After seven years of steady evolution, PeerTube, a decentralized video hosting platform developed as an alternative to centralized ones such as YouTube, is taking a significant step forward by releasing PeerTube v7.
The highlight – a completely revamped UI. Over the past years, PeerTubeโs original Black-and-Orange design and terminology gradually took shape, influenced by both necessity and community input. Now, the platform has stepped back to define a more intentional visual identity.
The new default Light/Beige theme is easier on the eyes, while a Dark/Brown theme is available for those who prefer darker interfaces. These changes also provided an opportunity to clean up the underlying code, simplifying CSS variables and making it much easier for the community to create and share their own custom themes.
Language matters, too. Until now, PeerTube referred to its independently hosted servers as โinstances,โ which made sense to a tech-savvy crowd familiar with federated networks.
However, to make the platform more accessible, these have been rebranded as โplatforms.โ The new terminology aims to welcome those less familiar with the intricacies of the Fediverse and encourages a more inclusive environment.
Continuing with the redesign improvements, with PeerTube 7, navigation is now more straightforward than ever. For instance, content creators now have a dedicated โvideo spaceโ separate from their regular user library, streamlining the process of uploading and managing their content.
Administrators will also find their tasks simplified, thanks to reorganized โOverview,โ โModeration,โ and โSettingsโ pages that make it easier to locate the tools and information they need.
Meanwhile, video discovery pages have been consolidated. Instead of juggling multiple pages like โRecently Added,โ โLocal Videos,โ or โTrending,โ viewers can now explore all these categories seamlessly on a single โBrowse videosโ page.
An updated โDiscover videosโ page aims to further empower curious users, making it simpler than ever to navigate content. The familiar left sidebar and header menu have also been restructured, placing account settings and notifications in more intuitive locations.
A common point of confusion among new PeerTube users was understanding which platform they were on and where videos originated. To address this, platform owners can now easily add a banner and platform icon, both visible on pages, in mobile apps, and on PeerTubeโs search engine, SepiaSearch.
Non-registered visitors will find platform names and descriptions right in the left-hand menu, making each platformโs identity clearer from the start.
In addition, video thumbnails now display creator avatars, ensuring that viewers can quickly identify the source of each video. Titles are more prominent, while dates and view counts are subtly presented, allowing users to find content that interests them with less visual clutter.
On the accessibility side, PeerTube 7 brings improved color contrasts, better themes, more accessible progress bars, and refined support for screen readers. Missing labels were added to interactive elements, keyboard navigation was enhanced, and non-accessible dependencies were reimplemented more inclusively.
Captions have become easier to manage and edit. With the new caption editing modal, what was once a โbarebonesโ tool now provides a far smoother experience.
Additionally, a recently integrated community contribution has boosted PeerTubeโs SEO capabilities. Platform avatars now appear in Open Graph tags, and empty accounts or channels no longer crowd the sitemap. These enhancements help both content creators and platform administrators reach a broader audience.
Lastly, PeerTubeโs language options continue to expand, including Slovak, bringing the platform to more than 38 languages. The team warmly thanks all the dedicated volunteers who have contributed translations over the years.
For more information, visit the changelog or see the release announcement, which provides a detailed overview of all novelties, bug fixes, and improvements PeerTube 7 offers.
Image credits: PeerTube Project
