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Eric Ratliff b07e8c7dab Updated roadmap with more 1.2.0 ideas

2026-02-03 00:07:14 -06:00

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Weevil Roadmap

This document outlines the planned feature development for Weevil across multiple versions. Features are subject to change based on user feedback, technical constraints, and market needs.

Status Key

✅ Complete - Feature shipped in a release
⚠️ In Progress - Currently being developed
🔄 Deferred - Planned but postponed to a later version
❌ Cancelled - Feature dropped from roadmap

Version 1.1.0 - Core Stability & Professional Templates ✅ COMPLETE

Theme: Making Weevil production-ready for FTC teams with essential operational features, reducing friction in existing workflows, and providing professional code templates for learning.

Status: Released as v1.1.0 (all features complete and tested)

System Audit & Diagnostics ✅

Feature: weevil doctor command

Description: Provides a comprehensive audit of the development environment, showing what's installed and what versions are present. This displays:

FTC SDK versions (current and available)
Android SDK installation status and version
Gradle version and location
Java/JDK version and location
ADB availability and version
Any other critical dependencies Weevil manages

Status: ✅ Complete - Shipped in v1.1.0

Rationale: Teams need visibility into their environment to troubleshoot issues. Coaches working with multiple machines need to quickly verify setup consistency across laptops. This builds trust by making Weevil's actions transparent.

Dependency Cleanup ✅

Feature: weevil uninstall command

Description: Removes dependencies that Weevil installed during setup. This includes:

FTC SDK files
Android SDK components (if Weevil installed them)
Gradle distributions
Configuration files Weevil created

Offers options for selective cleanup (e.g., keep SDK but remove Gradle) or complete removal.

Status: ✅ Complete - Shipped in v1.1.0

Implementation: weevil uninstall, weevil uninstall --dry-run, weevil uninstall --only <N>

Corporate/School Proxy Support ✅

Feature: Transparent proxy configuration for all network operations

Description: Automatically detect and use system proxy settings (or allow manual configuration) for all network operations including:

Gradle dependency downloads
Android SDK downloads
FTC SDK downloads
Any HTTP/HTTPS requests Weevil makes

Handle HTTP_PROXY, HTTPS_PROXY, NO_PROXY environment variables and write appropriate configuration into Gradle properties, Android SDK manager config, etc.

Status: ✅ Complete - Shipped in v1.1.0

Implementation:

--proxy <url> global flag
--no-proxy global flag (bypass)
Automatic HTTPS_PROXY/HTTP_PROXY env var detection
git2/libgit2 proxy support
Gradle wrapper respects proxy settings

Android Studio Integration ✅

Feature: Seamless integration with Android Studio IDE

Description: Generate Android Studio project files and configurations that:

Hide Weevil's internal directory structure from the IDE view
Present a clean, minimal file tree to students
Hook Weevil's build and deploy scripts into Android Studio's "Run" button
Properly configure the IDE's indexing and code completion

The goal: students work in Android Studio (the tool they know) but get Weevil's improved project structure and deployment workflow behind the scenes.

Status: ✅ Complete - Shipped in v1.1.0

Implementation:

Auto-generated .idea/ run configurations
- Build
- Deploy (auto) - auto-detects USB/WiFi
- Deploy (USB) - forces USB
- Deploy (WiFi) - forces WiFi
- Test - runs unit tests
workspace.xml for clean file tree
Cross-platform support (Unix .sh and Windows .bat variants)
One-click deployment from IDE

Note: Requires Shell Script plugin installation in Android Studio (one-time setup, documented in README)

Template System ✅ THE GAME CHANGER

Feature: Professional code templates for project creation

Description: Transform Weevil from "empty project generator" to "start with professional code." Includes:

Templates:

basic (default) - Minimal FTC project
- Clean starting point
- ~10 files, ~50 lines of code
- Perfect for teams starting from scratch
testing - Professional testing showcase
- 45 comprehensive tests that pass in < 2 seconds
- 3 complete subsystems (MotorCycler, WallApproach, TurnController)
- Hardware abstraction layer with interfaces and mocks
- Professional documentation (6 markdown files, ~65 KB)
- ~30 files, ~2,500 lines of code
- Real patterns used in competition

Commands:

weevil new <name> - Creates project with basic template
weevil new <name> --template testing - Creates with testing showcase
weevil new --list-templates - Shows available templates with details

