This is because we intentionally remove _source directory in the circle config https://github.com/matplotlib/matplotlib/blob/main/.circleci/config.yml#L145 . We did that because the store_artifcats uploads a file-at-a-time and we were spending an in ordinate amount of time in that.

Under the old theme I think we had already removed the "show source" link (which I think are of limited value as it is the rst which I have never personally actually wanted). My preference here would be to remove the link in the template with a second choice option of moving the _source directory to hide it from the artifact upload (which leaves the PR build artifacts broken) and then moving it back for the commit.

I don't need the sources online, I just clicked on the link out of curiosity and because I didn't see it before, so removing the "show source" link is fine with me.

While I agree that source links are of limited value and could be removed, there has been work to make these point to GitHub #20673. At least some user and reviewers saw value in the links. This should be considered before removing.

My understanding is that #20673 is the links back to the Python source in the refernce docs. e.g. https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.animation.AbstractMovieWriter.html#matplotlib.animation.AbstractMovieWriter

whereas the source links here are to the _source/blah.rst that sphinx adds to the source of page you are looking at.

I think the first are very useful and the second are of limited use.

You're right. Me 🐑

we should remove the rst source links.