Concerned about the progress of the new Forma 5? It's been a while since we launched the project: our journey toward Forma LMS 5 continues but the road has taken a few strategic turns. Today we’re excited to share a new update on the development progress and the key milestones we’ve reached since our last posts in the “Road to Forma 5” series.
Strategic Shift: Advancing Features in the 4.x Line
Following the limited participation in the Forma 5 crowdfunding campaign, we decided to accelerate several planned improvements by integrating them into the 4.x series, rather than waiting for the major release. This approach allows the community to benefit earlier from important updates while keeping Forma stable and evolving.
Over the past year, many of the functional and UX improvements originally planned for Forma 5 have been brought forward into versions 4.1 and 4.2. These include most of the planned removal, refactorings and improvement of features, the tables below list the task already completed (green) and in progress (orange)
1. REMOVE: Eliminating obsolete features
We are planning to remove some features that we see as unused or only sporadically used. Some of them will be compensated by improvements and refactorings of other features, while others will be implemented as plugins.
Thanks to these interventions, in the future, maintenance and development efforts will focus on those features that are actually used and can be considered as important.
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LMS functionality
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Description of intervention
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Target version
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Labels
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Removing the "labels" functionality (tag system for courses). Possibly a tag system will be implemented in the future.
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4.x
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Competitions
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Removing the "Competitions" functionality, which is obsolete and not suitable for managing modern gamification systems. Possibly it will be rewritten or implemented as a plugin at a later stage.
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4.x
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Knowledge Base
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Removing the KB (content library) functionality, with a view to a redesign from scratch.
Removing from admin, mycourses, settings
Maintaining LO categorization functions for now.
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4.x
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Obsolete LOs
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Removing FAQ, website and glossary LOs. TBD behavior in case of old courses containing this type of LO. Possibly refactor just one that fulfills the functionality of all 3 (we evaluate based on the community's responses)
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5.0
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Obsolete course modules
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Within the courses, the Wiki, projects, notepad and Calendar modules are unused and obsolete and will be removed. Only the calendar module will eventually be reinstated using the new calendar components introduced as widgets for the dashboard
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4.x
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Course Stats - User Stats
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Removing "user statistics" module, redundant with respect to user objects grid (evaluate object statistics, docebo has kept it)
NB: see improve grid
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4.x
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SMS
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Removing integration with SMS services. Eventually we will evaluate its implementation as a plugin
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4.x
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News
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Eliminating "news" functionality and related blocks in the LMS user area and dashboard. Improve communications management
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4.x
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LDAP
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Removing LDAP settings (considered obsolete protocol)
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4.x
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Competences
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We are considering removing the "Competences" functionality, which is underused and expensive to maintain. It can be reimplemented as a plugin or as an integration with third-party HR software. We will instead keep the "roles" functionality
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5.0
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2. IMPROVE: Improving existing features
Some existing features will be extended or updated to complete and improve their effectiveness and UX.
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LMS functionality
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Description of intervention
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Target version
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Privacy Consent
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Implementing the possibility of multiple "Consents" per organizational chart node
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4.x
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Report Teacher area
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Improving UX/UI of teacher area reports:
- Users/Objects Grid: simplify first page for better data readability. Integrate test response details (user stat deletion)
- LO statistics: redesign to replace the gradebook (> elimination of the gradebook)
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5.0
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Communications (Articles)
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Evolving from a "blog articles" perspective for a more modern and flexible use, and compensate for the removal of news/external pages. Remove association with communications. Restyling of the "communications" page in FE user.
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5.0
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Curricula (Coursepaths)
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Extending registration management as in normal courses (incl. teacher registration), provide cover image, integrate certificate issuing (see certificate refactoring)
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5.0
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Assignment of orgchart fields
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The inheritance logic in the assignment of additional fields to the organizational chart nodes is prone to conflicts, we evaluate a simplification to improve its coherence. We also remove the "user inherit" option.
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5.0
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3. REFACTOR: Rationalizing redundant functionality
These functional areas will be refactored and reorganized to rationalize their use and management.
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LMS functionality
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Description of intervention
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Target version
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ILT management
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Refactoring functionality and ux linked to ILT events (Instructor Led Training) to rationalize and simplify currently separate or redundant features attributable to this area:
- Management of editions and days
- Reservation management (Seminars)
- Video conference management
- Attendance management
Includes refactoring of how external video conferencing services are integrated
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5.0
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Certificate Management
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Deleting metacertificates, integrate path tags in certificates, on assignment page. course-certificates integrate certificate assignment to courses, replacing tcpdf, implementing repeater with certificate template selection instead of listing all models.
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5.0
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SCORM Player
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Refactoring the scorm client for better handling of tracking data
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5.0
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Contents
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Unifying the functionality of
- Communications
- Course notices
- External pages
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Payment Gateways
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Managing ecommerce payment methods as plugins, so they are more easily extensible. Implementing PayPal plugins.
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4.x
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Repository / LO Upload
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Removing and implementing as new LO (Decide what to do with any old repositories created - "convert to LO?" function)
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5.0
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Forum
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Unifying the two modules for public forum and course.
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4.x
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Newsletter
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Unifying core/lms newsletter module: we now have two separate modules that essentially cover the same functionality
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4.0
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Additional Fields
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Unifying the two current managements for the additional fields of the user registry and those for extending other system components (courses, lo, orgchart)
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5.0
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Code Refactoring Status
The large-scale core refactoring work—a cornerstone of Forma 5’s modernization—has been temporarily paused during the past development cycle to prioritize the 4.x feature releases.
This pause has allowed us to deliver tangible updates more quickly without disrupting existing installations. The refactoring effort is scheduled to resume in early 2025, following the release of Forma LMS 4.2.
What’s Next
Once Forma 4.2 is released, development will shift focus back to the core architecture overhaul and the broader Forma 5 roadmap. This will mark the restart of the work that will define the next generation of the platform.
As always, community feedback, testing, and contributions will be key. Forma LMS thrives through open collaboration — and we invite everyone to join the effort as we move toward Forma 5.
Support the Future of Forma
Forma LMS has always been a community-driven project, powered by contributions from users, partners, and volunteers around the world. If you believe in open-source learning and want to help shape the future of the platform, consider supporting our crowdfunding campaign for Forma 5.
Your donations directly fund the ongoing development, testing, and modernization work that keep Forma strong and sustainable.