Status: ✅ Complete - Shipped in v1.1.0

Implementation:

Templates embedded in binary using include_dir! macro
Variable substitution ({{PROJECT_NAME}}, {{PACKAGE_NAME}}, {{CREATION_DATE}}, {{WEEVIL_VERSION}}, {{TEMPLATE_NAME}})
Template validation with helpful error messages
Templates overlay on ProjectBuilder infrastructure
62 comprehensive tests (all passing)

Rationale: This is revolutionary for FTC. Most teams start with empty projects and learn by trial-and-error on hardware. Now they can:

Start with working, tested code
Run 45 tests instantly on their PC
Learn from professional patterns
Modify working examples for their robot
Understand test-driven development

This is the kind of code students would write if they had years of experience. Now they can START with it.

Impact:

Teams learn professional software engineering patterns
Testing without hardware (save hours of deploy time)
Clean architecture examples (interfaces, mocks, state machines)
Comprehensive documentation showing WHY and HOW
Positions Nexus Workshops as FTC software authority

Manual Installation Fallback Documentation 🔄

Feature: Comprehensive manual setup documentation

Description: Detailed, step-by-step instructions for manually installing every dependency when automation fails.

Status: 🔄 Deferred to v1.2.0 - Basic troubleshooting exists in README, comprehensive guide pending

Package Distribution (Debian/Ubuntu) 🔄

Feature: .deb package for easy installation on Debian-based systems

Status: 🔄 Deferred - Not essential for initial adoption

Version 1.2.0 - Package Ecosystem & Enhanced Templates 🔥

Theme: Transforming Weevil from project generator to ecosystem platform. Teams can extend projects with community-shared components and additional professional templates.

Status: Planning - Expected Q2 2026

Template Metadata & Improved Display ⚠️

Feature: Template discovery with rich metadata and formatted display

Description: Enhance template system with metadata files for better discoverability:

Template Metadata (template.toml):

[template]
name = "localization"
description = "Grid-based robot localization with sensor fusion"
file_count = 21
test_count = 3
perfect_for = "Advanced autonomous navigation"

[includes]
items = [
    "12x12 field grid system",
    "Multi-sensor fusion (encoders + IMU + vision)",
    "Fault-tolerant positioning"
]

Improved --list-templates Output:

Available templates:

  basic (default)
    Minimal FTC project structure
    Files: ~10 | Tests: 1
    Perfect for: Teams starting from scratch

  testing
    Professional testing showcase with examples
    Files: ~30 | Tests: 45
    Perfect for: Learning best practices
    Includes:
      • 3 complete subsystems
      • Hardware abstraction layer
      • 45 passing tests

  localization
    Grid-based robot localization with sensor fusion
    Files: ~21 | Tests: 3
    Perfect for: Advanced autonomous navigation
    Includes:
      • 12x12 field grid system
      • Multi-sensor fusion
      • Fault-tolerant positioning

Usage:
  weevil new <project-name>                    # Uses basic
  weevil new <project-name> --template testing # Uses testing

Status: ⚠️ Planned for v1.2.0

Priority: MEDIUM-HIGH - Improves template discoverability

Effort: 1-2 days (metadata format + CLI formatting)

Localization Template ⚠️

Feature: Grid-based localization template for advanced autonomous

Description: Professional robot localization system with sensor fusion and fault tolerance:

What's Included:

Grid System - 12ft x 12ft field divided into 12x12 grid (12" cells)
Sensor Fusion - Combine odometry (encoders), IMU (gyro), and vision (AprilTags)
Fault Tolerance - Graceful degradation when sensors fail
Lookup Tables - Pre-computed navigation strategies
21 Files - 7 localization classes, 3 hardware interfaces, 3 mocks, 3 tests, 2 docs
3 Comprehensive Tests - Grid math, sensor fusion, fault tolerance

Core Components:

GridCell.java - Cell in 12x12 grid (0-11, 0-11)
Pose2D.java - Position (x, y) + heading with angle normalization
FieldGrid.java - Field coordinate system and conversions
RobotLocalizer.java - Multi-sensor fusion engine
OdometryTracker.java - Dead reckoning from wheel encoders
ImuLocalizer.java - Heading tracking from gyroscope
VisionLocalizer.java - Position from AprilTags

Sensor Fusion Priority:

Vision (AprilTags) → ±2" accuracy, 100% confidence
IMU + Odometry → ±4" accuracy, 70% confidence
Odometry only → ±12" accuracy, 40% confidence

Rationale: Teaches professional robotics concepts (Kalman-filter-style sensor fusion, fault tolerance, grid-based navigation). No other FTC tool has this. Positions Nexus Workshops as teaching advanced autonomous programming.

