GIMP 3.0

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Major new features and technical changes

  • Non-destructive editing is widely seen as the headline change and a long‑awaited gap closer; users are relieved to avoid “bazillions” of backup layers.
  • Text handling is substantially upgraded: outlines, shadows, bevels, editable styles, and better workflows make it more viable for comics, posters, and YouTube thumbnails.
  • Copy/paste now creates a new layer instead of a “floating selection,” fixing a long‑standing UX trap; floating selections remain as an explicit option.
  • Partial CMYK support exists (import/export, soft-proofing, CMYK readout), but full native CMYK and spot colors are still on the wishlist.
  • GTK3 migration brings a “modern desktop” toolkit, Apple Silicon builds, and paves the way for more frequent minor releases and a stable plugin API.

Release cadence and GTK history

  • Some criticize the ~7‑year gap and stalled visible progress while GTK2→GTK3 was done.
  • Others defend the “when it’s done” model for non‑security‑critical desktop apps, preferring fewer, larger, well‑integrated changes.
  • There’s hope the GTK4 transition will be smoother and not block features as long.

UI/UX experience

  • Strong split: many find GIMP’s UX clunky, modal, and “hostile,” especially compared to Photoshop, Krita, or Paint.NET; others say it’s fine once learned or if it’s your first editor.
  • Specific pain points: floating selection behavior (now mostly fixed), confusing layer move/text move behavior, lack of easy arrows/shapes, “GEGL operations” leaking implementation terms into menus, and discoverability of tools (grouped icons, monochrome themes).
  • Power users highlight keyboard shortcuts, configurability, and toolbox/search tweaks that make it efficient once customized.
  • Several argue GIMP needs a Blender‑style UX overhaul; others think its UI is broadly in line with classic image editors and not fundamentally broken.

Comparisons to other tools

  • Krita is repeatedly mentioned: often preferred for painting, brush engine, and UX; debate over which is better for photo editing and color spaces.
  • Inkscape is recommended for text/layout and some collage tasks; RawTherapee/Darktable for photo workflows; Paint.NET/Pinta for simple raster jobs; Photopea and Figma as non‑FOSS but easier options.

AI and plugin ecosystem

  • Some users strongly want built‑in diffusion, generative fill, super‑resolution, and segmentation like commercial tools; others push back against “AI in everything.”
  • Consensus that such features belong in plugins; several note existing diffusion integrations for other editors and GIMP plugins for similar tasks.
  • The old plugin registry is effectively dead; there’s interest in a modern replacement and in leveraging the now‑stable API.

Naming, platforms, and ecosystem

  • The name “GIMP” is still contentious; suggestions include “GNU IMP,” while others dismiss concerns.
  • macOS users report font rendering issues and historically weaker support; maintainers cite fewer testers and upstream toolkit bugs.
  • Some distro discussions focus on whether GIMP 3 enables dropping GTK2 and Python2; several major distros are already moving that way.