Skip to main content

Roadmap & Future Direction

This page outlines the current development direction for the Directory Web Template and how the community can participate in shaping its future.

Product Vision​

The Directory Web Template aims to be the most comprehensive open-source solution for building professional directory websites. The long-term vision encompasses:

  • Production-grade directory websites that are beautiful, performant, and fully customizable
  • Easy content management through the Git-based CMS with optional AI-powered content generation via the Ever Works Platform
  • Extensible payment and authentication supporting multiple providers out of the box
  • First-class internationalization with full RTL support and growing language coverage

Areas of Active Development​

Performance and Core Web Vitals​

  • Optimizing Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) for item listing and detail pages
  • Reducing JavaScript bundle size through better code splitting and tree shaking
  • Improving image optimization pipeline for directory item screenshots and logos
  • Implementing partial prerendering for faster initial page loads

Feature Enhancements​

  • Adding more filtering and search capabilities (faceted search, advanced filters)
  • Implementing user-generated content features (reviews, ratings, comments)
  • Adding more payment provider integrations and subscription management features
  • Expanding the theming system with more built-in themes and easier customization

Developer Experience​

  • Improving local development setup with better documentation and error messages
  • Adding more comprehensive E2E test coverage with Playwright
  • Creating starter templates for common directory types (SaaS, local business, resources)
  • Improving TypeScript type safety across the codebase

Internationalization​

  • Adding more built-in language translations
  • Improving RTL layout support for Arabic and Hebrew
  • Supporting per-directory language configuration
  • Adding automated translation workflows

Documentation​

  • Expanding API reference documentation with more examples
  • Adding video tutorials for common tasks
  • Creating architecture decision records (ADRs) for major design decisions
  • Building interactive guides and playground environments

How to Propose Features​

GitHub Issues​

The primary way to propose features is through GitHub Issues at github.com/ever-works/directory-web-template/issues.

When creating a feature request:

  1. Check existing issues first to avoid duplicates.
  2. Describe the problem you are trying to solve, not just the solution you want.
  3. Provide context about your use case, directory type, and scale.
  4. Include examples (mockups, API schemas, configuration examples).

GitHub Discussions​

For broader ideas that need community input: github.com/ever-works/directory-web-template/discussions

Discord​

Join the Ever Works Discord for real-time conversations about features and project direction.

How Priorities Are Decided​

FactorWeightDescription
User demandHighNumber of requests, upvotes, and community interest
Strategic alignmentHighHow well the feature aligns with the product vision
Implementation effortMediumComplexity, time investment, and maintenance burden
Breaking change riskMediumPotential to disrupt existing users
Contributor availabilityMediumWhether maintainers or community members can take it on

Priority Tiers​

  • P0 (Critical): Security vulnerabilities, data loss bugs, or blocking issues. Addressed immediately.
  • P1 (High): Features or fixes actively being worked on for the next release.
  • P2 (Medium): Approved features planned but not yet scheduled.
  • P3 (Low): Nice-to-have improvements. Great candidates for community contributions.

Contributing to the Roadmap​

  1. Submit well-written feature requests with clear problem statements and use cases.
  2. Contribute code. Pull requests are the fastest path from idea to reality. See the Contributing Guide.
  3. Participate in discussions. Provide feedback on proposals and share your experience.
  4. Report bugs. Reliable bug reports help prioritize fixes and improve stability.

Release Cadence​

Releases are made when a meaningful set of features and fixes are ready:

  • Patch releases (bug fixes) are published as needed, often weekly during active development.
  • Minor releases (new features) are published roughly monthly.
  • Major releases (breaking changes) are infrequent and accompanied by migration guides.

See the Changelog & Versioning page for details.

Staying Updated​

  • Watch the repository on GitHub for notifications
  • Star the repository to show support and help others discover the project
  • Join the Discord for real-time updates
  • Follow @everworks on Twitter

Contact​