Shift Roadmap

This roadmap has two layers:

Release roadmap: the default order of work for shipping usable versions.
Feature inventory: the broader backlog of implemented, planned, and experimental work.

The release roadmap wins when priorities conflict. Exploration is still useful, but every release should have one clear promise and a small set of acceptance tests.

Current Stage

Current repo state: 0.0.1-dev / pre-alpha source development.

Current capability level: roughly 0.2.x-alpha feature maturity. Core editing work is significantly ahead of release infrastructure, so the first public binary does not need to start at 0.1.0 if the changelog honestly explains what already exists.

Recommended first public binary: 0.2.0-alpha.1.

Why:

Basic vector editing, selection, undo/redo, delete, clipboard, segment hover, snapping pieces, transform tools, glyph thumbnails/search, boolean operations, and some variable/text work already exist.
Public release basics are not done yet: no release tags, no root changelog, no release workflow, no signed/notarized binary, no published artifacts, and version files disagree.

Release Roadmap

0.2.0-alpha.1 — First Installable Editing Alpha

Promise: a tester can install Shift, launch it, open a font, and try the existing core editor without building from source.

Scope:

GitHub Release with release notes and checksums.
Version files aligned.
Root CHANGELOG.md.
macOS artifact, signed and notarized if possible.
Windows and Linux artifacts if CI can produce them without derailing the release.
README and shift.graphics use the same alpha language.
Known limitations documented prominently.
Existing editor workflows are not blocked by obvious packaging/native-module issues.

Acceptance tests:

Download the release artifact on a clean macOS machine.
Launch the app without Gatekeeper workarounds, or clearly label the build as unsigned if signing is deferred.
Open a UFO/TTF/OTF.
Select a glyph, edit points, undo/redo, copy/paste, and close the app.

0.3.0-alpha — Persistence And Export Alpha

Promise: a tester can use Shift on a toy font and verify save/reopen/export behavior.

Scope:

UFO save and Save As are reliable enough for alpha testing.
Dirty state and close/quit save prompts are trustworthy.
Reopen after save preserves expected glyph edits.
TTF/OTF export path exists for simple fonts.
Export errors are visible and actionable.
Round-trip tests cover representative UFO edits.
Data-loss risks are documented.

Acceptance tests:

Open UFO, edit glyph, save, quit, reopen, verify edit.
Save As to a new UFO and reopen it.
Export a simple TTF/OTF and install or inspect it externally.
Try saving a non-writable source format and verify Shift forces Save As.

0.4.0-alpha — Glyph Workflow Alpha

Promise: a tester can work across multiple glyphs without fighting navigation or glyph metadata.

Scope:

Recent files are functional.
Glyph grid supports the common navigation path.
Glyph add, duplicate, delete, and rename basics.
Unicode/name editing basics.
Open Recent and core File/Glyph menu items.
Keyboard navigation in the grid.
Basic validation for empty/missing/problem glyphs if cheap.

Acceptance tests:

Open a font, find a glyph by name/unicode/character, edit it, move to another glyph, return to the first.
Add or duplicate a glyph and save/reopen.
Rename or edit unicode metadata and verify the result survives save/reopen where supported.

0.5.0-alpha — Drawing Workflow Depth

Promise: contour editing feels useful beyond simple point movement.

Scope:

Boolean operations are stabilized in the UI.
Remove overlap or path direction cleanup, whichever is more valuable first.
Shape tools for rectangle/ellipse if they support real glyph work.
Better point/segment indicators: extrema, open endpoints, smooth tangent lines, or equivalent.
Measurement/guides if they unblock precision work.
Zoom to selection / center glyph.

Acceptance tests:

Draw overlapping contours, run boolean/remove-overlap workflow, save/reopen.
Build a simple glyph from shapes and manual point edits.
Use precision aids to align or measure a contour without guessing.

0.6.0-alpha — Components And Accents Alpha

Promise: Shift can represent and edit composite glyph workflows at an alpha level.

Scope:

Component data model and snapshots.
Add component to glyph.
Move/transform component.
Render component bounds/ghosting.
Decompose component.
Basic anchors.
Simple accented glyph generation path.

