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The website's developers claim they have been working on the design over the past six months, and have been communicating with more than 100,000 users to gaining constructive feedback. Many of the suggestions on layout and features have been integrated into final version.

Amongst the changes, Facebook will integrate users' news stories into their "Wall", as well as interviewing three different types of news stories, depending on their importance: one line stories, short stories with

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a thumbnail or full stories with large pictures.

The website will also encompass a "publisher" feature, which will allow users to generate content to post on their own, or friends', walls. Profiles will also be split into tabs, which Facebook reckons will make it easier for users to navigate around other people's pages. The tabs will include a "Wall" tab, "Info", "Photos", "Boxes" and user's own individual tabs for their favourite applications.

The developers' claim that third party applications will also be more tightly integrated into the website, making it more seamless. Users will also be able to interact with applications before deciding whether or not to add them.

"We've made the changes rolling out today in order to highlight the most recent and relevant information that users value, give users even more control and ownership over their profiles and simplify the user experience," said Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

"Facebook's new design makes it a lot easier for users to share information, and we encourage them to check it out."