Web Library: Viewing items and browser history

In the new web library, clicking to view a new item creates a new entry in the browser Back menu. That makes the Back menu difficult to use, e.g., to return to a group search result list or to a previous website. I would have expected the behavior to be more like most web apps, where interacting with the app doesn't change the Back menu at all.

The current Back menu behavior is also not even for navigating your viewing history in the Web Library, because the page title entries in the Back menu don't indicate what is being viewed, only "Zotero - Your personal research assistant".

Could the Back menu behavior be changed to be more useful, in either direction?
  • edited March 11, 2020
    I would have expected the behavior to be more like most web apps, where interacting with the app doesn't change the Back menu at all.
    From my experience that's not the case. Most web-based email apps will create an entry for every folder you open, for every mail you open as well as for search results view. Similarly new web library will create an entry for every collection, item or search results.

    Furthermore new web-library has been designed with multitude of devices in mind, ranging from smart phones to desktops. On smaller devices new entry point in the history is even more important as it completely changes the view (try visiting new web library on a phone and see how "back" is useful for navigating from search results or item details view).
    The current Back menu behavior is also not even for navigating your viewing history in the Web Library, because the page title entries in the Back menu don't indicate what is being viewed, only "Zotero - Your personal research assistant".
    This is one point where we could definitely try do some improvements. I'll look into this.
  • Mobile is good point. Improving the entry titles would be great.
  • Just a quick update on this: web library now has more descriptive titles updated based on where you navigate in the app.
  • Very cool! This works very nicely!
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