is needed. I just activated the feature to get a better impression myself.
HeikoKlare commentedon Jun 2, 2026
You refer to the necessity of hovering for finding the close button, right? The dirty indicator is always visible without hovering, isn't it?
I think the selling point regarding UX for this feature is that VS Code, the one editor most people use at least in addition to anything else, does it the same way. So people will be inherently familiar with this way of presentation and interaction.
But that's just meant to be some clarification. While I definitely like the feature and see the described benefits in making it opt-out, I will not act as a strong advocate for pushing it fast 🙂
akurtakov commentedon Jun 2, 2026
I would appreciate if for "general" UI/UX changes there are polls open and announced so we can get as much info as possible instead of finding things later like it happened with "diff direction" last cycle (#3967 )
vogella commentedon Jun 2, 2026
+1 for that proposal. I would like to enable it in our I-builds for a while to iron the feature out and then (maybe in M2) do a poll about it.
azoitl commentedon Jun 2, 2026
I'm also a big fan of asking the user. For all the usability and usefulness studies I did with users always new results came out.
My second rule for usability is always better well stolen (borrowed ;-) then badly self invented. I'm only always nervous when it comes to VS Code. I'm personally not a fan of this thing. Therefore I take all what they do with a big grain of salt.
But after testing the new feature for a day I must say it looks sleek.
Phillipus commentedon Jun 9, 2026
I like the new indicator so setting it as the default seems to me fine (as long as the option to not use it remains). I just added it as an option to our RCP app and it works well.
deepika-u commentedon Jun 16, 2026
I’m in favor of making this the default. It’s a nice example of how even small UI refinements can contribute to Eclipse’s modernization and make the user experience feel more polished. Keeping the legacy indicator as an optional preference would provide a good balance for users who prefer the traditional style.
HeikoKlare commentedon Jun 16, 2026
This can be closed as the default was already changed last week, wasn't it?
Or is supposed to be kept as reminder for doing a poll at M2? I think you need to take the responsibility for making that poll and ensuring that the community opinion is properly considered anyway, @vogella?
vogella commentedon Jun 16, 2026
This issue is also linked in the N&N to gather feedback, as requested above. So it should not be closed.
vogella commentedon Jul 7, 2026
I'm not sure about M2 timing but I will be offline for the next three weeks. I assume we want to poll for the end of M2 as platform M1 only now reaches the simrel. cc @HeikoKlare
vogella commentedon Jul 28, 2026
Poll posted #4209 and announced on cross
vogella commentedon Aug 16, 2026
Poll was 70 for the new indicator.