[GSoC 2026] Proposal Discussion — Mobile UI for GNU XaoS

[Avinash Sharma]

Hello,

My name is Avinash Sharma, and I am a Computer Science student at Jaypee University of Engineering and Technology, Guna. I am interested in applying for “Develop a Mobile Phone UI for GNU XaoS” for Google Summer of Code 2026.

I am currently drafting my proposal and would sincerely appreciate any feedback or guidance before finalizing it.

About Me

• Strong experience with C/C++, Qt/QML, and CMake

• Android development experience with focus on UI architecture and accessibility

• Open-source contributor (merged PRs in large Android codebases)

• Comfortable working with modular architectures and UI/engine separation

My Understanding So Far

After exploring the XaoS repository, I understand that:

• src/engine/ handles fractal computation

• src/ui-hlp/ (notably uih_context) acts as a bridge layer

• src/ui/ implements the existing desktop interface

This separation suggests that a mobile UI could be implemented independently without modifying the engine core.

Proposed Direction (Draft)

• Introduce a src/ui-mobile/ module

• Implement the interface using QML with a C++ bridge around uih_context

• Use Qt toolchains for Android (and potentially iOS)

• Prioritize touch interaction design, performance, and maintainability

I would be grateful for guidance on:

• Any preferred architectural conventions for new UI modules

• Known build-system concerns for mobile targets

• Features you would prioritize for a first mobile release

Thank you for maintaining such a unique and inspiring piece of free software. I look forward to your suggestions.

Best regards,
Avinash Sharma
https://github.com/Avinash-Codes

[Zoltán Kovács]

Hi Avinash,

thanks for your interest and the nice introduction!

Avinash Sharma <avinash.sh...@gmail.com> ezt írta (időpont: 2026. febr. 25., Sze, 20:59):

Hello,

My name is Avinash Sharma, and I am a Computer Science student at Jaypee University of Engineering and Technology, Guna. I am interested in applying for “Develop a Mobile Phone UI for GNU XaoS” for Google Summer of Code 2026.

I am currently drafting my proposal and would sincerely appreciate any feedback or guidance before finalizing it.

About Me

• Strong experience with C/C++, Qt/QML, and CMake

• Android development experience with focus on UI architecture and accessibility

• Open-source contributor (merged PRs in large Android codebases)

• Comfortable working with modular architectures and UI/engine separation

Great!

 

My Understanding So Far

After exploring the XaoS repository, I understand that:

• src/engine/ handles fractal computation

• src/ui-hlp/ (notably uih_context) acts as a bridge layer

• src/ui/ implements the existing desktop interface

This separation suggests that a mobile UI could be implemented independently without modifying the engine core.

Yes. Please have a look also at https://github.com/xaos-project/XaoS/wiki/Developer's-Guide#historical-perspective.

@J.B. Langston Maybe we want to change the "lowest common denominator" to "least common multiple" or "greatest common divisor" in the docs, right? :-)

 

Proposed Direction (Draft)

• Introduce a src/ui-mobile/ module

• Implement the interface using QML with a C++ bridge around uih_context

• Use Qt toolchains for Android (and potentially iOS)

• Prioritize touch interaction design, performance, and maintainability

At first sight this seems to make sense. 

I would be grateful for guidance on:

• Any preferred architectural conventions for new UI modules

• Known build-system concerns for mobile targets

• Features you would prioritize for a first mobile release

I personally have no experience in this, and no preference for features. It is quite an open chapter in the history of XaoS, so we are excited to see any steps forward on this! 

Thank you for maintaining such a unique and inspiring piece of free software. I look forward to your suggestions.

Thanks for the encouraging words!

Best regards, Zoltan