Hi, This is my last email newsletter - at least for 2025.
Some of you might have missed the ongoing 50% sell-off on any Lopaka subscription plan (including annual plans). This is limited to the first 50 checkouts. Use this code: 2025BLACK
Your generous support is what allows me to continue building and sharing Lopaka with the community. It helps me deliver more features and updates.
*Applies for up to 12 months. The code is valid until November 30 23:59 UTC
I believe that transparency is crucial for building a good product. This is the first time I'm sharing this roadmap with anyone. It's always hard for me to commit to big goals. Think of it as a rough draft or a vision for the future of Lopaka. No ETA yet.
I envision a world where every device, no matter how small, has a clean, intuitive interface — and Lopaka is how it's built.
THE ROADMAP (imaginary)
- Expanding support for the LVGL library to attract embedded UI developers.
- Basics: button, label, image – Add core widgets to the editor so users can easily design basic UIs with LVGL components.
- Nesting & Alignment – Support for parent-child layouts and alignment tools to replicate real-world layout behavior.
- Arc, Panel, List – Add more complex widgets to broaden design flexibility and match real-world use cases.
- Structured reuse of design elements across screens/projects.
- Components and instances – Define reusable components (like buttons) and instantiate them across screens with linkage.
- Component States – Variant logic (e.g., hover, pressed, inactive) for interactivity and prototyping.
- Components Library – Shared, global components usable across projects.
- Workflow polish and precision tools that make the editor feel “solid.”
- Code editing – Inline editing for auto-generated code to tweak or inject logic.
- Layout Rework – UI/UX overhaul to reduce friction and make layout tools more intuitive.
- Free canvas with frames – Move away from fixed screens; let users work in a free canvas and draw screen boundaries.
- Grid & Guidelines – Help align and structure UI elements precisely.
- Snap to... – Enable snapping to grid, guides, or objects for pixel-perfect layouts.
- True Copy-Paste – Maintain full element data when copying between projects.
- Edit text in-place – Click and edit text directly on the canvas (not in a sidebar).
- More drawing capabilities for UI sketches and mockups.
- More tools: triangle, arc – Add more shapes to draw richer UIs.
- Paint/Eraser size and shape – Adjust brush tools for pixel art or decoration.
- Bezier curves – Draw custom curves
- Better control and flexibility over typography for displays.
- More default fonts – Expand built-in font options with good legibility for small displays.
- U8G2 format – Support U8g2's unique font structure and formatting.
- Convert any font to any format – Universal converter for TTF/OTF → Adafruit/U8g2/LVGL etc.
- Custom glyphs sets – Let users define font file contents to save memory
- Flowchart & Prototyping to simulate real user flows
- Basic user flow diagram – Draw flows between screens to visualize navigation logic.
- Clickable areas – Define tappable hotspots to simulate interactions.
- External controls – Simulate button presses or events from physical devices.
- Organize project assets for reuse and collaboration.
- Images Library – Central library to store imported or created images.
- Fonts Collections – Save and reuse font presets across projects.
- Shared Components – Sync components across multiple users/projects.
- Animations editor and motion tools
- Keyframe editor – Timeline-based editing for smooth animation control.
- Transitions editor – Define interactions between screens or states with motion effects.
- Animations Library – Manage and reuse animation presets or imported sequences.
- Version Control
- Track design history, revert changes, and compare screen states.
- Built-in tools to support teamwork and communication.
- Team sharing & privacy – Invite collaborators and manage access rights.
- Comments & Discussions – Leave notes or feedback tied to specific elements.
- Live editing – Real-time multiplayer editing like Figma.
Sheeesh... That's HUGE. Ok... let's get back to work.
If you'd like to join this journey and have expertise to share, let's talk. I'm very open to new conversations.
If you'd prefer to support me another way, consider a subscription (don't miss the opportunity with the 2025BLACK code).
P.S.: I will continue to post updates to our Discord hub and to lopaka_app on X and Instagram.