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StaX Roadmap

This document outlines the high-level roadmap, release phases, planned features, milestones, and suggested owners for the StaX project. It is intended to be a living document and should be updated as priorities shift.

Vision

Provide a professional-grade, extensible media browser and asset management hub optimized for VFX pipelines and integration with Foundry Nuke. Support collaborative workflows, fast ingest, robust search, and programmable extensibility.

Release Phases

  • Alpha (MVP) — Core functionality, local-only operation, minimal GUI, ingestion, basic SQLite DB, and simple Nuke Bridge simulation.
  • Beta — Add network-aware database behavior, complete GUI features (gallery/list views, history, settings), preview generation, and basic extensibility hooks.
  • Release Candidate — Stability improvements, performance tuning, full processor hook support, automated tests, packaging, and documentation.
  • Stable — Production-ready integration, cross-platform packaging, user management, and enterprise features.

Phase: Alpha (MVP)

Timeline: 2–4 weeks (initial sprint)

Goals: - Implement core data model and db_manager.py with schema creation for Stacks, Lists, Elements, and Favorites. - Implement ingestion_core.py supporting drag-and-drop ingestion, sequence detection, metadata extraction, soft/hard copy policy, and preview thumbnail creation (mocked/resampled images acceptable for MVP). - Add nuke_bridge.py with simulated Read/ReadGeo/Paste functions for local testing (no Nuke dependency required for Alpha). - Basic main.py using PySide2 with Stacks/Lists navigation, media display area, simple list/gallery toggle, and history panel. - Create minimal unit tests for DB and ingestion core.

Suggested owners: Backend lead (db, ingestion), UI dev (PySide2 layout), QA (tests).

Milestones: - M1: Schema and DB manager implemented. - M2: Ingest single file and add Element to DB, generate preview. - M3: Basic GUI that can display Elements from DB.

Phase: Beta

Timeline: 4–8 weeks

Goals: - Full GUI features (element sizing slider, media info popup, reveal/insert actions wired to nuke_bridge simulated functions). - Implement Playlists, per-user Favorites, advanced search and live filtering. - Extensibility: extensibility_hooks.py with pre/post ingest processors and import processors; settings panel to configure processor scripts. - Network-aware SQLite usage (file locking, configuration for shared repo path) and improved error handling. - Implement preview generation for sequences and short video previews for animated media where feasible.

Milestones: - M4: Extensibility hooks integrated into ingestion workflow. - M5: Advanced search and live filtering implemented. - M6: Settings panel complete with processor configuration.

Phase: Release Candidate

Timeline: 2–4 weeks

Goals: - Automated tests for ingestion, DB operations, and processor hook execution. - Simulate or integrate with a Nuke environment for more realistic Read/ReadGeo operations (optional mocks for CI). - Packaging scripts and platform-specific installers or wheels. - Performance tuning for large catalogs; lazy-loading thumbnails and pagination.

Milestones: - M7: Test coverage reaches target (e.g., 70%+ for core modules). - M8: Packaging and installer prototypes.

Phase: Stable

Timeline: ongoing

Goals: - Production hardening, user management, permissions, and audit trails. - Integrations: external asset management and CI hooks, cloud-storage backends, and multi-user concurrency improvements. - Documentation: user guides, API docs for processor hooks, and deployment guides.

Milestones: - M9: Production deployment checklist completed. - M10: Enterprise integrations documented.

Feature List (by priority)

High Priority: - SQLite schema & DB manager - Ingestion pipeline with sequence detection - PySide2 GUI with gallery/list toggle and element sizing - Basic Nuke Bridge simulation - Extensibility hooks (pre/post ingest, post-import)

Medium Priority: - Preview video generation for sequences - Playlists and Favorites - Live filtering and advanced search - Auto-register renderings from simulated Write nodes

Low Priority / Future: - User/permission management - Cloud storage backends - Integrated remote indexing service

Risks & Mitigations

  • Nuke integration is environment-specific: mitigate with a clear abstraction layer (nuke_bridge) and mock implementations for development and CI.
  • File-lock/concurrency on SQLite: mitigate with careful file locking strategies and guidance for networked SQLite usage.
  • Preview generation can be slow on large assets: implement async processing and queue workers for heavy tasks.

Owners & Contacts

  • Ahmed Ramadan

Notes

Update this roadmap at the start of each sprint. Use changelog.md to record releases and significant merges to track progress against the roadmap.