Avogadro 2024 Roadmap

Following the Avogadro 2023 Roadmap

Avogadro 1.99

Released by 10 Feb 2024 (for Ubuntu LTS and other Linux distros)

Goals:

  • Improved optimize framework
    • Auto-optimize tool
    • bond / angle / torsion constraints
    • better integration with Open Babel force fields
  • Improved surfaces
    • Orbital table like Avogadro 1.2
    • Faster surface generation
  • Plotting (with VTK)
    • Energy plot (e.g., multiple conformers, trajectory, etc.)
    • Spectra plotting (IR, Raman, NMR, UV/Vis, CD)
    • RMSD plot (e.g., between multiple conformers)
    • Radial distribution function
  • Conformer search dialog
  • More ligands / functional groups for template tool
  • Python / plugin enhancements
    • Better selection of Python environment
    • Install Python prerequisites with download tool
    • More automation & scripting features
  • XTB scripts
  • Bug fixes and polish
  • Improved user documentation (i.e., nearly complete)

Avogadro 2.0

Hopefully to be released … probably Spring or Summer 2024

  • Further optimization improvements
    • Auto-optimize tool
    • Constraints for distances, angles, & dihedrals
    • Recording trajectories
    • Possibly simple molecular dynamics
  • Orbital table like v1.2
  • Plotting / spectra improvements
    • Band diagrams (beyond Yaehmop)
    • X-ray diffraction
    • Density of states / partial DOS
    • Energy / conformer plot (e.g., multiple conformers, trajectory, etc.)
    • Improvements to UV, NMR, etc. plots
    • Orbital energy diagram
  • Improved conformer / trajectory support
    • “Merge frames” into multiple layers
  • Bug fixes and polish
  • Improved launch speed
  • Any menu / interface reorganization
  • Support for Qt6
  • Graphics / rendering improvements
    • Support for OpenGL 3.2 core profile
  • Improved builder tools
    • Peptide builder
    • Polymer builder
  • Python improvements
    • Embedded Python terminal

Post 2.0 Roadmap

Ideas are always welcome, but include a few ideas:

  • Rendering
    • Improved rendering & speed (e.g., dynamic level-of-detail for surfaces)
    • depth of field blurring
  • Building / editing features
    • Editing / building with symmetry (e.g., retaining point group and space group)
    • Micro-solvation / solvation “fill”
    • Materials interfaces / heterojunctions
    • Find-and-replace options (e.g., replace 50% of gold atoms within 3 A of the center)
  • Optimization with point group / space group symmetry
  • Recording user interaction ⇒ scripts
  • Trajectory / dynamics analysis
    • Support for “streaming” large trajectories rather than loading all in memory
    • Timeline view with properties
  • More ideas to come

Don’t worry, we have plenty of ideas for after the 2.0 release, but feel free to make suggestions!