Video summary

GIMP is back But the world moved on

Main summary

Key takeaways

Technology

Core framing / thesis

The speaker argues that GIMP’s return (v3.0+) is happening at the same moment when the world stopped caring about traditional desktop image editors. They frame this not as a tragedy, but as a good pivot toward serving a specific niche.

Long-term compatibility milestone (format continuity)

A test case is used to demonstrate longevity:

  • A 1998-era file (a small company logo saved as XCF) still opens pixel-for-pixel identical in the latest GIMP.

This is presented as rare software longevity, but it also hints that GIMP’s development had been stagnant for years.

Change in native project format (major technical/product shift)

Historically, GIMP used XCF, described as an older binary format (born around 1997).

Why XCF became a problem

The speaker explains that:

  • Saving rewrites the whole file.
  • This becomes painful as projects grow with:
    • Many layers
    • Non-destructive filters
    • Future capabilities such as multi-page documents and animation

New format: XML inside a zip archive

The new approach is:

  • XML inside a zip archive, described as similar to how LibreOffice stores documents.

Claimed benefits

  • Only changed parts need updating (more incremental-style saves rather than full rewrites).
  • Autosave should no longer freeze the UI.
  • File contents become inspectable with standard tools.

OpenRaster comparison / context

  • OpenRaster (for exchanging files between free editors) has been zipped XML since 2006.
  • The speaker notes that other editors (e.g., Krita) used OpenRaster for years.

They describe GIMP’s move as “deferred maintenance” rather than “innovation,” since the direction already existed in adjacent tooling.

Transition strategy

  • XCF will not be removed: it will remain loadable in future versions.
  • New features will be implemented only in the new format, encouraging migration without breaking older files.
  • This is framed as the “correct” way to transition users.

Platform UI improvement

GIMP is also getting:

  • Native file chooser dialogs on every platform

This is meant to make save dialogs on Windows and macOS behave and feel more like OS-native UI (previously identified as friction for newcomers).

Non-destructive editing expansions (feature updates)

Non-destructive editing introduced in GIMP 3.0 is said to expand further with:

  • Layer masks
  • Non-raster layers

Other workflow/tool improvements include:

  • Gradient tool gains an editable filter stack
  • MyPaint brush gains spectral blending, aimed at more physically accurate pigment mixing (e.g., yellow + blue → green without muddy results)

Attribution / community momentum signal

A standout credit is given to:

  • Cassidy Grogan, credited with a key brush / spectral blending feature

This is emphasized as a major positive sign after years of fewer contributors.

Photoshop compatibility (“PSD” section)

The speaker claims significant work toward PSD compatibility, including:

  • Editable text layers
  • Layer styles imported from Photoshop descriptors
  • Metadata exportable to TIFF and JPEG

The speaker calls out the irony that GIMP historically resisted being a Photoshop clone, but now a major effort is matching Photoshop features—framed as pragmatic realism given the ecosystem has changed.

Market/ecosystem analysis (why GIMP matters now)

The speaker argues that many image-editing needs have shifted to:

  • Browser tools (e.g., Canva)
  • Phone tools
  • Online design tools (e.g., Figma for UI)
  • AI generation, where images are increasingly generated rather than edited

As a result, the mass market for desktop editors is “shrinking.”

However, they claim a growing niche still needs:

  • Local-only, offline-capable workflows
  • No subscription lock-in
  • No server-side pixel control
  • Open/documented formats that are inspectable and long-term survivable

The 1998 logo opening perfectly is used again to reinforce the open-file/long-term survivability argument.

Release cadence “rebirth” metrics (pace change)

Version history is used to show stagnation vs revival:

  • 2.8 (2012)
  • 2.10 (2018) → ~6 years gap
  • 3.0 (March 2025)
  • 3.2 (March 2026) → ~1 year gap
  • Mentions 3.4 (Aug) and hints at 3.6

It also notes that porting to GTK3 took nearly a decade.

No tutorials/reviews listed

The subtitles are described as mostly analysis and release/feature commentary, not step-by-step tutorials.

Main speaker/source

The speaker appears to be the YouTube channel narrator/host (no specific name is given in the subtitles).

Original video