In one of the most significant academic developments of the year, the Public Knowledge Project (PKP) announced the release of Open Journal Systems (OJS) 3.5, introducing a wide range of improvements to user experience, editorial workflows, and user management, along with technical updates that pave the way for long-term support. The official release was made in mid-June 2025, followed by a series of articles and training resources outlining “what’s new” in this version.
What Changes Fundamentally in 3.5?
1) Redesigned Editorial Dashboard
PKP has reworked the editorial dashboard and navigation within the submission, review, and publishing workflow. The new interface is cleaner, easier to use, and allows for customized perspectives, new filters, and clearer tracking of submission status. Status icons and action buttons are more precise, reducing clicks and accelerating daily editorial tasks.
2) User Invitation System with Simplified Management and ORCID Integration
OJS 3.5 introduces a new invitation workflow that lets you invite users without pre-assigning roles or making decisions on their behalf. Editors now have advanced controls for account creation, profile restrictions, and built-in ORCID integration within the invitation process. This change is the outcome of extensive design work during PKP’s 2023 Sprints, aimed at better GDPR compliance and a more intuitive experience.
3) Community-Driven Enhancements
This version includes a variety of improvements directly based on community feedback: enhanced email configuration and management, automatic display of editorial board history in the masthead, new metrics in the dashboard, better support for institutional affiliations through ROR, and clarifications regarding the Long-Term Support (LTS) cycle.
Why Does This Release Matter for Editors and Researchers?
Faster Workflows: Much of the daily “friction” in tracking submissions and moving between stages has been eliminated thanks to a dashboard more focused on priorities.
Clearer Access Governance: Flexible invitations give editors better control over who joins, how, and when they assume their role—avoiding past administrative complexities.
Upgrade Readiness: PKP provides a Release Notebook for plugin and theme developers, making it easier to adapt code for 3.5 while preserving ecosystem compatibility.
For Developers and Plugin/Theme Authors
PKP encourages developers to review the Release Notebook and related GitHub issues (such as compatibility tracking with 3.5.0). This version includes significant changes to APIs and configuration pathways that affect plugins. Keeping plugins updated ensures a smooth upgrade and prevents interruptions to essential journal functions.
OJS 3.5 is not just a “cosmetic update.” It is a structural upgrade that reorganizes the priorities of daily use: a dashboard that reduces clutter, an invitation system that simplifies access management, and incremental enhancements driven by community needs. With a clear resource pathway the release of OJS 3.5 appears smoother than ever.