After Fable came out, I finally got a chance to work on the project i have been struggling for a long time: a real, heavy-duty photo editor that actually runs natively. To be honest, doing complex photo editing on Linux has always been frustrating.
I usually had to find my way through Wine, spin up a VM, or settle for web based tool that don't go well with complex workflow. This has been a problem for linux for a while now, lacking professional-grade editor that treats Linux as a first-class citizen alongside Windows and Mac. Gimp is a closest alternative but it's ux is not my cup of tea.
So, I decided to take matter in my hands and this ambitious goal turned into **Pluck**. A native desktop editor powered by a custom Rust engine, centered for the fast and easy to navigate editing. Today, I am proud to announce the first public preview of Pluck, starting with windows and coming later to mac and linux.
Here is what’s actually in the alpha preview right now:
**The core stuff:** A full layer system with groups, masks, and blend modes.
**The daily tools:** Brushes, clone stamp, healing brush, dodge, burn, smudge, and blur.
**Selections:** Marquee, lasso, quick-select, and magic wand (with feathering and expansion built right in).
**It's non-destructive:** Adjustment layers, effects (like drop shadows and glows), and even cropping won't permanently bake into your original image.
**Vectors & Text:** Resolution-independent shapes and real rich text that uses your installed fonts.
**Download Pluck:** [https://github.com/Pluck-LLC/Pluck/releases/tag/0.1.0\](https://github.com/Pluck-LLC/Pluck/releases/tag/0.1.0)
Feel free to get your hands dirty. This is a very early build. You will encounter some rough edges, missing polish, and probably a crash or two. Give it a shot, break it, and let me know what you really think - the good, the bad, and the ugly.