Acceptance tests:

Build an accented glyph from a base and mark component.
Move/transform a component and save/reopen.
Decompose a component and continue editing outlines.

0.7.0-alpha — Variable Font Alpha

Promise: Shift can inspect and test variable font/designspace workflows, even if editing is incomplete.

Scope:

Designspace loading is user-facing.
Master switching.
Add/remove or copy master workflow if feasible.
Interpolation preview is reliable enough for tester feedback.
Named instances.
Instance export for simple cases.
Compatibility errors are understandable.

Acceptance tests:

Open designspace, switch masters, preview interpolation.
Detect incompatible glyphs and show a useful message.
Export or generate a simple instance.

0.8.0-alpha — Spacing And Proofing Alpha

Promise: a tester can evaluate glyphs in text context.

Scope:

Sidebearing handles or numeric sidebearing editing.
Spacing strings and presets.
Preview/proofing panel.
Waterfall view.
Basic kerning preview or editing if ready.
HarfBuzz shaping preview if the plumbing is ready.

Acceptance tests:

Edit spacing for a glyph while viewing it in context.
Save/reopen spacing changes.
Preview a sample string at multiple sizes.

0.9.0-beta.1 — Beta Candidate

Promise: a type designer can complete a small real task end-to-end, and the beta line is primarily about fixing bugs.

Scope:

Feature freeze for the 1.0 core workflow.
Packaging works on the supported platforms.
macOS signing/notarization is mandatory.
Windows/Linux packaging status is clearly documented.
Documentation for install, open, edit, save, export, and known limitations.
Crash/diagnostic story or at least useful error reporting.
File-format/data-loss risks have explicit tests.

Acceptance tests:

Complete a small real project from install to exported font.
Verify clean install on each supported platform.
Verify release notes, changelog, and website match the actual release state.

1.0.0 — Stable

Promise: Shift is a production-quality font editor for the documented core workflow.

Scope:

Main workflow is dependable: install, open/create, edit, save/reopen, export.
Documentation is sufficient for non-contributors.
Compatibility and file-format expectations are explicit.
Update path exists or the absence of auto-update is intentional and documented.
Known critical data-loss issues are fixed.

Priority Rules

Use these rules when deciding what to work on next:

If the current milestone has a broken acceptance test, fix that before adding unrelated feature surface.
Prefer work that completes an end-to-end workflow over work that adds isolated capability.
Keep experimental work behind the current release promise unless it directly reduces release risk.
Patch releases fix regressions only; minor releases add a new workflow promise.
Beta means feature freeze for the beta line, not a larger feature bucket.

Flexible Exploration Backlog

These are allowed to jump around when energy is high, but they should not silently become release blockers:

Components and accents.
Variable fonts.
Spacing and kerning.
OpenType feature editing.
Scripting.
AI/MCP integration.
Collaboration.
Advanced rendering/performance work.

Current Implementation Status

✅ Completed Features

Core Rust Library (shift-core)

Data Model

Font container with metadata (family, style, version) and metrics (UPM, ascender, descender, cap height, x-height)
Glyph structure with unicode indexing, contours, and x-advance
Contour with open/closed state and point list
Point with on-curve/off-curve type, smooth flag, and position
Entity ID system (ContourId, PointId) for stable references
Vec2 math utilities

Edit Operations

EditSession ownership model for glyph editing
Add/remove points
Move points (single and batch)
Add/remove contours
Open/close contours
Toggle smooth property on points
Insert point before existing point (for bezier construction)

Pattern-Based Editing

Rule matching system with pattern templates
Rules: MoveRightHandle, MoveLeftHandle, MoveBothHandles
Rules: MaintainTangencyRight, MaintainTangencyLeft
Automatic tangency maintenance for smooth points
Pattern expansion for rule matching

Font I/O

UFO format loading (via norad library)
Binary font loading (TTF/OTF via skrifa library)
FontLoader with adaptor pattern for extensibility
Font compilation to binary (via fontc)

Serialization

Snapshot types (GlyphSnapshot, ContourSnapshot, PointSnapshot)
TypeScript type generation via ts-rs
JSON serialization for cross-language communication
CommandResult pattern for operation responses

Node.js Native Bindings (shift-node)

