Hi, all. I'm loving the app, which I've just discovered. I wanted to help a bit, but can't code. I've had a look at the readme and the open issues, and tried to understand how the app could be made even better. I've used AI to format this. I hope it's helpful, if not, please close and accept my apologies. Chris I wanted to propose creating a `ROADMAP.md` file to help users and contributors understand where Cardinal is heading. This isn't about committing to deadlines—it's about giving people clarity of the vision and priorities. ## Why a Roadmap? - **Helps new contributors** find meaningful work aligned with project goals - **Manages user expectations** about what's coming vs. what works today - **Guides decision-making** when choosing between competing priorities - **Shows project momentum** to potential users and contributors ## Proposed Structure I suggest organizing our roadmap by **maturity phases** rather than dates, since we're working with variable resources. Here's a draft: --- # Cardinal Maps Roadmap This roadmap reflects our current priorities and vision for Cardinal Maps. We're a community-driven project, so timelines depend on contributor availability. Want to help? Pick an issue and jump in! ## Phase 1: Foundation - Rock-Solid Core Experience **Goal:** Make the existing features reliable and polished before adding new ones. **Why this matters:** Users need to trust Cardinal for basic navigation before they'll explore advanced features. ### Critical Reliability Fixes - [ ] Fix app crashes when planning trips for later (#99) - [ ] Resolve startup crash race condition (#18) - [ ] Improve search reliability - users must be able to find their destinations (#76) - [ ] Fix slow rerouting when user deviates from route (#33) - [ ] Prevent sudden route changes in wrong direction (#74) - [ ] Improve ETA accuracy (#75) - [ ] Fix audio playback resumption after navigation announcements (#98) ### User Experience Polish - [ ] Better error messages for long routes instead of technical errors (#89) - [ ] Fix navigation bar emphasis to follow selected tab (#22) - [ ] Localize offline download service strings (#96) - [ ] Handle dark mode preferences properly (#78) - [ ] Fix favorites management issues (#82) ### Search Improvements - [ ] Handle apostrophes in place names correctly (#49) - [ ] Deliver better Point of Interest search results (#28) - [ ] Include country information in all map pins (#80) --- ## Phase 2: Offline-First - Deliver on the Privacy Promise **Goal:** Make Cardinal the best offline navigation experience available, truly respecting user privacy. **Why this matters:** Privacy and offline capability are our key differentiators. We should excel here. ### Intelligent Offline Downloads - [ ] Auto-download map and routing tiles along routes when navigation begins (#92) - [ ] Download high-detail map tiles along route for navigation (#50) - [ ] Use offline mode as fallback when online reroute is slow (#93) - [ ] Perform continuous map matching in navigation using offline Valhalla (#94) ### Offline Infrastructure - [ ] Overhaul offline geocoder (#9) - [ ] Remove internet dependencies for glyphs and fonts (#8) - [ ] Implement map matching prior to reroute (#5) --- ## Phase 3: Navigation Features - Match Users' Expectations **Goal:** Add the features people expect from a modern navigation app. **Why this matters:** These features are table stakes for daily-use navigation apps. ### Speed & Safety - [ ] Display real-time speed (#85) - [ ] Display speed limits on the map (#68) - [ ] Show warning when exceeding speed limit (#69) - [ ] Show user when they're going the wrong direction (#72) - [ ] Rotate user icon according to direction they're facing (#73) ### Visual Improvements - [ ] Fix roundabout illustrations (#70) - [ ] Mark destination with a flag (#83) ### Destination Features - [ ] Suggest car parks and parking spaces near destination (#84) - [ ] Enable POI search around a dropped pin (#90) --- ## Phase 4: Sharing & Social - Connect with Others **Goal:** Let users share locations and plans with friends and family. **Why this matters:** Navigation is often collaborative—people need to share where they are and where they're going. ### Location Sharing - [ ] Share one's current location (#86) - [ ] Share a pin's location (#87) - [ ] Share a POI's location (#88) --- ## Phase 5: Advanced Features - Going Beyond the Basics **Goal:** Add features that make Cardinal Maps truly exceptional. **Why this matters:** These features will delight power users and expand Cardinal's capabilities. ### Transit Integration - [ ] Show public transport directions by default (#27) - [ ] Consider integrating Transitous API (#100) ### Traffic & Routing - [ ] Add traffic data (#95) ### Cloud Features - [ ] Add authentication and user accounts (#11) - [ ] Implement favorites backup & sync with Murena Workspace (#10) --- ## Ongoing Priorities (No Specific Phase) These items should be addressed continuously throughout development: ### Code Quality - [ ] Add detekt unused/dead code lints (#24) - [ ] Keep localization up to date (#32) ### Documentation - [ ] Update app to point to GitLab instead of GitHub (#101) --- ## How We Prioritize Our prioritization follows these principles: 1. **Reliability first** - Crashes and broken core features block everything else 2. **Privacy & offline** - Our differentiators deserve excellence 3. **User expectations** - Features people assume exist should come before nice-to-haves 4. **Community input** - We listen to user feedback and contributor interests ## Contributing See an issue that excites you? Jump in! Here's how: 1. Comment on the issue to let others know you're working on it 2. Check if there's related work in other issues 3. Read our [CONTRIBUTING.md] for development guidelines 4. Ask questions if anything is unclear **New to the project?** Look for issues tagged with "good first issue" or reach out and we'll help you find something suitable. --- ## Questions or Feedback? This roadmap is a living document. If you think we should reprioritize, add items, or change direction, please open an issue or comment below. Cardinal is a community effort—your input shapes where we go next.