Usage:

weevil new my-robot --template localization
cd my-robot
./gradlew test  # 3 tests pass
# Modify for your robot's sensors and autonomous strategy

Status: ⚠️ Template complete, ready to integrate in v1.2.0

Priority: HIGH - Unique differentiator, advanced autonomous capability

Effort: Template already created, integration 1 day

`weevil add` - Component Package Manager ⚠️ THE NEXT BIG THING

Feature: Package manager for sharing and reusing FTC robot code components

Description: Enable teams to add pre-built components to existing projects:

# Add a complete subsystem
weevil add nexus/subsystems/mecanum-drive/complete

# Add just the interface
weevil add nexus/hardware/dc-motor/core

# Add test mocks
weevil add nexus/hardware/dc-motor/mock --dev

# Search for packages
weevil search "mecanum"

# See what's installed
weevil list --installed

# Update packages
weevil update

Package Naming: scope/category/name/variant

Examples:

nexus/hardware/dc-motor/complete - Motor controller (interface + FTC impl + mocks + examples)
nexus/subsystems/wall-approach/complete - Complete wall approach subsystem
nexus/examples/autonomous/simple-auto - Example autonomous routine
team1234/sensors/custom-lidar/core - Community package from Team 1234

Standard Variants:

core - Interface + FTC implementation
mock - Test doubles for unit testing
example - Example OpMode showing usage
complete - All of the above

Key Features:

Dependency resolution - Auto-install dependencies (e.g., subsystem → hardware interfaces)
Conflict handling - Interactive, force, or skip modes
Version management - Semantic versioning, upgrade tracking
License compliance - Track and display licenses
Quality tiers:
- Community - Open submissions
- Nexus Verified - Reviewed, tested, maintained by Nexus Workshops

Rationale: This is the network effect feature that creates a moat:

For Teams: Stop reinventing wheels, use proven solutions
For Nexus Workshops: Becomes central hub for FTC software knowledge
For Community: Share solutions, build on each other's work
For FTC: Raises software quality across all teams

Initial Package Set (v1.2.0 Launch):

Must Have (10 packages):

nexus/hardware/dc-motor/complete
nexus/hardware/servo/complete
nexus/hardware/distance/complete
nexus/hardware/imu/complete
nexus/hardware/color-sensor/complete
nexus/subsystems/wall-approach/complete
nexus/subsystems/turn-controller/complete
nexus/testing/mock-hardware
nexus/examples/autonomous/simple-auto
nexus/examples/teleop/basic-drive

Nice to Have (+5): 11. nexus/hardware/mecanum-drive/complete 12. nexus/subsystems/april-tag/complete 13. nexus/examples/autonomous/complex-auto 14. nexus/utilities/telemetry/dashboard 15. nexus/testing/test-patterns

Supporting Commands:

weevil remove <package> - Remove installed package
weevil search <query> - Search package registry
weevil list [--installed|--available] - List packages
weevil info <package> - Show package details
weevil update [package] - Update packages

Package Repository: https://packages.nxgit.dev (to be created)

Status: ⚠️ In Planning - Design complete, implementation starting

Priority: CRITICAL - This is the strategic differentiator for v1.2.0

Estimated Effort: 2-3 weeks development + 1 week for initial package set

Success Metrics:

20+ quality packages at launch
100+ package downloads in first month
5+ community-contributed packages within 3 months
Active package ecosystem by end of 2026

Windows Testing & Stabilization ✅

Feature: Complete Windows support verification

Status: ✅ Complete - All 62 tests passing on Windows, proxy support working, Android Studio integration verified

Android Studio Debugging Support

Feature: Full debugging integration for Android Studio

Description: Extend the Android Studio integration to support breakpoint debugging directly from the IDE:

Generate debug run configurations that attach to the robot
Configure remote debugging for Android/FTC apps
Map source files correctly for breakpoint support
Handle ADB debugging bridge setup automatically
Support both USB and WiFi debugging

Status: 🔄 Deferred to v1.3.0 - Advanced feature, build basic package system first

Priority: MEDIUM-HIGH - Natural extension after package system

Windows Installer (MSI)