FontEngine NAPI class
Font loading from file path
Edit session lifecycle (start/end)
Point operations via NAPI
Contour operations via NAPI
Snapshot retrieval (JSON and native object variants)
Unified edit operation with automatic rule matching

Frontend Application

Architecture

NativeBridge TypeScript Layer

EditingManager - point and contour mutations
SessionManager - session lifecycle
InfoManager - font metadata access
HistoryManager - undo/redo structure
IOManager - file operations structure
Reactive signals for snapshot state

Editor System

Editor controller class
Scene with reactive path building from snapshots
Viewport with coordinate transforms (screen ↔ UPM)
Pan and zoom (wheel + tool)
Zoom to cursor position (Cmd+/Cmd-)
SelectionManager for point selection state
FrameHandler for batched redraws
Command pattern infrastructure
Reactive signals for state management

Drawing Tools

Rendering

Path2D abstraction for platform independence
Segment parsing (line, quadratic, cubic bezier)
Handle rendering with state (idle, hovered, selected)
Handle types: corner, smooth, control, first, last, direction indicator
Guide lines (ascender, cap height, x-height, baseline, descender, sidebearings)
Bounding rectangle for multi-point selection
Contour direction indicator
Fill/stroke mode toggle

UI Components

EditorView canvas with layered rendering
GlyphGrid overview (Adobe Latin 1 charset)
Toolbar with tool icons and tooltips
Metrics display (cursor position)
Custom cursor for pen tool
Titlebar, NavigationPane, SidePane structure

Undo/Redo

CommandHistory with reactive signals (canUndo, canRedo)
Batching support (beginBatch/endBatch for grouped operations)
Wire Cmd+Z → CommandHistory.undo()
Wire Cmd+Shift+Z → CommandHistory.redo()
Menu items for Undo/Redo (Edit menu integration)
All point operations create proper Commands (Add, Move, Remove)

Delete Operations

Delete / Backspace key → removePoints() on selection
Menu item for Delete (Edit menu integration)

🚧 In Progress / Partial Implementation

Font file opening in app (loader exists, UI integration needed)
Shape tool (placeholder only)

📋 Planned Features

Phase 0: Complete Basic Vector Editing ⭐ Priority

Clipboard Operations

Cmd+C - copy selected points (serialize to clipboard)
Cmd+X - cut (copy + delete)
Cmd+V - paste (same position as copied)
Support pasting between glyphs
SVG path import (paste SVG from Figma, Illustrator, etc.)

Selection Improvements

Cmd+A - select all points in glyph
Escape - deselect all
Double-click on segment → select entire contour

Phase 1: Interactive Feedback & Indicators

Segment Hit Testing

Hit testing for bezier segments (not just points)
Calculate nearest point on curve (parametric)
Configurable hover threshold

Segment Hover Rendering

Track hoveredSegmentId in Select tool state
Highlight hovered segment (different stroke color/width)
Show control handles when hovering near curve
Cursor change on segment hover (crosshair)

Point Insertion

Click on hovered segment → insert point at t parameter
Preview point position while hovering
Alt+click to split segment
Option+click upgrade segment

Visual Indicators

Extrema point markers
Inflection point markers
Curvature comb visualization (optional)
Open contour endpoint markers
Smooth point tangent lines

Additional Drawing Tools

Ruler tool (measure distance/angle between points)
Knife tool (cut contours at intersection)
Bend curves with mouse (drag segment to reshape)
Shape tool: rectangles with corner radius
Shape tool: circles and ellipses
Shape tool: regular polygons (triangle, pentagon, etc.)

Phase 2: Snapping & Precision

Grid System

Configurable grid (spacing, subdivisions)
Snap to grid toggle (G key)
Visual grid overlay (optional)

Metric Snapping

Snap to baseline, x-height, cap height, ascender, descender
Snap to sidebearings (0, xAdvance)
Visual indicator when snapped

Point Snapping

Snap to other points in glyph
Snap to horizontal/vertical alignment
Smart guides (temporary alignment lines)

Angle Constraint

Hold Shift to constrain to 0°/45°/90°
Perpendicular constraint for smooth points

Measurement & Guidelines

Measurement tool (measure distance/angle between any two points)
Draggable global guidelines
Per-glyph local guidelines
Guideline snapping

