GDstudio is a new editor for Godot Projects that takes a different approach to Godot development. Each resource/scene you open shows up in its own space. What is space? Space is basically an environment where you can work on that specific resource with the interface for that resource. Each space can be docked anywhere on the screen or could be placed in the drawer.

Now to implement this functionality I had to tear down the main assumption by which Godot Editor works - that there's only one 3d editor, only one script editor, or only one shader editor.

Neither. Since my goal was to create a completely custom solution for Godot development the only way to achieve that was to modify the source code. And since I want to keep the editor up to date with the latest version of the engine I had to be smart about it. So I implemented special hooks into the existing codebase to route the calls through specific layers that manage the instances of the editors. That way I can keep maximum compatibility with the code I don't want to touch for now.

Everything except the existing functionality is my new code. I have my own GUI framework in development that will power the editor's UI with better performance and customizability.

There are two versions of GDstudio - one built on Godot 4.6.3 and one on Godot 4.7.1, so you can stay on the engine version your project already uses.

I keep maximum compatibility with Godot projects and I will make sure that you can open your project back in the Godot Editor - so there's no strings attached!

Most of the addons and GDExtensions are supported. Everything that runs through official API and docs should work. Anything that "hacks" into the editor by walking through the SceneTree most likely will not work with GDstudio - for them I'm planning to support the most used ones case by case, as I already did with the DebugDraw3D addon for example.

It's alpha, so back up your project or use source control. Most of the functionality works fully but some areas still need improving. If you use it for real work, feel free to contact me any way possible if you want a specific aspect of the editor to be addressed.

GDstudio is an editor for Godot projects, but it isn't the official Godot Editor, and it isn't trying to be Godot Editor 2.0 or to merge into it. It's a separate editor with its own direction. The code I write for it follows different principles, inspired by Casey Muratori and the Handmade approach, and GDstudio will keep diverging from the Godot Editor experience as it grows.

Your projects stay fully compatible, so you can always open them in either, but the way you work in GDstudio will become more and more its own thing over time.

GDstudio is closed source because I have a commercial interest in the project. That's the whole reason.

Closed source is also not unusual for Godot. Xogot is closed source and it's a paid product, and Godot's license allows this. Your projects stay yours and stay compatible either way.

I will have a pro version of GDstudio in the future. Currently the monetization plan is not decided but for the professional developers and gamedev teams I want to implement specific features they need.

My main goal is to make Godot development as smooth as possible. One of the biggest features that is already in works is playing the game right in the editor without launching a separate executable. I want the developer to have complete control of the running game and have different views into it - being able to create many camera views, variable views, and having hooks and visualizations for the data the game operates on.

Another feature I want to implement is MCP - aka agentic automation. I want users to be able to use the latest agentic workflows to smoothly integrate with their Godot development. This one is very WIP and I'll reveal more about it later.

Yes, I use Claude Code throughout the development of the project. I use it for bug/feature/crash report management and for working on the codebase.

I have more than 10 years of writing C++ code professionally and I have big passion for the software engineering. Whatever Claude Code generates is directly according to my plan, with my architectural decisions and each output is being reviewed by me.

The virus claims are false. virustotal.com had AI based heuristic scans that falsely claimed that GDstudio is a Trojan.

After signing the binary and contacting the scanning providers these false claims have been cleared up. GDstudio currently scans 0/61 on VirusTotal.

I want to know how many installs are there by version and OS to better understand the users. Also I want to know which features are used which features are not used.

For this reason I implemented very basic pings to the server that contain NO personal information. Only the build number and some technical information.

In the version 0.2.3 I've added terms of service and privacy policy that contain all the necessary information that I present to the user after launching the editor. You can read them at gdstudio.dev/privacy and gdstudio.dev/terms.

You can turn the telemetry off any time in Editor Settings > Experience > Send Anonymous Usage Data. It's enabled by default. When you turn it off no usage events are sent and nothing in the editor stops working.

Crash reports are separate from this. If GDstudio crashes a window shows up asking if you want to send the report, so that one is always your choice.