Zooniverse is creating a new way for research teams to experiment with tools and approaches that aren’t currently possible within the standard Zooniverse Project Builder. These Custom Front Ends remain connected to Zooniverse infrastructure while giving researchers more flexibility to test new ways for volunteers to take part in research.
Building projects on Zooniverse
Since Galaxy Zoo launched in 2007, the founding of Zooniverse in 2009, and the launch of the Zooniverse DIY Project Builder platform (zooniverse.org/lab) in 2015, Zooniverse has helped hundreds of researchers and millions of volunteers work together to unlock data for research and discovery. The Project Builder provides a shared set of tools that enable research teams to create projects for a broad range of volunteers, data and task types. Every project undergoes extensive testing and review by both the Zooniverse team and our volunteer beta community to help ensure a high-quality experience across supported browsers and devices. We remain committed to supporting and advancing the Zooniverse platform, which is the foundation of Zooniverse and will continue to power the vast majority of projects in the years ahead.
Creating space for experimentation
At the same time, researchers are interested in having space for experimentation: for trying new modes of interaction, for complex projects that integrate machine learning, or just for doing something new that’s not easy to try within the Zooniverse platform. Zooniverse is interested in creating a place to learn about what researchers want and need and what works in practice with volunteers.
Thanks to support from the National Science Foundation, Zooniverse is launching a new initiative that gives research teams that opportunity. We call these projects “Custom Front Ends,” but you can also think of them as experimental projects.
What are Custom Front Ends?
Through this new style of project, research teams are building custom interfaces tailored to their specific research goals. They may include tools and interactions that are not currently available through the standard Zooniverse Project Builder, such as drawing directly on images with a paintbrush, adjusting image contrast on the fly, interactive machine-learning workflows, and more.
Importantly, these projects remain connected to the Zooniverse ecosystem. Custom Front Ends continue to rely on Zooniverse infrastructure and API for services such as volunteer authentication, classification recording, and subject management, while giving researchers greater flexibility to experiment with new approaches.
How are they different from standard Zooniverse projects?
There are, however, some important differences between a Custom Front End and a standard Zooniverse project. Rather than undergoing the full Zooniverse beta test and content review process, Custom Front Ends receive a more limited review focused on ensuring that core functionality is working as expected. This may mean that some of them may encounter difficulties and rough edges beyond what a standard Zooniverse project might experience.
What happens to your data?
Data handling may also differ between projects. Some Custom Front Ends will use the Zooniverse database to store participant-contributed data and will operate under Zooniverse’s standard User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Security Policy. Others will maintain their own databases and operate under their own Terms & Conditions. Every Custom Front End will clearly explain which approach it uses and include easily accessible links to their policies. We encourage you to review the policies of any external project and consider any potential risks before participation.
Learning through experimentation
By creating more space for experimentation, we hope to learn what new tools, interfaces, and workflows best support both researchers and volunteers. Some ideas may eventually become features of the Zooniverse platform, while others may remain specialized solutions for individual projects. Both outcomes help us better understand how researchers and volunteers can work together to advance research.
What happens next?
In April 2026, we held our first Custom Front End workshop with several research teams interested in developing these experimental project experiences. The first projects are expected to launch this fall, and we’ll continue working with additional teams over the coming years as part of this NSF-funded initiative, and beyond.
As these experimental experiences become available, we will clearly indicate when participation takes place outside the Zooniverse platform. Volunteers will always be able to see when they are leaving zooniverse.org, and every project will clearly present its terms, policies, and data practices to volunteers.
We’re excited to explore what becomes possible when researchers have greater freedom to experiment, and we’re grateful to the volunteers whose participation helps make that innovation possible.
FAQs
What does this mean for me as a volunteer?
Custom Front Ends offer an opportunity to try new task types, tools, and ways of participating in research that aren’t currently available within the Zooniverse platform. Whether or not you choose to participate is entirely up to you.
When one of these external experiences is available, it will be clearly identified on the project’s landing page. You’ll see an announcement banner with information about the experimental workflow and a link to the external site where classification takes place. We will always make it clear when you are leaving the Zooniverse platform and entering a Custom Front End.
Who runs the Custom Front Ends?
Each experimental experience is designed, built, and operated by its own research team. While these projects connect to Zooniverse through our API and infrastructure, they are developed outside the Zooniverse platform. The research team is responsible for the project’s design and operation.
What data will Zooniverse share with Custom Front Ends?
You can choose to sign in to a Custom Front End using your Zooniverse account. If you do, the Custom Front End will have access to your user information (username, email).
Some Custom Front Ends use the Zooniverse database and operate under Zooniverse’s standard policies, linked above. In these cases, any project e-newsletters will be sent by Zooniverse.
Other Custom Front Ends maintain their own databases and operate under their own Terms & Conditions. In those cases, the project team may choose to send e-newsletters directly to you. Refer to the specific Custom Front End project policy for details.
Can I track my Custom Front End classifications in my Zooniverse stats?
Some Custom Front Ends will route classifications through Zooniverse, allowing your contributions and statistics to be tracked through your Zooniverse account. Others will not, and will make this clear to participants.
You will be able to sign in to any Custom Front End using your Zooniverse account (if you choose to do so). If a Custom Front End is configured to submit classifications to the Zooniverse database, your contributions will automatically be linked to your account and reflected in your Zooniverse statistics.
If a Custom Front End does not submit classifications to the Zooniverse database, your contributions will not appear in your Zooniverse statistics, and the project will clearly communicate this before you begin classifying.
What makes a Custom Front End different from a standard Zooniverse project?
Custom Front Ends are designed to give research teams greater freedom to experiment with new interfaces, workflows, and approaches to volunteer participation that aren’t currently possible within the standard Zooniverse Project Builder Platform (zooniverse.org/lab). Unlike projects built using the Project Builder, they do not undergo the full Zooniverse review and volunteer beta-testing process.
Since these projects are experimental by nature, it’s possible that some of them may encounter difficulties and rough edges beyond what a standard Zooniverse project might experience. This is expected – and while it’s part of our learning process, it adds an element of risk that isn’t normally present in standard Zooniverse projects.
Also, as noted above, while some Custom Front Ends will use the Zooniverse database to store participant-contributed data and will operate under Zooniverse’s standard policies linked above, others will maintain their own databases and operate under their own Terms & Conditions. Every Custom Front End will clearly explain which approach it is using and have clear links.
Do I have to participate in Custom Front End experiences?
No. Participation in Custom Front Ends is entirely optional.
Every Custom Front End will be clearly identified, and we’ll always make it clear when you’re leaving the core Zooniverse platform. Each will also clearly indicate whether it operates under Zooniverse’s standard policies (linked above) or under its own Terms & Conditions. If a Custom Front End uses its own policies, it will provide clear access to them. In those cases, any information you provide will be governed by that project’s policies rather than Zooniverse’s. This adds an element of risk that isn’t present in standard Zooniverse projects.
How do I give feedback?
Every Custom Front End project will provide a way for you to share feedback with the team leading the project. Many will include a Talk discussion forum, just like standard Zooniverse projects. Others may use a different feedback mechanism, but they will clearly indicate how you can ask questions, report issues, or share comments.
If you have feedback about Custom Front Ends in general, rather than a specific project, you can contact the Zooniverse platform team in the normal way.
I’m a researcher and I want to build a Custom Front End! How do I start?
We’d love to hear your ideas! Please send an email with “Custom Front End” in the subject line to contact@zooniverse.org. We’ll put you in touch with the team members at Zooniverse who help facilitate these external, experimental experiences.