Feature: Professional Windows installer package

Description: Create an MSI installer using WiX Toolset or cargo-wix that:

Installs weevil.exe to Program Files
Adds weevil to system PATH automatically
Creates Start Menu entries
Appears in "Programs and Features" for clean uninstall
Optionally creates desktop shortcut

Status: 🔄 Deferred to v1.2.0

Priority: MEDIUM - Polish feature for Windows adoption

Linux Program Launcher Integration

Feature: Desktop file and menu integration for Linux

Status: 🔄 Deferred to v1.2.0

Priority: MEDIUM - Pairs well with GUI development (v1.3.0+)

Non-Debian Linux Distribution Support

Feature: Support for Arch, Fedora, Slackware, and other distributions

Status: 🔄 Deferred - Low priority, most teams use Ubuntu/Debian or Windows

Priority: LOW-MEDIUM

Version 1.3.0 - Developer Experience

Theme: Making Weevil an all-in-one development environment with advanced debugging and UX polish

Status: Planning - Expected Q3 2026

Android Studio Debugging Support

Feature: Full debugging integration for Android Studio

Description: Students should be able to:

Set breakpoints in their OpMode code
Select "Debug" configuration from Android Studio
Click the debug button (🐛)
Have the debugger attach to the running robot
Step through code, inspect variables, etc.

Status: Planned for v1.3.0

Priority: HIGH - Natural next step after package ecosystem

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Feature: GUI application for teams uncomfortable with terminals

Description: A graphical interface that wraps Weevil's functionality:

Create projects through forms/wizards
Visual project configuration
Button-based builds and deployments
Visual package browser and installer
Status and logs in a window

Technical Approach: Tauri (Rust + web frontend) for native performance and small binary

Status: Planned for v1.3.0

Priority: MEDIUM-HIGH - Lowers barrier to entry significantly

REST API Layer

Feature: Internal API that both CLI and GUI can consume

Description: Refactor Weevil's core functionality behind a REST API:

CLI becomes thin client
GUI uses same API endpoints
Enables future integrations (VS Code extension, web dashboard)

Status: 🔄 Deferred - Only if building GUI

Priority: MEDIUM - Clean architecture, but not essential unless building GUI

Version 1.4.0 - Advanced Tooling

Theme: Making Weevil an intelligent development assistant

Status: Planning - Expected Q4 2026

Troubleshooting Suite

Feature: Comprehensive diagnostic and debugging tools

Potential Components:

Connectivity Diagnostics - weevil diagnose adb
Build Analysis - Parse build errors and suggest fixes
Log Analysis - weevil logs analyze
Performance Profiling - Measure loop times, identify bottlenecks
Code Quality Checks - Static analysis, anti-pattern detection
Interactive Troubleshooter - Wizard-style troubleshooting

Status: Planned for v1.4.0

Priority: MEDIUM-HIGH - High value but complex

Version 1.5.0 - Language Expansion

Theme: Future-proofing Weevil for FTC's evolution

C++ Language Support

Feature: Support for C++ FTC projects alongside Java

Status: Research - Contingent on FTC officially supporting C++

Priority: LOW - Wait for FTC announcement

Trigger: FTC officially announces C++ support

Multi-Language Architecture

Feature: Plugin-based language support architecture

Status: Research - Only if supporting 3+ languages

Priority: LOW-MEDIUM

Version 2.0.0 - Major Architectural Changes

Theme: Breaking changes that significantly improve Weevil but may require migration

Potential Features:

Complete rewrite of core systems if architecture needs major overhaul
Breaking changes to project structure
New configuration format
Major changes to CLI interface
Integration with cloud services (build servers, team collaboration)

Note: Given the weevil upgrade command's ability to migrate projects, moving to 2.0.0 may not be necessary unless there are fundamental architecture changes that can't be backward compatible.

Unscheduled / Research Needed

SOCKS Proxy Support

Feature: Support for SOCKS4/SOCKS5 proxies in addition to HTTP proxies

Status: Research - needs market validation

Priority: LOW - HTTP proxy covers most use cases

Decision Point: Wait for user requests

Cloud Build Services

Description: Remote build servers for teams with slow computers

Status: Research - needs cost/benefit analysis, infrastructure planning

VS Code Extension

Description: Extension for VS Code to provide similar integration as Android Studio

Status: Research - depends on VS Code adoption in FTC community

Team Collaboration Features

Description: Features for teams to coordinate across multiple developers

Status: Research - needs market validation

Custom Hardware Support

Description: Templates and tools for teams using custom sensors or actuators

Status: Research - depends on community need

Versioning Philosophy

1.x.0 releases: New features, backward compatible
1.x.y releases: Bug fixes, patches, documentation
2.0.0: Breaking changes requiring migration (avoid if possible)

The weevil upgrade command is designed to migrate projects forward across versions, making major version bumps less necessary.

