raylib roadmap

Here is a wishlist with features and ideas to improve the library. Note that features listed here are usually long term improvements or just describe a route to follow for the library. There are also some additional places to look for raylib improvements and ideas:

• GitHub Issues has several open issues for possible improvements or bugs to fix.
• GitHub PRs open with improvements to be reviewed.
• raylib source code has multiple TODO comments around code with pending things to review or improve.
• raylib wishlists discussions are open to everyone to ask for improvements, feel free to check and comment:
  • raylib 7.0 wishlist
  • raylib 6.0 wishlist
  • raylib 5.0 wishlist
  • raylib wishlist 2022
  • raylib wishlist 2021

Current version of raylib is complete and functional but there is always room for improvements.

raylib 7.0

• rcore_desktop_win32: Improve new Windows platform backend - inputs, highdpi
• rcore_desktop_emscripten: Improve new Web platform backend - inputs, highdpi
• rcore_desktop_cocoa: Create additional platform backend: macOS
• rcore_desktop_x11: Create additional platform backend: Linux/X11
• rcore_desktop_wayland: Create additional platform backend: Linux/Wayland
• rcore: Investigate alternative embedded platforms and realtime OSs
• rlsw: Software renderer optimizations: mipmaps, platform-specific SIMD
• rtextures: Consider removing N-patch system, provide as separate example
• rtextures: Review blending modes system, provide more options or better samples
• rtext: Investigate the recently opened Slug font rendering algorithm
• raudio: Support microphone input, basic API to read microphone
• rltexgpu: Improve compressed textures support, loading and saving, improve KTX 2.0
• rlobj: Create OBJ loader, supporting material file separately (low priority)

raylib 6.0

• rlsw: New Software Renderer backend, pseudo-OpenGL 1.1 implementation
• rcore_emscripten: New emscripten-only backend, avoiding GLFW dependency
• rlgl: Review GLSL shaders naming conventions for consistency, redesigned shader API
• rmodels: Improve 3d objects loading, specially animations (obj, gltf)
• examples: Review all examples, add more and better code explanations

raylib 5.0

• Split core module into separate platforms?
• Redesign gestures system, improve touch inputs management
• Redesign camera module (more flexible) (#1143, https://github.com/raysan5/raylib/discussions/2507)
• Better documentation and improved examples, reviewed webpage with examples complexity level
• Focus on HTML5 (raylib 5k gamejam) and embedded platforms (RPI and similar SOCs)
• Additional support libraries: raygui, rres

raylib 4.0

• Improved consistency and coherency in raylib API
• Continuous Deployment using GitHub Actions
• rlgl improvements for standalone usage (avoid raylib coupling)
• Basic CPU/GPU stats system (memory, draws, time...) (#1295) - DISCARDED
• Software rendering backend (avoiding OpenGL) (#1370) - DISCARDED
• Network module (UDP): rnet (#753) - DISCARDED - Use nbnet.

raylib 3.0

• Custom memory allocators support
• Global variables moved to global context
• Optimize data structures for pass-by-value
• Trace log messages redesign (#1065)
• Continuous Integration using GitHub Actions

raylib 2.5

• Support Animated models
• Support glTF models file format
• Unicode support on text drawing

raylib 2.0

• Removed external dependencies (GLFW3 and OpenAL)
• Support TCC compiler (32bit and 64bit)

raylib 1.8

• Improved Materials system with PBR support
• Procedural image generation functions (spot, gradient, noise...)
• Procedural mesh generation functions (cube, sphere...)
• Custom Android APK build pipeline (default Makefile)

raylib 1.7

• Support configuration flags
• Improved build system for Android
• Gamepad support on HTML5

raylib 1.6

• Lua scripting support (raylib Lua wrapper)
• Redesigned audio module
• Support FLAC file format

raylib 1.5

• Support Oculus Rift CV1 and VR stereo rendering (simulator)
• Redesign Shaders/Textures system -> New Materials system
• Support lighting: Omni, Directional and Spotlights
• Redesign physics module (physac)
• Chiptunes audio modules support

raylib 1.4

• TTF fonts support (using stb_truetype)
• Raycast system for 3D picking (including collisions detection)
• Floyd-Steinberg dithering on 16bit image format conversion
• Basic image manipulation functions (crop, resize, draw...)
• Storage load/save data functionality
• Add Physics module (physac)
• Remove GLEW dependency -> Replaced by GLAD
• Redesign Raspberry PI inputs system
• Redesign gestures module to be multiplatform
• Module raymath as header-only and functions inline
• Add Easings module (easings.h)