Tools Panel (Sidebar)

Align tools (left, center, right, top, middle, bottom)
Distribute tools (horizontal, vertical spacing)
Transform panel (move X/Y, scale, rotate, skew/shear)
Numeric input fields for precise transforms
Flip horizontal/vertical
Rotate 90°/180°

Phase 3: Grid Panel & Glyph Management

Grid Panel Improvements

Glyph thumbnails (render actual outlines)
Visual indicator: empty vs. has content
Grid zoom (cell size slider)
List view alternative
Search by glyph name, unicode, or character
Filter: show only empty / filled / charset subset
Multi-select glyphs in grid
Right-click context menu
Keyboard navigation (arrows, Enter to open)

Character Set Management

Multiple charset definitions (Adobe Latin 1-5, Google Fonts Latin, etc.)
Charset selector dropdown
Custom charset creation
Language coverage checker

Glyph Operations

Add glyph (by unicode or name)
Duplicate glyph
Delete glyph (with component usage warning)
Generate from template (accented letters)

Unicode & Naming

Unicode character database (@shift/glyph-info — glyph names, categories, decomposition, charsets, FTS5 search)
Editable unicode codepoint in glyph info panel
Support multiple unicodes per glyph
Unencoded glyphs (.notdef, ligatures)
AGL (Adobe Glyph List) name lookup
Rename glyph with cascade

Phase 3.5: Contour Operations

Boolean Operations

Union (merge overlapping contours)
Subtract (cut one contour from another)
Intersect (keep only overlapping area)
Difference (XOR - exclude overlap)

Path Cleanup

Remove overlap (flatten to non-overlapping paths)
Correct path direction (outer clockwise, inner counter-clockwise)
Reverse contour direction
Remove redundant points (on-curve points on straight lines)

Path Modification

Offset path (grow/shrink contours)
Round corners (add curves at corners)
Add corners (convert smooth to corner)
Simplify path (reduce point count while maintaining shape)

Phase 4: Components (Composite Glyphs)

Data Model

ComponentRef structure (glyph reference, transform, metrics flag)
Add components array to Glyph struct
Snapshot serialization for components

Component Creation

Drag glyph from grid as component
Component picker modal
Quick add: Cmd+Shift+C → type glyph name

Component Editing

Move/transform components in editor
Numeric transform inputs in panel
"Use my metrics" toggle
Reorder components (stacking)

Component Display

Render components dimmed/ghosted
Show component bounds
Jump to base glyph (double-click)

Decomposition

Decompose single component → local contours
Decompose all → flatten glyph
Decompose on export option

Anchors

Define named anchors (top, bottom, ogonek)
Visual anchor editor
Mark-to-base positioning

Phase 5: Variable Fonts

Designspace Support

Load .designspace files
Parse axis definitions (wght, wdth, ital, custom)
Named instances

Masters Editing

Master list panel
Switch between masters
Add/remove masters
Copy glyph between masters

Interpolation

Compatibility checker (point/contour count)
Interpolation preview slider
Intermediate master insertion
Extrapolation warning

Instance Generation

Instance preview panel
Batch instance export
STAT table generation

Phase 5.5: Spacing & Kerning

Sidebearing Editing

Draggable sidebearing handles in editor
Numeric sidebearing input in glyph info panel
Link sidebearings (left = right)
Copy metrics from another glyph

Spacing View

Text layout view (multiple glyphs on same canvas)
Double-click glyph in text view to edit
Spacing string presets (HOHOHOnnnooo, etc.)
Custom spacing strings
Adjust spacing while viewing in context

Kerning Editor

Visual kerning pair editor
Kern class management (group similar letters)
Kerning preview in context
Import/export kerning data
Auto-kerning suggestions

Metrics Classes

Width classes (glyphs that share metrics)
Sync metrics across class members
Metrics inheritance

Phase 6: Font I/O & Build Pipeline

Loading Improvements

File → Open dialog (UFO, TTF, OTF)
Drag-and-drop font files
Recent files list
Variable font axis reading from binary

Saving

UFO write-back (preserve unmodified files)
Auto-save drafts
Backup on save
Modified indicator in title bar

