In-workspace onboarding v2

[mikenikles]

In gitpod-io/openvscode-server#110, we released v1 of the in-workspace onboarding.

As a follow-up, here are some ideas.

Change the look & feel to match what VS Code does

Screenshot

In particular, use each step's description to provide the content. Note, this is very limited in terms of content length compared to the Markdown files we currently use.
As the content on the right, we'd use an image to explain each step.

Provide more dynamic onboarding

We could use a step's when clause to provide onboarding steps that are tailored to a given project. For example, if we detect that a project does not have prebuilds configured, we could provide a button to automatically enable prebuilds whereas someone who already uses prebuilds doesn't need to see that.

[JohannesLandgraf]

Excellent work with v1 @mikenikles! I really like the tone of it. Some small suggestions for improvement:

• At the end of each section add a 'Next button' to move e.g. from 'What is Gitpod?' to 'Prebuilds do the heavy lifting'
  • Blocked by Allow extension contributed walkthroughs to specify a "Next section" link. microsoft/vscode#129735
• For the CTAs (click here for e.g. the docker command, open ports) kumquat coloured buttons will work better
  • Enabled kumquat colours for the Gitpod Light (default) & Gitpod Dark themes.
    Screenshots

    Light	Dark

• Describe in 'Full access to a terminal' the shortcut how to open one (or let the button ^ do all the work)
• Include a button at the VS Code Desktop Support that does the same as Gitpod: Open in VS Code

[JohannesLandgraf]

And another thing: I think the Get Started with Gitpod onboarding flow should replace the Welcome Tab (or open as the primary one next to the Welcome one)

[filiptronicek]

• Include a button at the VS Code Desktop Support that does the same as Gitpod: Open in VS Code

Would be great to fit a Open in VS Code: Insiders there, too!

[mikenikles]

At the end of each section add a 'Next button' to move e.g. from 'What is Gitpod?' to 'Prebuilds do the heavy lifting'
Blocked by microsoft/vscode#129735

For the CTAs (click here for e.g. the docker command, open ports) kumquat coloured buttons will work better
✅ shipped

Describe in 'Full access to a terminal' the shortcut how to open one (or let the button ^ do all the work)
👍. We have to consider operating-system dependent shortcuts. Will see what we can do.

Include a button at the VS Code Desktop Support that does the same as Gitpod: Open in VS Code
👍. Will see what's possible in v2

Get Started with Gitpod onboarding flow should replace the Welcome Tab
✅ shipped

[JohannesLandgraf]

That's already there if you click either of the links, unless I misunderstand what you're looking for.

What I meant is having a real button :)

[mikenikles]

💡 Let's use the first step of the Gitpod onboarding walkthrough as a "What's new?" step where we highlight the most recent changelog entries.

Ideally, IMHO, the changelog is more prominent than that, but adding it to the walkthrough is better than no in-product changelog or a very limited "What's new" dialog.

[akosyakov]

When should we show walk through? Right now it pops up each page reload. It's very annoying. Should we remember that a user seen it already and if does not change since then don't show it again?

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[filiptronicek]

I believe this should still be open, it's still a good idea to update the onboarding exp

[mikenikles]

Thanks Filip. Yes Anton, that sounds like a sensible approach.

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.