Docs/NVDA Add-On Specialist: Add Documentation for 2026.1 In Preparation for Pending Release#62
Docs/NVDA Add-On Specialist: Add Documentation for 2026.1 In Preparation for Pending Release#62ChrisDuffley wants to merge 6 commits intoCommunity-Access:mainfrom
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Adds comprehensive documentation for the NVDA 2026.1 breaking release: - 64-bit Python 3.13 transition (32-bit era over) - Windows 10 64-bit minimum, ARM support changes - SAPI restructuring (sapi5 → 64-bit, sapi4 removed) - API breaking changes (versionInfo, winBindings, screenCurtain, etc.) - Deprecations (NVDAHelper paths, winVersion.WIN81) - Manifest version guidance table with recommended scenarios - Updated repository references from nvdaaddons to nvaccess - Updated Python version to 3.13 in CI examples - Updated manifest examples to 2026.1 baseline
…may be used for broader compatibility
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Pull request overview
Adds NVDA 2026.1 transition guidance across the NVDA add-on specialist agent definitions and related docs/prompts, updating compatibility defaults and adding new audit rules for 64-bit/native-library issues.
Changes:
- Added an “NVDA 2026.1 Architecture Transition” section (64-bit Python 3.13, breaking API changes, manifest guidance).
- Updated addon template references and example CI Python version (3.13) in agent docs.
- Expanded audit-mode rule set from NVDA-001..016 to NVDA-001..018 and updated related docs/prompts accordingly.
Reviewed changes
Copilot reviewed 12 out of 12 changed files in this pull request and generated 8 comments.
Show a summary per file
| File | Description |
|---|---|
nvda-addon-specialist.gemini.md |
Adds 2026.1 transition section + manifest guidance + new audit rules. |
nvda-addon-specialist.docs.md |
Updates agent “what it does” and audit rule count (18) + examples. |
nvda-addon-specialist.claude.md |
Adds 2026.1 transition guidance and new audit rules. |
nvda-addon-specialist.agent.md |
Adds 2026.1 guidance; updates manifest example versions and template references. |
docs/prompts/developer-tools/scaffold-nvda-addon.md |
Updates scaffolding prompt expectations/default compatibility text. |
docs/agents/nvda-addon-specialist.md |
Mirrors docs updates: 2026.1 migration and rule count/rules. |
claude-code-plugin/agents/nvda-addon-specialist.md |
Adds 2026.1 guidance and updates manifest example/rules. |
AGENT-AUTHORITY-PLAN.md |
Updates addon template references and manifest/CI examples for 2026.1. |
.github/prompts/nvda-addon-specialist.prompt.md |
Updates scaffolding prompt defaults for min/last-tested versions. |
.github/agents/nvda-addon-specialist.agent.md |
Adds 2026.1 guidance + new audit rules + template reference updates. |
.gemini/extensions/a11y-agents/skills/nvda-addon-specialist/SKILL.md |
Mirrors 2026.1 transition guidance and updated manifest/rules. |
.claude/agents/nvda-addon-specialist.md |
Updates authoritative sources and adds 2026.1 transition guidance/rules. |
| ## NVDA 2026.1 Architecture Transition | ||
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| NVDA 2026.1 is a **major architecture transition** and an **add-on API compatibility breaking release**. All addons must be re-tested and have their manifests updated. | ||
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This section introduces a number of concrete compatibility claims (OS support floors, ARM changes, license change, module moves, etc.), but the doc’s own “Source code is the authority” principle implies these should be backed by specific source/release-note links. Consider adding a short “Sources” block (links to relevant NVDA docs/PRs/files) or rephrasing to clearly mark items as “as of 2026.1 beta notes” to avoid presenting uncited statements as verified facts.