Compilation

Incremental compilation (only changed glyphs)
Background compilation (non-blocking)
Progress indicator
Error/warning panel with clickable locations
Output format selection (TTF, OTF, WOFF, WOFF2)

Hinting & Shaping

Auto-hinting via ttfautohint
HarfBuzz shaping preview
OpenType feature testing
Pixel preview at multiple ppem sizes

Phase 6.5: Preview & Proofing

Preview Panel

Preview glyph in context with other glyphs
Configurable preview strings (before/after current glyph)
Real-time update as glyph is edited
Multiple preview lines
Preview size slider

Waterfall View

Same text at multiple sizes (12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72pt)
Configurable size list
Pixel rendering preview (simulated rasterization)

Sample Text & Proofing

Sample text presets (pangrams, language samples)
Custom sample text input
Adhesion text (show only glyphs that exist)
Dark mode preview (light-on-dark testing)

Comparison Tools

Compare similar glyphs side-by-side (n/m, o/c, b/d)
Overlay glyphs for comparison
Compare across masters (variable fonts)

Phase 6.6: OpenType Features

Feature Editor

Visual GSUB rule editor (substitutions)
Visual GPOS rule editor (positioning)
Feature code syntax highlighting
Feature code validation/error checking

Common Features

Feature Testing

Live feature preview toggle
Test specific features in isolation
Language/script selector for testing

Phase 7: UI Polish

Landing Page

Welcome screen on app launch
Recent files list
New font / Open font buttons
Quick start templates

Multi-Tab Editing

Multiple glyph tabs open simultaneously
Tab bar with glyph names/characters
Close/reorder tabs
Keyboard shortcuts to switch tabs (Cmd+1-9, Cmd+Shift+[ ])
Tab context menu (close others, close all)

Glyph Info Sidebar

Inspector Panel

Selected point coordinates (editable)
Point type toggle
Contour info (point count, closed/open)
Transform inputs (panel)

Menu System

File: New, Open, Open Recent, Close, Save, Save As, Revert, Export, Quit
Edit: Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, Select All, Deselect
Glyph: Previous, Next, Go to..., Add, Duplicate, Delete, Reverse Contours
Point: Convert to Corner/Smooth, Add, Delete, Align, Distribute
View: Zoom In/Out, Fit, Show Grid, Show Guides, Show Metrics
Font: Font Info, Metrics, Kerning, Features
Window: Glyph Grid, Preview, Spacing
Debug: Toggle Debug Overlay, Show IDs, Performance Stats
Help: Documentation, Shortcuts, About

Debug Menu

Preferences Panel

General (auto-save, default UPM)
Editor (grid size, snap threshold, handle size)
Appearance (theme, colors)
Shortcuts (customizable keybindings)

Workflow Improvements

Zoom to selection (fit view to selected points)
Center glyph in view
Lock layers (prevent accidental edits)
Template/background layer (reference image)
Find/replace contours (search for shape, replace with another)
Glyph notes/comments (annotations per glyph)
Multiple selection across glyphs (batch edit)

Validation & Quality

Phase 8: Distribution

macOS

Windows

NSIS or WiX installer
Code signing
Auto-updater

Linux

AppImage
.deb package
.rpm package

Release Infrastructure

GitHub Actions CI/CD
Automated changelog
Version bumping workflow
Crash reporting

🔮 Future / Experimental

Scripting

TypeScript/JavaScript Scripting

Script runner panel (paste & run)
Script library (save/load)
Typed API with autocomplete
Script marketplace/sharing

Script API Surface

interface ShiftScriptContext {
  font: FontAPI;
  selection: SelectionAPI;
  ui: { alert, prompt, progress };
  geometry: { distance, pointOnBezier, ... };
}

Collaboration

Phase 1: File Sync

Conflict detection on load
Merge UI for conflicts

Phase 2: Lock-Based

"User A is editing glyph X" locks
Real-time presence indicators

Phase 3: CRDT (Advanced)

Yjs or Automerge integration
Peer-to-peer or relay server

AI Integration

MCP Server

Expose Shift as MCP server
Tools: getGlyph, movePoint, addContour, exportPreview
Claude can read/write font data

AI-Assisted Features

Auto-spacing suggestions
Consistency checker ("these curves have different tension")
Interpolation compatibility helper
Style matching ("make this glyph match the weight")

