Distribution Wizard Steps
Last modified by Eleni Cojocariu on 2026/08/18 15:19
Reference
The Distribution Wizard runs the same sequence of steps on every instance. A step that has nothing to do is marked as completed and skipped, so a given run shows only a subset of them.
| Step | When it appears | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| "Welcome" | In interactive mode only, before the numbered steps | Presents, under the "Distribution Wizard" heading, the steps that follow, and offers the options listed below. |
| "Admin user" | On the main wiki, unless you are already logged in with a user who has administration rights | Registers the user who owns the wiki. You are then logged in with that user, which is the one used to install everything that follows. |
| "Flavor" | In flavor mode, which is the default | Installs the flavor you select. |
| "User Interface" | In default user interface mode only | Proposes the version of the configured user interface that matches the running XWiki version, and installs it. |
| "Orphaned dependencies" | Only when an extension installed as a dependency has no extension depending on it any more | Offers to uninstall the orphans that are invalid, and to turn the others into top level extensions so that the upgrade takes them into account. |
| "Wikis" | In default user interface mode only, for the other wikis of the farm | Installs on each of the other wikis the user interface version recommended for them. |
| "Extensions" | Only when an installed extension is invalid for the running XWiki version | Computes an upgrade plan and upgrades the extensions it lists. On a subwiki the plan covers that subwiki; on the main wiki, "Check for updates" computes it for the main wiki and the global namespace, and "Check for updates on farm" for every wiki of the farm, which takes longer. Extensions that are merely outdated are upgraded later, from the Extension Updater in the wiki administration. |
| "Report" | In interactive mode only, after the last numbered step | Lists every change the run brought to the wiki. |
The first step offers three ways to proceed, and the "Later" button carries a fourth:
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| "Continue" | Moves to the next step. |
| "Later" | Leaves the wizard, which opens again the next time XWiki is restarted. |
| "Never" | Discards the wizard, leaving you to import the XAR yourself. |
| "Replay recorded actions" | A sub-option of "Later" which leaves the wizard and opens the Extension History instead, where a recorded install or upgrade can be replayed. |
FAQ
Does a step that was skipped come back later?
Yes, on the next run, as soon as its condition holds again. An extension that a distribution upgrade made invalid brings the "Extensions" step back, for instance.
