The Future of Designer Tools

After nearly two years of tinkering, rewriting, and testing, I’m finally ready to share what’s next for Designer Tools. It’s been a long process—mostly just me figuring out how to make something I already love even better. I’m proud of how far it’s come, and I’m excited to show you what I’ve been working on.

First off, the extension has been completely rewritten from the ground up. I switched to using React this time, which was a pretty big leap for me. It’s made everything easier to manage and has opened the door for adding features that weren’t possible before. If you’re familiar with the current version, you’ll definitely notice how much smoother and faster the new one feels.

I’ve completely redesigned the interface too. The old version was fine, but it could be a bit confusing to navigate at times. With the new design, I focused on making things much clearer and easier to use. It’s more intuitive, and hopefully feels more modern overall. My goal was to create something that works seamlessly and doesn’t make you stop and think too much about how to use it.

One big change I’ve been wrestling with is introducing subscription plans. There will be a free Starter plan, so anyone can keep using the core features without paying a cent. For those who need more advanced tools, I’m adding Plus and Pro plans. It’s a tough call, but as the extension grows, so do the costs and the time it takes to keep everything running. My hope is that the paid plans make it possible to keep improving the extension while still keeping it accessible for everyone.

This new version has been a labor of love, and I’ll be honest—it’s taken way longer than I expected. I’m just one guy doing this alongside everything else in life, so there’s been a lot of late nights and learning on the go. But I think it’s worth it, and I hope you’ll think so too. The release is just a few months away, and I can’t wait for you to check it out. Thanks for sticking with me all these years. Your support means the world, and it’s what keeps me going.