Cowork Mode (Experimental)

Real-time AI observation
Suggestions as you draw
Candidate glyph generation

📊 Version Milestones

The authoritative milestone plan is the release roadmap at the top of this file. This section is a compact index.

v0.2-alpha — First Installable Editing Alpha

Release infrastructure and installable binaries.
Existing core vector editing exposed to testers.
Clear alpha limitations.

v0.3-alpha — Persistence And Export Alpha

Save/reopen loop.
Save As and dirty state.
Basic TTF/OTF export.
Round-trip tests.

v0.4-alpha — Glyph Workflow Alpha

Recent files.
Better glyph grid navigation.
Glyph add/duplicate/delete/rename.
Unicode/name editing basics.

v0.5-alpha — Drawing Workflow Depth

Stabilized boolean/path operations.
Shape and precision workflow improvements.
Better contour indicators and validation basics.

v0.6-alpha — Components And Accents Alpha

Component data model.
Component editing/rendering/decomposition.
Anchors.
Accented glyph generation basics.

v0.7-alpha — Variable Font Alpha

User-facing designspace workflow.
Master switching.
Interpolation preview.
Named instances and simple instance export.

v0.8-alpha — Spacing And Proofing Alpha

Sidebearing editing.
Spacing strings.
Preview/proofing panel.
Waterfall view.

v0.9-beta — Beta Candidate

Feature freeze for the 1.0 core workflow.
Cross-platform packaging.
Documentation.
File-format and data-loss hardening.

v1.0 — Stable Release

Production-quality documented core workflow.
Signed distributions.
Clear compatibility and update posture.

🔧 Technical Debt & Improvements

Testing

Performance

WebGL/GPU path rendering
Off-screen canvas for grid thumbnails
Web Workers for computation
Virtual scrolling for large glyph sets
Snapshot diffing for minimal redraws

Developer Experience

Native module hot reload
State persistence across reloads
Component storybook
Mock NativeBridge for frontend dev

Code Quality

Oxlint for linting
tsgo for type checking
Pre-commit hooks (format, lint, typecheck, test)
Remove debug logging from production
Consolidate duplicate types
Document public APIs
Architecture decision records

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ROADMAP.md

Latest commit

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ROADMAP.md

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Shift Roadmap

Current Stage

Release Roadmap

0.2.0-alpha.1 — First Installable Editing Alpha

0.3.0-alpha — Persistence And Export Alpha

0.4.0-alpha — Glyph Workflow Alpha

0.5.0-alpha — Drawing Workflow Depth

0.6.0-alpha — Components And Accents Alpha

0.7.0-alpha — Variable Font Alpha

0.8.0-alpha — Spacing And Proofing Alpha

0.9.0-beta.1 — Beta Candidate

1.0.0 — Stable

Priority Rules

Flexible Exploration Backlog

Current Implementation Status

✅ Completed Features

Core Rust Library (shift-core)

Node.js Native Bindings (shift-node)

Frontend Application

🚧 In Progress / Partial Implementation

📋 Planned Features

Phase 0: Complete Basic Vector Editing ⭐ Priority

Phase 1: Interactive Feedback & Indicators

Phase 2: Snapping & Precision

Phase 3: Grid Panel & Glyph Management

Phase 3.5: Contour Operations

Phase 4: Components (Composite Glyphs)

Phase 5: Variable Fonts

Phase 5.5: Spacing & Kerning

Phase 6: Font I/O & Build Pipeline

Phase 6.5: Preview & Proofing

Phase 6.6: OpenType Features

Phase 7: UI Polish

Phase 8: Distribution

🔮 Future / Experimental

Scripting

Collaboration

AI Integration

📊 Version Milestones

v0.2-alpha — First Installable Editing Alpha

v0.3-alpha — Persistence And Export Alpha

v0.4-alpha — Glyph Workflow Alpha

v0.5-alpha — Drawing Workflow Depth

v0.6-alpha — Components And Accents Alpha

v0.7-alpha — Variable Font Alpha

v0.8-alpha — Spacing And Proofing Alpha

v0.9-beta — Beta Candidate

v1.0 — Stable Release

🔧 Technical Debt & Improvements