The website ChessStar.com has been decided to be rewritten from scratch, as many of its modules have become outdated, and some have lost their functionality and no longer work correctly. Currently, the website operates on the commercial CMS "Bitrix," developed by Russian programmers. This powerful system provides a wide range of functional features, such as proactive protection, website quality monitoring, and numerous other additional modules. However, according to statistical data, for the website’s specific needs, most of these functions are redundant. For example, the proactive protection and site monitoring mechanisms, despite being useful for large corporate websites, do not significantly impact the performance of a platform focused on chess composition. This results in unnecessary server load, which, in turn, causes website slowdowns and poor web surfing experience.

Therefore, we have made the decision to radically change the website’s architecture. Specifically, we decided to develop our own CMS, moving away from direct PHP usage in favor of more modern and flexible technologies such as React and JavaScript. This will significantly improve performance, speed up page loading, reduce server load, and simplify the development and maintenance process of the site in the future. Additionally, using these technologies will provide greater flexibility in adapting the platform to the specific needs of chess composers, improving interaction with tools for creating and analyzing chess problems and studies, and providing more convenient and faster access to materials and the database.

Special attention will be given to the exclusive design of the website. Each page will be designed with usability and aesthetics in mind to create a unique atmosphere that aligns with the level of chess composition. We aim for the site not only to fulfill its main function – providing easy access to chess problems and studies – but also to become visually appealing and user-friendly. This will include developing custom page layouts, interactive elements for users, and a well-thought-out content structure that will allow easy navigation, finding necessary information, and working with tools effortlessly.

Moreover, the ChessStar website will be fully adapted for mobile devices. As more and more users visit websites from mobile phones and tablets, it is crucial for chess composers to have the ability to work with the site anywhere and anytime. The responsive design will ensure correct display of all pages and elements on screens of various sizes, enhancing the user experience on mobile devices. This means that chess problems and studies can be solved and analyzed on the go, without the need to start a computer. Fast page loading, optimized interface, and the ability to interact comfortably with the website on mobile devices will provide a high level of convenience for users, which is especially important for those who actively work with compositions throughout the day or while traveling.

Integration with mobile platforms will also offer additional advantages, such as improved compatibility with mobile apps and the ability to receive notifications about new problems, studies, tournaments, and updates, allowing users to stay informed and not miss important changes.

So, here’s what we plan to do (in brief):
There will be a complete update of almost all functional elements of the website, including:

1. Forum – a major update is coming. In the new version of the forum, users will be able to insert chess diagrams into the text field, making communication more convenient and informative.
2. Chat – with the new functionality, registered users will be able to communicate with each other in real time, significantly improving interaction on the site.
3. Collaborative rooms – we are returning to the idea of creating special rooms where authors can work together on chess compositions. The site administrator will not have access to these rooms, ensuring privacy and creative freedom.
4. My album – this part of the website will also undergo significant changes. Users will be able to bulk insert problems and studies in PGN format into their albums, as well as download them. Each file will be synchronized with the EditorStar program. When adding data to special fields in the program (author, publication date, tournament name, etc.), this information will automatically appear in the EditorStar program. Furthermore, this PGN file format will be compatible with other programs and databases.
5. Updates to the "Add Announcements" and "Add Links" sections – these sections will also be improved to enhance user convenience.
6. Removal of the visual editor – there will no longer be the ability to manually place solutions to compositions through the visual editor. We will focus on more functional and efficient ways to interact with content, directly related to move animation.
7. EditorStar – the program will be completely switched to move animation mode, opening new horizons for creating solutions for any composition. New features will also be added to eliminate limitations that users encountered before.
8. Chess database – the website will feature its own database of problems and studies, greatly improving accessibility and searchability of "materials" for users.
9. Search on the website – a new feature that will make it easy to find a desired composition, comment, and more.
10. Anonymous contests – due to their irrelevance, these sections will be removed.
11. Registration – only the standard registration process will remain.
12. Publication pages – these pages will also be updated and visually improved.
13. Blogs – this section will be removed.
14. Gallery – this section will be improved.
15. News – this section will undergo significant changes.
16. Advertising – advertisements will be hidden for registered users when entering the site.
17. Feedback – minor visual changes.

All changes are aimed at improving the functionality of the website, enhancing user convenience, and creating a more flexible and efficient platform for working with compositions. All work on the website will be completed by the end of 2025!

Best wishes!