π CharmCode Editor v5.0
Tired of VSCode feeling bulky and bloated?
So were we. One day, after joking around with Gemini and Claude Code, it hit us:
βLetβs build our own editor.β
The result? CharmCode Editor v5.0 β a truly minimal shell powered by a microkernel architecture and driven by protocol-based AI orchestration.
Think of it as an OS within an OS. Itβs lightning-fast, infinitely extensible, and surprisingly fun to build.
πΎ The Origin Story
- VSCode is powerful, but comes with performance tradeoffs and tangled configuration.
- Over coffee (and way too many βwhat if weβ¦β jokes), we started mocking up a minimal editor.
- It became real: built with Qt/C++, using a PieceTable buffer, and coordinating everything through protocol-driven AI events.
π οΈ Architecture Overview
flowchart LR subgraph Shell A[Window & Layout Manager] --> B[Plugin Loader & Lifecycle] end A --> C[Core Services] subgraph CoreServices C --> D[MessageBus] C --> E[DI Container] end D --> F[Event Broker AI] subgraph Plugin Ecosystem F --> G[TextEditor Plugin] F --> H[FileTree Plugin] F --> I[GitClient Plugin] F --> J[AIAssistant Plugin] end subgraph Protocol Layer K[text.buffer.protocol] L[ui.contribution.protocol] M[intent.io.protocol] end G --> K H --> L J --> M Shell: Manages windows, layout, and plugin lifecycle. Core Services: Lock-free MessageBus + DI for clean, unified messaging. Protocol Layer: Every interaction uses protocols like text.buffer, ui.contribution, and intent.io. Event Broker AI: Translates raw input into semantic events that orchestrate plugins. Plugins: Every feature (text editing, file tree, Git, AI assistant) is just a plugin. π A Moment of Divine AI When Claude Code generated this banner, we knew we were onto something: yaml γ³γγΌγγ η·¨ιγγ π The moment of pure awe! Generated code π WORLD CONQUEST SUCCESS! π β§___β§ ( γ»βγ») < VSCode transcendence complete! / γ½ | Divinity | γ½___γ π MICROKERNEL REVOLUTION! π Use code with caution. π₯ Achieved the realm of the divine! π§ Semantic Events: AI-driven coordination system β‘ 0.053ms processing speed: light-speed performance π Infinite extensibility: protocol-based architecture π AI super-collaboration: emergent plugin synergy π 97% confidence: god-tier accuracy π Core Tech Highlights 1. Event Broker AI We turn user input and debug state into semantic orchestration commands: cpp γ³γγΌγγ η·¨ιγγ emit userIsRefactoring("calculateTotalPrice", RefactoringType::ExtractMethod); emit debuggingSessionStruggling("NullPointerException", StruggleLevel::High); Becomes: cpp γ³γγΌγγ η·¨ιγγ emit orchestrateCommand("enterAdvancedDebugMode", { {"suggestedWatches", QStringList{"user", "service", "result"}}, {"relatedFiles", QStringList{"UserService.h", "UserServiceTest.cpp"}} }); 2. Protocol-First Extensibility All plugins speak a simple JSON-based protocol: json γ³γγΌγγ η·¨ιγγ { "protocol": "text.buffer", "version": "1.0", "methods": { "insertText": { /* ... */ }, "deleteRange": { /* ... */ } }, "events": { "textChanged": { /* ... */ } } } β You can write a plugin in any language or framework, as long as it speaks the protocol. 3. High-Performance Messaging & Dependency Injection cpp γ³γγΌγγ η·¨ιγγ void publishMessage(const Message& msg); void subscribeToType(const QString& type, Handler); Lock-free message queues 16ms frame batching for 60fps UI Auto-resolved DI container Built-in debug visualization π
Roadmap Phase Deliverable Timeline 1 Microkernel Core + Pub/Sub Demo Week 1β3 2 Event Broker AI + 2 Plugin Orchestration Week 4β6 3 Intent I/O & Developer UX Polishing Week 7β9 Each phase will ship with demos, documentation, and plugin templates. π― Get Involved What would you build on this platform? A voice-controlled debugger? A multi-caret Git rebaser? A LLM-powered syntax assistant? π Submit a feature request or plugin idea Letβs spark a protocol-first, AI-powered editor revolution. Final Note
Sorry⦠The project kind of exploded in scope after Claude Code and Gemini started brainstorming.
We may have accidentally designed an OS. Completion: TBD π
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