Success Metrics

How we'll measure if Weevil is succeeding:

v1.1.0 Metrics (Achieved)

✅ 62 comprehensive tests, all passing
✅ Zero compiler warnings
✅ Cross-platform support (Windows, Linux, macOS)
✅ Professional documentation (README, DESIGN_AND_TEST_PLAN, etc.)
✅ Testing template with 45 passing tests

v1.2.0 Target Metrics

20+ quality packages at launch
100+ package downloads in first month
5+ community-contributed packages within 3 months
50+ teams using Weevil

Long-term Metrics

Adoption: Number of teams using Weevil (tracked via downloads, GitHub stars)
Retention: Teams continuing to use across seasons
Nexus Workshops impact: Weevil drives workshop signups or consulting engagement
Community: Package contributions, GitHub issues/PRs, community discussions
Competitive outcomes: Nexus Workshops teams using Weevil perform better

Recent Accomplishments (v1.1.0)

What We Shipped:

Template System - Start with professional code, not empty files
- 45-test testing showcase
- 3 complete subsystems
- Hardware abstraction patterns
- Professional documentation
Android Studio Integration - One-click deployment from IDE
- Auto-generated run configurations
- Clean file tree
- Cross-platform support
Proxy Support - Works in corporate/school environments
- HTTP/HTTPS proxy support
- Environment variable detection
- Bypass capability
System Diagnostics - weevil doctor and weevil uninstall
- Comprehensive environment audit
- Selective component removal
- Troubleshooting support

Impact:

Teams can now learn from professional code instead of starting from scratch
Testing without hardware saves hours of development time
Corporate/school adoption enabled
Professional-grade tooling for FTC

Contributing to the Roadmap

This roadmap is subject to change based on:

User feedback from FTC teams
Technical feasibility discoveries
Market competition
Strategic priorities for Nexus Workshops LLC

Features may be accelerated, deferred, or cancelled as the project evolves.

Want to influence the roadmap?

Submit GitHub issues with feature requests
Share your team's pain points
Contribute to package ecosystem (v1.2.0+)
Provide feedback on template quality

Last Updated: February 2026 Current Release: v1.1.0 Next Release: v1.2.0 (Package Ecosystem) - Q2 2026

22 KiB Raw Blame History

Weevil Roadmap

Status Key

Version 1.1.0 - Core Stability & Professional Templates ✅ COMPLETE

System Audit & Diagnostics ✅

Dependency Cleanup ✅

Corporate/School Proxy Support ✅

Android Studio Integration ✅

Template System ✅ THE GAME CHANGER

Manual Installation Fallback Documentation 🔄

Package Distribution (Debian/Ubuntu) 🔄

Version 1.2.0 - Package Ecosystem & Enhanced Templates 🔥

Template Metadata & Improved Display ⚠️

Localization Template ⚠️

weevil add - Component Package Manager ⚠️ THE NEXT BIG THING

Windows Testing & Stabilization ✅

Android Studio Debugging Support

Windows Installer (MSI)

Linux Program Launcher Integration

Non-Debian Linux Distribution Support

Version 1.3.0 - Developer Experience

Android Studio Debugging Support

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

REST API Layer

Version 1.4.0 - Advanced Tooling

Troubleshooting Suite

Version 1.5.0 - Language Expansion

C++ Language Support

Multi-Language Architecture

Version 2.0.0 - Major Architectural Changes

Unscheduled / Research Needed

SOCKS Proxy Support

Cloud Build Services

VS Code Extension

Team Collaboration Features

Custom Hardware Support

Versioning Philosophy

Success Metrics

v1.1.0 Metrics (Achieved)

v1.2.0 Target Metrics

Long-term Metrics

Recent Accomplishments (v1.1.0)

Contributing to the Roadmap

22 KiB

Raw Blame History

`weevil add` - Component Package Manager ⚠️ THE NEXT BIG THING