| 6. **Minimum NVDA version** -- Default: `2026.1`. The absolute floor is `2019.3` (first Python 3 release). If the addon ships native 64-bit DLLs, minimum must be `2026.1`. | ||
| 7. **Last tested NVDA version** -- Default: `2026.1` |
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The prompt defaults minimumNVDAVersion to 2026.1, but this conflicts with the PR description (“new addon minimum version to 2025.1”) and with the guidance table elsewhere in the docs that says “New addon: 2025.1.0”. Please align these defaults (e.g., default to 2025.1 for pure-Python addons and call out 2026.1 only for addons shipping native 64-bit DLLs), or update the written guidance/PR description to match the intended policy.
| - Summary, author, and NVDA version compatibility (defaults: minimum `2026.1`, last tested `2026.1`; absolute floor is `2019.3` for Python 3) | ||
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This doc says scaffold defaults to minimum 2026.1, but the PR description and other guidance in the NVDA 2026.1 section indicate new (pure-Python) addons can target 2025.1.0 and only require 2026.1.0 when shipping native 64-bit DLLs. Please reconcile the default compatibility guidance so readers don’t get conflicting recommendations.
| ### Manifest Version Guidance | ||
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| | Scenario | `minimumNVDAVersion` | `lastTestedNVDAVersion` | | ||
| |----------|---------------------|------------------------| | ||
| | New addon | `2025.1.0` | `2026.1.0` | | ||
| | Broad compatibility (Python 3 required) | `2019.3.0` | `2026.1.0` | | ||
| | Widest safe range | `2024.1.0` | `2026.1.0` | |
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The new “Manifest Version Guidance” table doesn’t have a short introductory sentence describing what the table is for. Adding a one-line summary immediately before the table improves table accessibility for screen reader users and matches common accessible-markdown patterns.
| - **No backward-compatibility layer for 32-bit native libraries.** Addons shipping 32-bit `.dll` files or using 32-bit `ctypes` bindings will break. Recompile all native code as 64-bit. | ||
| - `NVDAHelper.localLib` changed from `ctypes.CDLL` to a module -- use `.dll` attribute for the CDLL object. | ||
| - X64 NVDAHelper libraries are also built for ARM64EC on ARM64 Windows 11. | ||
| - The Microsoft Universal C Runtime is no longer bundled. |
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Several new list items use -- as an em-dash in prose (e.g., “changed … -- use …”). For readability and more consistent screen reader output, prefer - (space-hyphen-space) instead of -- in normal text (leave code blocks unchanged).
Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
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Good content covering the 2026.1 transition. A few items need alignment before merge:
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Version inconsistency (blocking): The Manifest Version Guidance table says new addons should use minimumNVDAVersion = 2025.1.0, but several manifest.ini examples default to 2026.1.0. The PR description also says 2025.1. Please pick one policy and align all files -- suggest 2025.1.0 for pure-Python addons with a separate labeled example for native 64-bit DLLs using 2026.1.0.
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Source citations: The doc states source code is the authority, but the new 2026.1 claims (Python 3.13, ARM changes, SAPI restructuring, module moves) lack links to NVDA release notes or PRs. Please add 2-3 source references.
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Table introduction: The Manifest Version Guidance table needs a one-sentence intro before it so screen reader users know what it contains before entering the table.
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Em-dashes: Several prose lines use -- as an em-dash. For screen reader consistency, replace with space-hyphen-space in prose (leave code blocks unchanged).
Copilot's inline suggestions on the PR cover these same points with specific file/line references.
Fixes from accesswatch's review on PR #62: - Fix version inconsistency: manifest.ini examples now use minimumNVDAVersion = 2025.1.0 (matching the table) - Fix scaffold defaults from 2026.1 to 2025.1 - Add intro sentence before Manifest Version Guidance tables for screen reader context - Replace -- with - in 2026.1 section prose for screen reader compatibility - Add 2026.1 Sources subsection with links to the official NVDA changelog and 13 GitHub issue references Based on work by @ChrisDuffley in PR #62. Closes #58.
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Thanks for the 2026.1 docs, @ChrisDuffley! We've incorporated your changes along with the review feedback fixes and merged everything to main in 54f3df1. Changes applied on top of your work:
Closing this PR as the changes are now on main. |
This PR brings the following changes:
Closes #58.