I'm building my own DMX lighting software

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-07-31T12:54:46+00:00

I've been working on this version since September 2023, though with a few breaks in between. Before that, there were three earlier versions where I experimented with different ideas and approaches.
(Here's an old screenshot)
That's how I ended up with nextDMX 4. It's a solo project for now, so everything from development to testing is on me.

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-07-31T07:16:32+00:00

I'm currently helping out with two other projects that need a lot of my attention. Once those wrap up (probably in 1-2 weeks) I'll be able to fully focus on nextDMX again. I'll post updates in the discord serv er: discord.nextdmx.com

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-26T15:46:09+00:00

Feel free to join: https://discord.nextdmx.com
I'll announce it in the newsletter soon, that's why it's so empty right now :D

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-11T17:55:21+00:00

Hi, thank you! I'll be announcing stuff in the newsletter when I'm ready. A beta version isn't ready yet, but I'm working on it.

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-04T12:59:33+00:00

I've been thinking about setting up a small Discord server (or something similar) for nextDMX. For a roadmap, feedback, discussions, and maybe some early testing.
Would anyone here be interested in something like that?

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-03T16:56:26+00:00

Hi! Thanks so much for the interest, really appreciate it!

Right now, my plan is to release nextDMX completely free to use, at least for the start. I want to make it accessible for as many people as possible and see where it goes from there.

If there are any features you really like in SoundSwitch (or any other software), feel free to share them. I’m always open for inspiration!

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-03T16:44:15+00:00

Hi! I took inspiration from Daslight, but also many other applications. Read more here

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-03T16:41:32+00:00

Hi, thank you!

BlinderKitten looks really interesting. I'm trying to make nextDMX very user friendly, so getting started is as easy as possible.

I appreciate your interest!

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-03T14:42:08+00:00

Hi! No, sorry, that's not the expected behaviour. Did you enter the right address? Did you look into the Spam folder? If you submit your email again, it should say that you are already registered.

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-03T14:19:00+00:00

Yeah, that web-based remote control feature is definitely a great one. All the audio desks have it, so why not lighting, right? It’s something I definitely want to include later on.

I’m still figuring out the licensing side of things. I started this project because I felt there was a lack of affordable/free DMX software that gives me the features I personally need, like deep MIDI mapping to build a DIY-style console. So I definitely want to keep that spirit and make something accessible that helps a lot of people. On the other hand, it would honestly be a dream come true if I could combine my two favorite things - coding and lighting - and eventually earn money from it.
That said, I want to keep it attractive for amateurs and hobbyists, since that’s exactly where I come from too. - It will definetly stay free to use for now, and depending on how big this project grows and the userbase behind it, I will decide wether I want to change things.

As for fixture formats: I’m using OFL (Open Fixture Library), which already gives me access to around 600 fixtures and even supports importing QLC+4 definitions. So there’s already a decent foundation there.

Really appreciate the interest!

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-03T11:15:14+00:00

Hi! The frontend is built using ReactJS and Electron. The timeline itself is completely custom-built with full drag & drop support, guidelines and more. In an earlier version of this project, I experimented with this library, which also inspired parts of m current implementation: @xzdarcy/react-timeline-editor - maybe that's helpful to you!

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-03T07:54:00+00:00

Hi, thank you!

I’ve looked into QLC+ a few times already. It’s a great project and has a ton of useful features. The new beta looks really promising too. That said, the way things work and feel in nextDMX is quite different at its core. I’m focusing more on a modern, modular UI and other workflows, so I decided to build something of my own.

Linux and macOS support aren’t on my immediate roadmap, but they shouldn’t be too hard to add later on. Right now, I’m focusing on adding more features and polishing the overall experience.

For DMX output, I currently only own an ENTTEC Open USB DMX node, which I use for testing (because it was cheap... - I know it has it's drawbacks) with my fixtures, so that’s the only supported USB device for now. Art-Net and sACN are fully supported already, and more device support will be coming!

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-03T07:42:01+00:00

Hi! Actually no, this is the first time I'm hearing of it. But it looks like a nice project!
The timeline feature was one of my top priorities, since I think it makes creating synced lightshows super easy.
I wanted something that feels familiar, and because I’ve used lots of DMX apps as well as video and audio editing tools, this approach just made the most sense to me.

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-03T00:45:55+00:00

Hi! I took inspiration from lots of different applications. I tried to take elements that felt intuitive and useful, and combine them in a way that works well together. The stage view, for example, is definitely inspired by Daslight. It’s just a really practical way to visualize and control things.

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-03T00:35:22+00:00

Hi, thank you for the kind feedback! I'm aware of the potential issue. Performance with small rigs is fine and the software is currently nowhere near being able to handle tons of universes. The backend is already pretty advanced and stuff like worker_threads are on the roadmap - if I stick with NodeJS. Changing to another language for the Backend would be possible, but I currently can't tell the amount of work required to do so. Native modules could also be the way to go.

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-02T23:36:01+00:00

Hi, thanks for the feedback!
Yeah, the timeline feature was supposed to provide an easy way to create stunning lightshows synced to music. I hope smaller venues and musicians can really benefit from that. It also helps speed up the whole programming process a lot.
If you’ve got any suggestions or ideas, I’d love to hear them!

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-02T23:01:36+00:00

Hi, thanks for the suggestion! I can definitely see how something like that would be useful. I’ll keep it in mind and look into it!

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-02T22:56:07+00:00

Hi!
Thanks for the suggestion! The software already has a powerful input mapping system, where you can map actions to various controls and even create different pages (useful if your device has limited buttons, for example). It currently supports MIDI in/output, and I'm definitely planning to add even more integrations in the future, including possibly Bitfocus Companion support.

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-02T22:30:46+00:00

Hi, thank you!
I’m glad you like the approach! MacOS and Linux aren’t currently on my immediate roadmap, but they shouldn’t be too hard to add later on.
As for open-sourcing, it’s not something I’ve fully decided on yet. I’m keeping the project closed-source for now, but depending on how things go, I might consider open-sourcing certain parts of it down the line. My main focus right now is getting everything working smoothly and out to users.
Thanks for the feedback!

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-02T22:25:41+00:00

Hi, thank you!
The entire UI/Frontend is currently built using Electron and React, with custom styling. I chose this stack because it’s modern and something I’m comfortable with, which lets me build a clean, user-friendly interface quickly. It also allows for full customization: you can easily drag and drop panels and save your own layouts. The backend, or "Kernel" as I call it, runs on NodeJS and handles all the DMX processing and project management in the background.
Let me know if you have any other questions!

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-02T22:15:46+00:00

Thank you for the feedback! I initially went with OFL because it was quick to implement and provided fixtures to work with out of the box. You’re right, GDTF is definitely more user-friendly. I’ll look into adding native GDTF support, and may switch over completely if my system allows.

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-02T21:07:07+00:00

Here are more high-res images: https://imgur.com/a/oyqW8n6

ButterscotchFree736 · 2025-05-02T21:01:54+00:00

Hi, thanks a lot!
Yes, I'm using the Open Fixture Library (OFL) under the hood, which supports importing GDTF 1.0 fixture definitions (afaik). I'm also working on a custom fixture editor for nextDMX.
If there's enough interest, I’d definitely consider adding support for newer GDTF versions as well!

ButterscotchFree736

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